Birds dying at alarming rate in California neighborhood: 'Just horrifying'

RICHMOND, Calif. -- A disturbing mystery is unfolding in Richmond, California, where residents say birds are being killed at an alarming rate.

"It's very traumatic," resident Maximilian Bolling said.

"It's a mystery -- that's how we all feel. It's inexplicable," said resident Heather Jones.

Neighbors say more than 50 birds have plummeted to the ground after perching on a specific stretch of power line.

Ring security video from one homeowner captured a loud pop. You then see a bird fall lifeless to the ground, and the passersby gasp. Residents say the "pop" sounds like a BB gun or firecracker and has been happening far too often.

"It sounded like a firecracker, and a black bird -- a starling -- just plummeted to the ground," said Mark Hoehner, who witnessed one of the incidents firsthand several months ago. "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."

"It was just horrifying," said resident Sharon Anderson. "I didn't even know what was happening at first."

One woman -- who lives across from the powerlines in question but wasn't available for an interview -- said she has put multiple birds in her trash can in recent weeks.

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The resident who lives across from the power lines says she also filed a report with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. In a statement on Monday, the sheriff's office wrote:

"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. A resident reported multiple birds were possibly electrocuted when they landed on a powerline. A report was made and PG&E was requested to respond to the location to inspect the powerlines."

Neighbors have posted signs on poles warning of the danger and urging witnesses to document incidents.

Neighbors originally thought the birds were being electrocuted by the wires.

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However, PG&E says the California Department of Fish & Wildlife evaluated several of the bird corpses and says they show no evidence of electrocution. Officials believe their deaths were caused by trauma, potentially from a pellet or BB gun or a slingshot.

PG&E released the following statement:

"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. They have shared that the birds show no evidence of electrocution, and that their deaths were caused by trauma, potentially from a pellet or BB gun or a slingshot. 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."

But residents remain unconvinced.

"I feel like a BB gun doesn't make a firecracker noise," said Jones. "This sounds exactly like a firecracker."

Others question the likelihood that a person could be so consistently accurate with such a weapon. "I can't fathom someone being so accurate all the time," said neighbor Jan Solomon.

Neighbor Sharon Anderson went on to say, "That particular wire does sizzle and arc at times."

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KGO-TV reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which confirmed PG&E's statement, but clarified they were sent two birds, not "several," and that the birds were significantly degraded. The cause of death is still not clear.

California Department of Fish & Wildlife released a statement to KGO-TV on Monday, writing:

"Following reports from residents of a Richmond neighborhood who were concerned birds had been killed by electrocution from power lines, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Wildlife Health Lab received two dead birds for evaluation that had been collected by PG&E. One of the birds was a mourning dove and the other a European starling.
CDFW's Wildlife Health Lab staff found no signs of electrocution in the collected birds. The birds did show injuries consistent with trauma that could possibly have been caused by pellet gun, BB gun or a slingshot. CDFW also received photos of other dead birds found at the location that showed injuries consistent with trauma. The exact cause of the trauma to all of these birds could not be determined. CDFW wildlife officers are investigating."

No matter the cause, residents are calling for action.

"We just want it solved at the end of the day," Bolling said.