Dead bird find stuns residents
Dozens of dead birds have been discovered along two bays on Auckland’s North Shore with fears they have been poisoned.
Beachgoers at Rothesay Bay and Brown’s Bay were alarmed to find the dead and dying birds, including rock pigeons and a black-backed gull, scattered along the bays on Wednesday.
A North Shore woman who was out walking her dog feared the birds had been poisoned, and was concerned about dogs eating the poison as well.
She told the Herald she had seen more than 20 dead birds, and more were dying while she walked along the beach.
“One bird was still alive but it was dying right in front of us. I suspect someone has put poison down.” She had contacted Auckland Council and the Department of Conservation.
DoC confirmed to the Herald it was investigating the deaths.
DoC ranger Alex Wilson said he collected 12 dead rock pigeons and a dead juvenile black-backed gull that had been taken to a nearby veterinary clinic.
Black-backed gulls were a native species, however they were very abundant and were not protected under the Wildlife Act 1953.
Rock pigeons were a nonprotected introduced species.
The bird deaths come after dozens of birds died in two separate incidents in Auckland in September.
In early September, Titirangi residents began reporting chickens, as well as a few roosters, suddenly having violent seizures and spasms.
The SPCA later confirmed the birds had been poisoned.
Near the end of September dozens of dead and dying pigeons were found at Jellicoe Park in Onehunga.
Police and the SPCA were looking into that incident.