Mass of Dead Birds Found in Downtown Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas, police officers found 40 to 60 dead birds, including grackles, pigeons and sparrows, on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin in the early morning hours of Monday, Jan. 8, 2007.

The high number of dead birds spurred police to alert the Texas Department of State Health Services, which was investigating the cause of the birds' death at the time this article was posted.

Congress Avenue, from Second Street to 11th Street, was closed as a precaution until the investigation and clean-up were complete. Officials expected to reopen the street at noon on Monday.

In a Monday morning press conference, a health department spokesman said that an on-site investigation had not produced any evidence of a health risk to Austin citizens. The spokesman said that a necropsy was being performed on one of the birds to determine the cause of death, and further viral and bacterial testing would be conducted. Officials do not believe the birds were victims of avian influenza; preliminary evidence suggests the birds were poisoned.