UPDATE (June 15, 6 p.m.): News 5 has an update on the bizarre death of more than a dozen birds in a Mobile neighborhood.
Watch the video in the player above for the latest information on this incident.
We returned to Stuart Drive today to find that the birds have not been cleaned up.
We’re told the birds should be picked up no later than Monday, but residents think that isn’t soon enough.
“We need assistance from 911, 311, animal control, and even the zoo. We need anyone who can help to come and take these birds away,” said Destany Williams. “Seriously, someone needs to come and get these birds. They smell bad, we’re asking for help, please.”
City officials say that Animal Control believes a lightning strike is responsible for the death of the pelicans.
UPDATE (June 14, 6:45 p.m.) — Mobile police reported to News 5 that a representative from city animal control explained the birds fell from nearby trees due to a lightning strike.
The exact timeline for cleanup is unclear.
We’re told the birds could be picked up as early as Saturday, but no later than Monday.
We will continue to update this story as we learn more.
PREVIOUS REPORTING
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile police have responded to reports of more than a dozen pelican corpses found by residents in one Mobile neighborhood.
The birds were seen on the street and on homes on West Stuart Drive off Navco Road Saturday.
News 5 was on scene. Around 4:30 p.m., the bird corpses were still lying around.
Right now, many residents theorize that a lightning strike may have caused the pelicans to fall from the sky.
One woman told News 5 she heard two loud booms during a thunderstorm and saw birds on the ground after it passed.
“No way we could look outside and see 16 birds just in our yard,” resident Destiny Williams expressed. “No other place, just here in the yard. This can’t be just a random occurrence.”
“This is the end of the world for real.”
We have reached out to the MPD and several environmental wildlife agencies to figure out the bird’s exact cause of death.
We have not yet heard back.
This is a developing story.
