SIKESTON, Mo.– Neighbors in one area of Sikeston had several questions after walking out their front doors Monday morning and seeing dozens of dead birds in their yard.

Others who called animal control say they could hear and see the birds falling from the sky right around the time storms rolled through the area Sunday evening.

The carcasses of red-winged blackbirds, brown-headed cowbirds, grackles and European starlings were found in the fields along Wakefield Road.

In all, more than 1,000 birds died. 

The local conservation department says some had injuries to their wings, leading officials to believe the flocks got spooked and were knocked out of the air by high winds.

We have a KOLR 10 reporter speaking with local staff at the Springfield Nature Center to find out more on how these incidents happen, and how rare they are.