Hundreds of birds have died after many people set off fireworks in the Italian capital on New Year's Eve, animal rights groups said, calling it a “massacre.” ... “It can be that they died from fear. They can fly up together and knock against each other, or hit windows or electric power lines.

What happens to birds after fireworks?

The loud and spontaneous explosions of fireworks can incite flight responses and disorientation in these species. In particular, researchers have found that birds sometimes take flight en masse, flying remarkably longer and higher than normal.

Does the noise of fireworks kill birds?

Birds who aren't killed outright, die from breathing in the smoke from fireworks that contain. The response of most animals is to run. This panic can result in mothers and babies being unable to find each other after the noise.