Something's wrong with the birds in one California neighborhood. They keep exploding, mystifying locals about the exact cause. I mean, birds aren't known to spontaneously combust. So what gives?
Residents reported the strange incidents to authorities, according to ABC News. The news outlet reports the corpses of the deceased fowl littering the streets. In total, more than 50 birds have been found exploded.
Resident Maximilian Bolling said, "It's very traumatic."
Another neighbor, Heather Jones, said, "It's a mystery — that's how we all feel. It's inexplicable."
Birds Explode
"On Saturday, April 26, 2025, at about 5:00 pm, Contra Costa deputy sheriffs were dispatched to the 6100 block of Bernhard Avenue in unincorporated Richmond for a report of a suspicious circumstance," the statement read. "A resident reported multiple birds were possibly electrocuted when they landed on a power line."
However, two birds at least appear to have been victims of foul play (or is it fowl play). They had injuries consistent with either a BB gun or pellet gun. Meanwhile, the Pacific Gas & Electric Company says there's no evidence that its powerlines caused the fowl to explode.
"We appreciate the concern of our customers in Richmond about the recent series of bird deaths. We have asked the California Department of Fish & Wildlife to evaluate several of the bird corpses," Pacific Gas & Electric Company said in a statement, per ABC7. They also shared that the birds show no evidence of electrocution, and that their deaths appeared to be caused by trauma, potentially from a pellet or BB gun, or a slingshot.
They added, "PG&E does not believe that there was an issue with our electrical equipment and agrees that these birds were not electrocuted. Neighbors have asked the Contra County Sheriff's Office to look into this situation. The pole at issue is compliant with avian safe standards, as established by the Avian Powerline Interaction Committee."
However, witnesses said the birds exploding"sounded like a firecracker."
"I've been under the birds when it happens, and I know where the sound is coming from. It's coming from up on the pole," one neighbor said.
