Mass die off of tree martin birds ‘due to cold’ in Western Australia

Conservationists have blamed a summer cold snap for the widespread deaths of a small native bird in Western Australia’s South West.

A low pressure system brought unseasonal cold temperatures and heavy rainfall to southern WA for several days from the weekend.

Parks and Wildlife conservation officer Ben Lullfitz said after the cold weather people had found dead tree martin birds from Augusta to Bunbury.

“It’s a small bird which looks a bit like a swallow, basically they are insect feeders which don’t like cold weather in the summer … which has caused them to get into quite a bit of distress,” he said.

Mr Lullfitz said the birds were unable to feed or regulate their body temperature during the cool conditions.

“We don’t know how many exactly have died but it’s been a widespread event,” he said.

Courtesy of abc.net.au

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