How Birds End Up Berry, Berry Drunk

In early October 2018, the small town of Gilbert, Minnesota, made national headlines. It wasn’t due to a local scandal or crime, but because something unexpected happened: the residents of Gilbert lost their minds, and the police chief had to release a warning. The advice? Beware of drunk birds. The feathered creatures were out of control.

This kind of thing occurs occasionally. Each year, as migrating or overwintering birds — particularly cedar waxwings, blackbirds, and thrushes like robins and jays — finish off the insects they rely on, they turn to berry-bearing trees such as juniper, rowan, or holly for sustenance. Berries, rich in sugar, are easily transformed into alcohol through fermentation. When the berries ripen, they’re a tasty meal, but once they start fermenting, they become tiny bottles of wine. Birds’ livers can’t process the alcohol fast enough, and it shows: They crash into windows, tumble on the ground, and often approach predators or humans with little fear.

While the people of Gilbert noticed strange bird behavior and made plenty of jokes about it — with Police Chief Ty Techar humorously warning about "Bigbird driving recklessly" and "Tweety acting like it’s 10 feet tall and picking fights with cats" — experts have weighed in. They believe it’s probably too early for berries to ferment enough to get so many birds that drunk. Instead, the frenzy might just be due to the large number of migrating birds passing through the area.

Though the idea of drunken birds might be amusing, it can also be deadly. Alcohol poisoning is a real risk, as is death from poor judgment: Drunk birds might crash into windows, get hit by cars, fall prey to hawks, or end up in traffic. If you come across a bird you think is intoxicated, you can help: Gently pick it up with a towel and place it in a dark, quiet box until it regains its senses. It’s just like helping out a friend!