Apparently disturbed by noisy music played by humans, 15 wild birds died in Shiyan of Hubei Province, Chutian Metropolis News reports.
The birds fell at the site of a public activity held by a local taxation bureau. Loud, exciting music was played to attract an audience.
In the hour the music was played, people reported finding 15 Pekin robins, a bird with a distinctive red bill, had all fallen to the ground dead.
Shen Wei of the local wildlife protection station said the noise very possibly could have destroyed the birds' nerve centers and made them lose balance in flight.
(China Daily April 25, 2005)
