Thousands of migratory birds crash land and DIED on impact in UTAH... Can't Blame this one of Fireworks yet

Thousands of migratory birds crash land and DIED on impact in UTAH... Can't Blame this one of Fireworks yet

Thousands of migratory birds died on impact after apparently mistaking a Wal-Mart car park and other areas for bodies of water and plummeting to the ground.

Crews went to work cleaning up the dead birds and rescuing the survivors after the creatures crash-landed in St. George, Utah, in what one wildlife expert called the worst downing she's ever seen.

The crash happened on Monday night and by midday Wednesday, volunteers had helped rescue more than 3,000 birds, releasing them into nearby bodies of water.

‘They're just everywhere,’ said Utah Division of Wildlife Resource spokesman Teresa Griffin.

‘It's been non-stop. All our employees are driving around picking them up, and we've got so many people coming to our office and dropping them off.’

Stormy conditions probably confused the flock of grebes, a duck-like aquatic bird likely making its way to Mexico for the winter, which tried to land in a Cedar City Wal-Mart car park and elsewhere.

The birds plunged into the car park, football fields, highways and over miles of property that had been blanketed by about three inches of gleaming snow. At least 1,500 are believed to have died. Read More