Drunk birds found dead after eating fermented berries and flying into Vancouver house's window

A B.C. man says he was shocked to discover several dead birds outside a friend's house in Vancouver last week, after they had flown into the house's window.

"It's one of the worst things I've seen," said Bruce Hunt. "I've seen lots of birds fly into windows and stuff like that but not that many."

Last Friday, Hunt and his wife discovered eight dead birds lying on the ground beneath a cracked window while they were house-sitting in the Point Grey neighbourhood. The birds were surrounded by purple-tinted discharge.

"It was an absolute horror," said Hunt.

He said that from the colour of the discharge, the birds appeared to have been eating berries from a nearby eucalyptus tree — which had fermented, inebriating the birds. 

According to a rehabilitation specialist, bird fatalities can increase this time of year as some birds feast on berries that ferment during the fall and winter, and become intoxicated. 

Hunt said the dead birds were Cedar Waxwings, a species known for their sleek feathers and love for berries. 

As Hunt was cleaning the birds up, he said another one flew into the window and died.

Despite putting sticky notes over the window, another bird — the 10th — died after flying into it the next morning. 

How to help minimize harm to intoxicated birds

Merrilee Prior, president of the Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society (PROWLS), says it is common for birds to become drunk from fermented berries this time of year. 

She says Cedar Waxwings and robins in particular tend to overindulge in berries. 

"They're no different than a human that's had too much to drink. Their balance is off, their judgment is poor, they fall over, and they hit windows," Prior said. 

She said those who find a bird that has hit a window should place it in a cardboard box and in a quiet space, and call their local animal rehabilitation centre. 

People can also help minimize harm to intoxicated birds by making windows more visible. Some ways to do this include wiping a mixture of ivory soap and water on the outside of windows with a cloth, or sticking special decals on windows that are visible from the outside but not the inside.

And if you find a drunk bird staggering around? The solution is the same as that for a human, she said: bring it to a safe place to get some rest. 

Prior suggested putting it in a cardboard box or a branch in a dense tree. 

"Anywhere the bird can sleep it off, wake up in the morning with a headache, and go out and start again," she said.