HC Deb 10 March 1994 vol 239 c371W
Mr. Ainger

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the results of the veterinary analysis of dead birds found recently on the east coast of Scotland and northern England.

Mr. Atkins

Some birds have been taken for post-mortem analysis and preliminary results indicate that they had low body weights and little or no fat reserves. Tissue samples were also analysed for heavy metal and organochlorine compounds but residues found were insufficient to have been the cause of death.

In the recent North sea incident, it is believed that the sea-bird deaths were caused by starvation, possibly due to a combination of strong onshore winds which may have disturbed normal feeding activity and, perhaps, a mismatch between bird location and food availability.

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