Minnesota Birds High on Fermented Berries Terrorize Small Town

  • by Arnold Ball
  • in Medicine
  • — Oct 5, 2018
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He concluded: "There is no need to call law enforcement about these birds as they should sober up within a short period of time".

The Gilbert Minnesota Police Department says they've received several reports of intoxicated bird sightings. In Gilbert, an early frost has fermented local berries, leading to young birds getting drunk from eating them.

Laura Erickson, a Duluth birding expert, told Minnesota's Pioneer Press that waxwings, robins and thrushes are often the most prone to become tipsy, as they commonly feed on mountain ash berries, which were affected by this year's frost. Also, younger birds' livers can not handle the fermented berries as well as older ones. Since the birds have not yet flown south for the winter, they are still around to feed on the fermented berries once they thaw, which causes them to actually become drunk. In recent days, they have been flying perilously close to windows and cars, and generally seem to be discombobulated. "That explains all the birds bouncing off my window lately!" The answer was bizarrely familiar: the birds were flying under the influence. If they can't fly properly or keep their balance, intoxicated birds are at risk of crashing into hard surfaces.

"They just get sloppy and clumsy", Dodder said. The officials also expect the birds to sober up soon enough.

As humorous as it might sound, bingeing on berries can be deadly for birds. In 2011, police were called to investigate the suspicious deaths of 12 blackbirds at an elementary school in the United Kingdom, but a necropsy revealed the birds had not been the victims of foul play and instead may have just eaten too many fermented rowan berries. If the bird may be in danger from cats or other predators, it's best to pick it up gently with a towel and put it in a ventilated box in a dark and quiet spot.

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