THE mystery of how 200 starlings died on Anglesey may have been solved.


Initial findings into the birds’ unusual deaths were revealed in a series of Tweets by rural crime police on Wednesday morning.


It’s thought likely that during “murmuration” - or swooping in a large group - the birds may have taken avoidant action whilst airborne. Some of them are thought to have struck the ground as they pulled back up.


Around 225 starlings were found on a back road in Bodedern on December 10.


Dafydd Edwards and his partner Hannah Stevens made the grim discovery near Llyn Llywenan in Bodedern.


North Wales Police’s Rural Crime Team received an initial post mortem examination, but had been awaiting a toxicology report.


The Animal and Plant Health Agency had collected the birds for testing to establish whether or not they had been poisoned.
The incident prompted worldwide speculation.

Numerous theories were mooted from sonic booms to 5G testing. 


Now Rob Taylor, of the North Wales Rural Crime Team, thanked callers and email writers from around the globe for their suggestions in a series of Tweets.

In the first ‘Starling Update’ Part 1, he said:

“A lot of you have been asking about an update on the Anglesey starling death case from December last year.
“Unfortunately toxicology results aren’t that quick to receive but I have the initial post mortem results from Animal Plant & Health Agency....

Part 2:
“I am happy to release the initial findings over a series of tweets. Please bear in mind that the full toxicology has not been received so a final theory cannot be confirmed, but we are quite sure of the reasons and cause of deaths to the birds....

Part 3:
“At least 200 starlings died on a 100 metre stretch of road at Bodedern, Anglesey on Tuesday, December 10, 2019. Some were still alive but weak and unable to fly before they died. The Rural Crime Team and APHA attended and a number of birds removed.....”

Part 4:
“No birds were found either side of the road hedgerow with most being dead on the tarmac road. 29 birds were recovered from the hedgerow entangled in the bramble or branches with one impaled on a small branch which had pierced through its body....”

Part 5:
“35 birds were taken for examination. One had a ring on its left leg and was ringed in 2015 Ventes Ragas, Lithuania making it 4 years old and some 1662 km from Anglesey from the point of ringing.
All examined birds had severe internal trauma from impact...

Part 6:
“The trauma supports the case that the birds died from impact with the road. It’s highly likely the murmuration took avoiding action whilst airborne, from possibly a bird of prey with the rear of the group not pulling up in time and striking the ground....”

Part 7:
“We still await toxicology, but from speaking to many people, looking at the injuries and previous world wide cases it appears by taking avoiding flight action the murmuration has flown towards the ground and pulled up, but some have not made it”...
Part 8:
“Thank you to the many calls and emails we received on this case from around the world.

Some theories were truly incredible and out of this world!
We can only work on hard evidence, previous cases and professional opinion.”