Over 70 birds were found dead on the University of Cincinnati’s (UC) main campus on Sept. 25, 2025, in what UC environmental studies faculty have declared a mass bird mortality.
Dr. Ronald Canterbury, associate academic director of UC biological studies and the university’s lead researcher for bird mortality, estimates nearly 1,000 birds died on and around campus over the span of only a few days. “We average about eight birds a day, so more than 70 was devastating to see,” Canterbury said.
Canterbury blames inconsistent weather patterns as the main culprit of this event. Heat and drought in the Northern United States, in addition to heavy rain and fog, can cause birds to migrate in larger than average groups. “The conditions were set for mass mortality,” Canterbury said…