"There is no need to call law enforcement about these birds, as they should sober up within a short period of time.”
Berries getting them not tipsy but drunk! Hundreds of birds in Gilbert, Minnesota, are getting intoxicated from fermented berries, which is causing them to fly into windows, stagger down streets and fall out of trees.
‘They’ll sober up,’ chief says: No need to call police over ‘drunken’ birds up north
GILBERT, Minn. — Reports of erratic bird activity prompted Gilbert police to issue a statement Tuesday.
Police Chief Ty Techar wrote that the department in this Iron Range town had received calls about “birds that appear to be under the influence, flying into windows, cars and acting confused.”
He said probably a half-dozen people contacted his department Monday with concerns about apparently disoriented birds flying into buildings and cars.
All this, before many birds have migrated out of the area, apparently has resulted in widespread avian inebriation, as the feathered flocks gorge on spiked fruit, mostly mountain ash berries.
Techar said occasional reports of loopy birds are nothing new at this time of year, but weather conditions this fall have served up more than the typical share of alcohol-laden fruit.