Power line blamed for bird kill in Louisiana
By JANET McCONNAUGHEY, Associated Press
Jan 4, 2011 3:41 PM CST
Cindy Bryant and her husband Stephen examine one of the thousands of dead birds that fell from the sky between 11 p.m. New Years Eve and early New Years Day near their home in Beebe, Ark. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said Saturday more than 1,000 dead black birds fell from the sky in Beebe....   (Associated Press)

Louisiana's state wildlife veterinarian says at least some of an estimated 450 birds that died near Baton Rouge may have flown into a power line.

Jim LaCour said Tuesday the grackles, starlings, brown-headed cowbirds and red-winged blackbirds had broken beaks and backs. He says some live birds had broken wings but ran too fast to catch.

The bird deaths Monday came a few days after about 3,000 blackbirds fell from the sky in central Arkansas. Scientists there say celebratory fireworks on New Year's Eve likely sent the birds into such a tizzy that they crashed into homes, cars and each other before plummeting to their deaths.

Officials say such massive wildlife kills are not uncommon.

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