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Residents want answers after dead duck-like birds found at Jacksonville Beach

Local families wondered how several dead birds, which appeared to be ducks, ended up on the Jacksonville Beach shore Tuesday.

A grandmother said she was watching the sunrise when she noticed, what she thought was trash near the water.

She said that when she got closer and realized it was a bird she couldn’t believe her eyes.

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Other families at the beach said they wanted to know where it and the other birds came from.

Jen Williams said she was glad she didn’t encounter the dead birds while she was with her 5-year-old niece.

Williams told Action News Jax, “She might say ‘Auntie, why is this here?’ I’m not sure what I would tell her because this is not supposed to be here.”

Action New Jax’s Beth Rousseau sent the pictures and a list of questions to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A spokesperson for the commission said scientists were reviewing the photos.

She explained that one of the birds appeared to be a Muscovy duck, but the specifics about the other birds had yet to be determined.

Johnny Highsmith, who was on the beach with his daughter Tuesday afternoon, said, “I’ve never seen that here or at any other beach. That’s really sad, though.”

Williams was alarmed that the birds either washed ashore from the ocean or were dumped.

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She explained, “Why would a duck be out here, washing up onshore?”

Williams added, “If someone is dumping these animals, there is a problem. Why would they do this?”

The FWC asks that anyone who sees something like this to report the situation to its bird mortality data base.

The department said it will help scientists in determining the best course of action.