FOLLOWING worldwide speculation into the mysterious death of over 200 starlings on Anglesey rural crime police have revealed they may have died in an impact with the road.

Initial findings into the birds' unusual death were revealed in a series of Tweets on Wednesday morning.

It's thought likely that during "murmuration"  - or swooping in a large group - the birds may have taken avoidant action whilst airborne with some of them striking the ground.

Around 225 starlings were found on a back road in Bodedern on December 10.

Dafydd Edwards and his partner Hannah Stevens made the grim discovery near Llyn Llywenan in Bodedern.

The Leader:

North Wales Police's Rural Crime Team received an initial post mortem examination, but had been awaiting a toxicology report.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency had collected the birds for testing to establish whether or not they had been poisoned.

However all kinds of theories had been mooted from sonic booms to 5G testing. 

Now Rob Taylor, of the rural crime team, thanked callers and those who sent emails from around the globe for their suggestions and is released the latest information in a series of Tweets.

In first 'Starling Update' Part 1, he said:

"A lot of you have been asking about an update on the Anglesey starling death case from December last year.

"Unfortunately toxicology results aren't that quick to receive but I have the initial post mortem results from Animal Plant & Health Agency....

Part 2:

"I am happy to release the initial findings over a series of tweets. Please bear in mind that the full toxicology has not been received so a final theory cannot be confirmed, but we are quite sure of the reasons and cause of deaths to the birds....

Part 3:

"At least 200 starlings died on a 100 metre stretch of road at Bodedern, #Anglesey on Tuesday 10th December 2019. Some were still alive but weak and unable to fly before they died. The Rural Crime Team and APHA attended and a number of birds removed....."

Part 4:

"No birds were found either side of the road hedgerow with most being dead on the tarmac road. 29 birds were recovered from the hedgerow entangled in the bramble or branches with one impaled on a small branch which had pierced through its body...."

Part 5:

"35 birds were taken for examination. One had a ring on its left leg and was ringed in 2015 Ventes Ragas, Lithuania making it 4 years old and some 1662 km from Anglesey from the point of ringing.

All examined birds had severe internal trauma from impact...

Part 6:

"The trauma supports the case that the birds died from impact with the road.

It's highly likely the murmuration took avoiding action whilst airborne, from possibly a bird of prey with the rear of the group not pulling up in time and striking the ground...."

Part 7:

"We still await toxicology, but from speaking to many people, looking at the injuries and previous world wide cases it appears by taking avoiding flight action the murmuration has flown towards the ground and pulled up, but some have not made it"...

PART 8:

"Thank you to the many calls and emails we received on this case from around the world.

Some theories were truly incredible and out of this world!

We can only work on hard evidence, previous cases and professional opinion."