Mass bird deaths on Tappahannock bridge were not related to bird flu: Virginia DWR

ESSEX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The dozens of dead birds found on an Essex County bridge did not die as a result of bird flu as initially believed, according to state officials.

On Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, the Tapphannock Police Department was alerted that a large number of birds were found dead on the Route 17 bridge over Hoskins Creek in Tappahannock.

“Man, there’s dead birds out here everywhere,” said Wayne Veney, a Tappahannock local, in a video he filmed of the disturbing scene. “These jokers are bleeding from the mouth.”

Dozens of dead birds on an Essex County bridge on Dec. 27. (Video: Wayne Veney)

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) began investigating the incident immediately.

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At first, the agency said it believed that these deaths were the result of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, which had somewhat recently been seen in black vultures across the state.

On Monday, Dec. 30, 2025, the Virginia DWR said that initial testing "did not reveal an immediate cause of death." Samples were then sent to the National Wildlife Health Center for full necropsy -- otherwise known as autopsy for animals.

A little over a week later, on Wednesday, Jan. 7, the Virginia DWR shared some of the results of this testing with 8News.

Dozens of dead birds seen on the bridge over Hopkins Creek in Tappahannock. (Photos: Wayne Veney)

The birds tested negative for bird flu, with their necropsies instead revealing "internal injuries consistent with blunt trauma." However, officials noted that some tissue sample testing is still pending at this time.

"Based on this, the preliminary hypothesis is that the birds were disturbed from their roost in some manner and in the low light of the early morning, collided with the bridge and/or a vehicle on the bridge," a spokesperson for the agency said.

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No additional information on this incident is available as of the time of reporting.