MATLACHA ISLES, Fla. — Neighbors said dead birds have been showing all over Matlacha Isles for the last few days. Beatrice Storino counted up to 20 grackle birds since Friday.
“I hope it’s not a flu or something that’s going around that can contaminate the other birds or the fish,” she said. “Just like to know what the heck’s going on.”
Frances Martorella has a few ideas of what might have caused all these bird death.
“I thought maybe somebody’s poisoning them. Or they’ve got a disease or something that’s killing them,” she said.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they’re looking into this issue. Until they get to the bottom of it, Martorella’s taking matters into her own hands. She scooped up a few she found in the street on Boat Shell Drive, so they wouldn’t get run over.
FWC said they don’t recommend touching any carcasses without gloves. You can report any dead birds to their bird mortality website at https://legacy.myfwc.com/bird/
