Mysterious bird deaths baffle hotel workers
October 17, 2011 at 5:09 AM EDT - Updated June 25 at 5:06 PM
MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) The apparent death of 30-40 birds has workers at one Myrtle Beach hotel wondering what's to blame.
Ocean Forest Resort Hotel Security Guard Brandon Nelson said between 30 and 40 birds of various breeds fell from the sky around 2 Sunday morning while he was patrolling the building.
"The birds were just landing with a plop, some of them chirped and squirmed for a few minutes before they died. I've never seen anything like it," Nelson said.
Nelson's mother, Sarah Allen, stopped at the hotel to visit her son during his shift when she says one of the birds hit her in the shoulder as it fell from the sky.
"I stepped out of my car and asked what was going on and no sooner had I asked when a bird hit my shoulder," Allen said.
Ocean Forest Maintenance Worker Jimmie Livingston said birds die almost yearly around the Hotel, though not in such large numbers.
"Oh no, this isn't the first time. And I think it's going to keep happening too," Livingston said.
Livingston said he thinks the birds may be colliding with hotel late at night when the poor visibility makes the building difficult to see, especially in the moonlight.
"They just confuse it for open air and they run into it," Livingston said.
Myrtle Beach Police confirmed they did respond and investigate the incident, but did not have any further details at the time.