A NUMBER of birds were found dead on the shore in Alloa, with nearby witnesses claiming they were 'headless'.
Residents at Harbour Way in the south of the town were left disturbed upon finding between 15 to 20 birds of various species dead on Monday, December 30, 2024.
One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Alloa Advertiser they couldn't believe what they had seen.
They said: "In over seven years staying in the Harbour Way area, I have never seen scenes that I have just witnessed this morning.
"Occasionally, over the previous years, a bird will be found dead in the water, but 15-20 dead birds of different breeds, all decapitated and deposited on the silt indicate such a macabre ritual to the suffering and death of the birds. [It was] very strange."
Members of the Scottish Government arrived on the scene to collect samples of the birds, primarily to test for avian flu.
The birds belonged to a range of species, including gulls, seabirds and waders, all found in the same spot.
The Advertiser contacted the Scottish Government for a statement, but they did not address reports that the birds were decapitated.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government added: “As part of the Great Britain dead wild bird surveillance scheme, scientific samples were collected from a small number of gulls, seabirds and waders found dead at a location in Alloa to be tested specifically for avian influenza virus.
"Results can take up to two weeks to be reported.”
