the streets of Rome were covered with hundreds of birds killed by fireworks

Hundreds of birds died after scores of people set off fireworks in the Italian capital on New Year’s Eve, animal rights groups declared it a “massacre”.

Images of the streets near Rome’s main train station showed dozens and dozens of birds, especially starlings, scattered lifeless on the ground.

The cause of death was unclear, but the International Organization for Animal Welfare said it appeared to be linked to a particularly strong display of firecrackers and fireworks in the leafy neighborhood which many birds use it for nesting.

“Maybe scared to death. They can fly together and collide, or collide with windows or power lines. Let’s not forget that too they can die of a heart attack” said Loredana Diglio, spokesperson for the organization.

Fireworks every year cause distress and injury wild and domestic animals, Diglio added.

And the unusual concentration of dead birds has occurred despite the ban of the city of Rome from personal fireworks, which largely ignored, and the 10 p.m. curfew under the coronavirus restrictions.

The Italian branch of the OIPA has called for a ban on the sale of firecrackers and fireworks for personal use, citing the threat to animals.

AP Agency.

GML