{"id":17580,"date":"2018-09-22T08:48:36","date_gmt":"2018-09-22T15:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17580"},"modified":"2025-07-21T16:39:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T23:39:55","slug":"tsawwassen-bc-dozens-of-birds-fall-dead-from-the-sky-in-in-mysterious-mortality-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17580","title":{"rendered":"Tsawwassen BC &#8211; Dozens of birds fall dead from the sky in in mysterious &#8216;mortality event&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-hyr64mbzq6u\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer &apos;none&apos;;autoplay &apos;none&apos;;bluetooth &apos;none&apos;;browsing-topics &apos;none&apos;;camera &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-read &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-write;display-capture &apos;none&apos;;encrypted-media &apos;none&apos;;gamepad &apos;none&apos;;geolocation &apos;none&apos;;gyroscope &apos;none&apos;;hid &apos;none&apos;;identity-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;idle-detection &apos;none&apos;;keyboard-map &apos;none&apos;;local-fonts;magnetometer &apos;none&apos;;microphone &apos;none&apos;;midi &apos;none&apos;;otp-credentials &apos;none&apos;;payment &apos;none&apos;;picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create &apos;none&apos;;publickey-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;screen-wake-lock &apos;none&apos;;serial &apos;none&apos;;summarizer &apos;none&apos;;sync-xhr;usb &apos;none&apos;;web-share;window-management &apos;none&apos;;xr-spatial-tracking &apos;none&apos;;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-hyr64mbzq6u\" data-lenis-prevent=\"\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/hyR64MbzQ6U?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/hyR64MbzQ6U?feature=oembed&#038;iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autoplay=0\" title=\"\" width=\"900\"><\/iframe><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http:\\\/\\\/schema.org\\\/\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emrabc.ca\\\/?p=17580#arve-youtube-hyr64mbzq6u\",\"@type\":\"VideoObject\",\"embedURL\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\\\/embed\\\/hyR64MbzQ6U?feature=oembed&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&autohide=1&playsinline=0&autoplay=0\"}<\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"style-scope yt-formatted-string\" dir=\"auto\">The Canadian Wildlife Service is investigating a &#8220;mortality event&#8221; in which dozens of birds fell dead from the sky on a road near Tsawwassen, B.C.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"detailHeadline\">Dozens of birds fall out of the sky in mysterious &#8216;mortality event&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p class=\"deck\"><strong>Officials investigating what caused birds, believed to be starlings, to plunge to the ground<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"byline\">\n<div class=\"bylineDetails\"><span class=\"authorText\"><a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/joan-marshall-1.4745315\">Joan Marshall<\/a><\/span><span class=\"bullet\"> \u00b7 <\/span>CBC News<span class=\"bullet\"> \u00b7 <\/span><time class=\"timeStamp\" datetime=\"2018-09-23T23:05:59.721Z\">Posted: Sep 20, 2018 7:22 AM PT | Last Updated: September 23, 2018<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"storyWrapper\">\n<figure class=\"imageMedia leadmedia-story full\">\n<div class=\"placeholder\">\n<div class=\"placeholderImage\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830186.1537382324!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.PNG_gen\/derivatives\/16x9_780\/dead-birds-on-the-pavement-in-tsawwassen-area.PNG\" sizes=\"\" srcset=\"\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption\">A number of dead birds, which bystanders say fell from the sky, lie on the pavement. (Kevin Beech)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"commentCount\">\n<div class=\"commentCount-text-container\">\n<div class=\"viafoura\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"story\">\n<p>The Canadian Wildlife Service is investigating a &#8220;mortality event&#8221; in which dozens of birds literally fell from the sky on a road near Tsawwassen, B.C.<\/p>\n<p>People were shocked to witness the birds, believed to be starlings, plunge to the ground near the BC Ferries terminal on Sept. 14.<\/p>\n<p>It is unclear whether they were dead before hitting the ground.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/politics\/9-leading-causes-of-bird-deaths-in-canada-1.1873654\">The 9 leading causes of bird deaths in Canada<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>&#8216;It was horrible&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Kevin Beech says the scene was something reminiscent of\u00a0an Alfred Hitchcock movie.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The poor little guys were in blood pools and stuff. It was horrible,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p>He took a picture and posted it on Facebook,\u00a0where it was shared hundreds of times.<\/p>\n<p>Those who witnessed the event told Beech it was like a mass suicide as the birds, believed to be starlings, crashed to the ground in a big group.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"imageMedia image full\">\n<div class=\"placeholder\">\n<div class=\"placeholderImage\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830686.1537451999!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/dead-bird.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830686.1537451999!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_300\/dead-bird.jpg 300w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830686.1537451999!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_460\/dead-bird.jpg 460w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830686.1537451999!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_620\/dead-bird.jpg 620w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830686.1537451999!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/dead-bird.jpg 780w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830686.1537451999!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/original_1180\/dead-bird.jpg 1180w\" alt=\"\" width=\"691\" height=\"342\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption\">A dead bird found near the ferry terminal. (Belle Puri\/CBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Shawn Phillips was on his way to pick up someone from the ferry terminal when he says he\u00a0saw &#8220;swarms of birds doing aerial events.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He said\u00a0one of the groups did a loop and then dived straight into the ground.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Man it was unexpected. It was unreal to see. It was spooky to see,&#8221; Phillips said.<\/p>\n<p>He pulled over but said, &#8220;there were no survivors&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul class=\"similarLinks\">\n<li class=\"similarListItem\"><a class=\"similarLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/wets-nile-virus-bc-birds-1.4794722\" data-contentid=\"\"><span class=\"similarLinkText\">Birds in B.C. test positive for West Nile virus<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Post-mortem examination<\/h2>\n<p>The &#8220;mortality event&#8221; is being investigated by the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Delta Wildlife Shelter.<\/p>\n<p>The carcasses of the birds were collected and\u00a0sent to a laboratory\u00a0for a post-mortem\u00a0examination to determine a probable cause of death, according to Environment Canada\u00a0migratory bird biologist Laurie Wilson.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We won&#8217;t know the cause of death until the birds have been examined,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"imageMedia image full\">\n<div class=\"placeholder\">\n<div class=\"placeholderImage\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830777.1537397712!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.PNG_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/rob-hope-at-owl-rescue-centre-delta.PNG\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 300px,(max-width: 460px) 460px,(max-width: 620px) 620px,(max-width: 780px) 780px,(max-width: 1180px) 1180px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830777.1537397712!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.PNG_gen\/derivatives\/original_300\/rob-hope-at-owl-rescue-centre-delta.PNG 300w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830777.1537397712!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.PNG_gen\/derivatives\/original_460\/rob-hope-at-owl-rescue-centre-delta.PNG 460w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830777.1537397712!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.PNG_gen\/derivatives\/original_620\/rob-hope-at-owl-rescue-centre-delta.PNG 620w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830777.1537397712!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.PNG_gen\/derivatives\/original_780\/rob-hope-at-owl-rescue-centre-delta.PNG 780w, https:\/\/i.cbc.ca\/1.4830777.1537397712!\/fileImage\/httpImage\/image.PNG_gen\/derivatives\/original_1180\/rob-hope-at-owl-rescue-centre-delta.PNG 1180w\" alt=\"\" width=\"398\" height=\"272\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption\">Rob Hope of the OWL Orphaned Wildlife centre, thinks the birds may have been malnourished and stressed.(CBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rob Hope from the\u00a0OWL Orphaned Wildlife rehabilitation centre in Delta, B.C., speculates that the deaths were\u00a0related to migration and hunger and that stormy weather may have stressed the birds.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Most of the flocking birds at this time of the year &#8230; will not only be stressed but malnourished and that can cause their bodies to shut down and just drop from the sky.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<ul class=\"similarLinks\">\n<li class=\"similarListItem\"><a class=\"similarLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/birds-poison-1.4468165\" data-contentid=\"\"><span class=\"similarLinkText\">Bird rescue centre raises concerns about rat poison<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Common phenomenon in Indian village<\/h2>\n<p>There have been reports of mass bird deaths elsewhere in the world.<\/p>\n<p>In India, a small village called Jatinga is famous for the phenomenon. For a few months in the fall, hundreds of birds fly at high speed and crash into a mountain ridge at night, causing bird carcasses to be scattered across the valley below. Locals believe evil spirits are responsible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/bird-kill-mystery-tsawwassen-1.4829960\">https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/bird-kill-mystery-tsawwassen-1.4829960<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?cat=575\">DEAD BIRDS FOUND AROUND THE WORLD<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"oxS9704g38\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17568\">Birds &#8216;fall from sky&#8217; bleeding from beaks and eyes and die &#8216;wailing in pain&#8217;<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Birds &#8216;fall from sky&#8217; bleeding from beaks and eyes and die &#8216;wailing in pain&#8217;&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17568&#038;embed=true#?secret=cbEy2UAIQz#?secret=oxS9704g38\" data-secret=\"oxS9704g38\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"TKXmIHrSxQ\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=16015\">5G kills 300 Birds in Charlotte?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;5G kills 300 Birds in Charlotte?&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=16015&#038;embed=true#?secret=G4nmBg2cJb#?secret=TKXmIHrSxQ\" data-secret=\"TKXmIHrSxQ\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"duD8fVHMbd\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=18302\">What&#8217;s behind the mysterious death of more than two dozens birds in downtown Pensacola?<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;What&#8217;s behind the mysterious death of more than two dozens birds in downtown Pensacola?&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=18302&#038;embed=true#?secret=yogZIDyqAS#?secret=duD8fVHMbd\" data-secret=\"duD8fVHMbd\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"yZJ56LB1J0\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17641\">Hundreds Of Birds Found Dead On Cruise Ship Open Decks<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Hundreds Of Birds Found Dead On Cruise Ship Open Decks&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17641&#038;embed=true#?secret=mDbq6JnEB1#?secret=yZJ56LB1J0\" data-secret=\"yZJ56LB1J0\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"KD0VvFGhXq\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=18023\">\u2018Unprecedented\u2019: Birds mysteriously dropping dead across southwestern U.S.<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;\u2018Unprecedented\u2019: Birds mysteriously dropping dead across southwestern U.S.&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=18023&#038;embed=true#?secret=YLIlp4ukdU#?secret=KD0VvFGhXq\" data-secret=\"KD0VvFGhXq\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"1FzdDeujus\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=19891\">Cell Tower Radiation Affects Wildlife: Dept. of Interior Attacks FCC<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Cell Tower Radiation Affects Wildlife: Dept. of Interior Attacks FCC&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=19891&#038;embed=true#?secret=kG4BXkTrIK#?secret=1FzdDeujus\" data-secret=\"1FzdDeujus\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"P1RcJuPRNV\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17580\">Tsawwassen BC &#8211; Dozens of birds fall dead from the sky in in mysterious &#8216;mortality event&#8217;<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Tsawwassen BC &#8211; Dozens of birds fall dead from the sky in in mysterious &#8216;mortality event&#8217;&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=17580&#038;embed=true#?secret=3A5KYb9Cg2#?secret=P1RcJuPRNV\" data-secret=\"P1RcJuPRNV\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"7tmQA1fmt9\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=13111\">Radiation From Cell Phones, Wifi Are Hurting The Birds And The Bees; 5G May Make It Worse<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Radiation From Cell Phones, Wifi Are Hurting The Birds And The Bees; 5G May Make It Worse&#8221; &#8212; EMR Health Alliance of BC\" src=\"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=13111&#038;embed=true#?secret=30coBRF2sO#?secret=7tmQA1fmt9\" data-secret=\"7tmQA1fmt9\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Canadian Wildlife Service is investigating a &#8220;mortality event&#8221; in which dozens of birds fell dead from the sky on a road near Tsawwassen, B.C. &nbsp; Dozens of birds fall out of the sky in mysterious &#8216;mortality event&#8217; Officials investigating what caused birds, believed to be starlings, to plunge to the ground Joan Marshall \u00b7 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[575,17,150],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-birds","category-bc","category-tsawwassen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17580"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19908,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17580\/revisions\/19908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}