ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has put out a hilarious warning: Beware of drunken birds.
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According to the Wildlife Resources Division of the DNR, at this time of year, certain species of birds eat fruit that has started to rot and ferment. A byproduct of fermentation is alcohol.
“The consumption of these fermented fruits can cause the birds to lose much of their coordination and capacity to fly,” DNR officials said. “This can cause them to crash into windows and other obstacles.”
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Officials said that unfortunately, some birds can also die from alcohol poisoning if they eat too much fermented fruit.
Birds can also appear “drunk” after eating the berries of Nandina, or sacred bamboo.
“This plant is used in landscaping and draws arsenic from the soil, depositing often lethal doses in its bright red fruit,” officials said.
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DNR officials are encouraging people to “learn from our feathered friends and consume fruits responsibly.”
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