Death of birds in Ballina remains unknown

By Sarah Waters

A large number of deceased birds are being found around Ballina, but the cause of their death is still a mystery.

Veterinarian Dr Bree Talbot from Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital (BBWH) said about 15 birds, including magpies, currawongs and pigeons were brought into the hospital last week.

The birds were found around the same location on Tamar St, Crane St, and Martin St in Ballina.

“The birds are appearing deceased in people’s gardens and one or two in school grounds,” Dr Talbot said.

“We don’t know what it is, but we’re working with the Australian Wildlife Registry (based out of Taronga Zoo) and sending all of the birds to them to fgure out what could potentially be going on,” she said.

Dr Talbot said it could take up to two weeks before the cause is known by the time testing is completed.

It is also unusual for birds to suddenly die in a large number at once.

“There’s usually a disease outbreak, poisoning (from bate) or some kind of pesticide that people put on their gardens,” she said.

“But the birds that we are seeing here aren’t normally the kind that eat bate and it’s not the usual signs of poisoning that we’re seeing.”

Magpies can be vulnerable to a disease known as black and white syndrome which causes paralysis, but that disease had been ruled out at this stage.

Dr Talbot said if people see birds sitting lower in the tree or acting quiet, which isn’t considered normal behaviour, to let Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital on 1300 945 354 or a local wildlife rescue group know.

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is a disease surveillance clinic, which works with The Australian Registry of Wildlife Health.

The clinic reports all their unusual or interesting cases to The Australian Registry of Wildlife Health each month to help improve Australia’s ability to detect and diagnose endemic, emerging and exotic diseases of wildlife.

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