Dozens of dead birds found in northwest New Mexico

Dozens of dead birds found in northwest New Mexico

BLOOMFIELD Even Edgar Allan Poe may have gasped at the morbidity along Bloomfield Highway on Thursday.

At lunchtime on Thursday, 40 to 50 dead European starlings were scattered in a 50-foot circle across U.S. 64 in Bloomfield. Some were lying on their backs with their small feet sticking up in the air, and at least one of them was missing its head.

About 30 dead birds were north of the highway just east of Murph's Complete Automotive Service, at 6658 U.S. Highway 64. About 20 additional piles of flattened feathers were on the highway.

John Kendall, a wildlife biologist for the Bureau of Land Management, investigated the cluster and identified the species of bird.

The starlings likely roosted in shrubs north of the highway Wednesday night and died when they flew into the side of a large vehicle driving the highway late Wednesday or early Thursday morning, he said.

"It certainly is unusual," Kendall said. "Usually birds are smarter than that." Read More