Disorientation and exhaustion caused birds to perish at sea

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) received reports from along the south coast that thousands of birds were falling from the sky and drowning.

It was first noticed by fishermen who saw the birds falling about their boats into the sea as they tried to make it to shore during migration. The species that fell were said to include blackbirds, robins and thrushes.

“While fishing about ten miles south of Portsmouth, we witnessed thousands of garden birds disorientated, land on the sea and most drowning. The sky was thick with garden birds. I estimate I saw 500 birds die and that was just in our 300-yard sphere.”

The RSPB said it received several reports of the phenomena, which is believed to have happened as a result of fog and high winds at the time.

Martin Harper, RSPB's conservation director, said: "The scale of these reports is truly shocking and it has the potential to adversely affect the status of species which may be declining for other reasons.”

Those birds that do make it to the UK will be desperate for food and may be visiting gardens.