Dead bird sightings skyrocketed in one Pittsburgh-area community. Exposed equipment was to blame, officials say

Residents along a quiet, wooded road in South Fayette Township say they were heartbroken after finding bird after bird dead beneath the same utility pole.

The neighborhood is known for its wildlife. Residents say they regularly see songbirds, hawks, woodpeckers, deer, wild turkeys, and butterflies throughout the area.

"I just got aggravated. I'm tired of seeing dead birds, and it's not fair," said neighbor Annette Magdich. "It should be an easy fix, but we're not getting any response. We've asked for help."

But over the past several years, neighbors say they've found dozens of dead birds at the base of a single telephone pole on Dutch Hill Road.

At first, they thought it was just bad luck.

Then they found what they described as a bonded pair of birds — a mother and father with babies nearby — dead beneath the pole.

"They looked like they had been electrocuted," neighbors said, pointing to singed feathers but no other obvious injuries.

Neighbor Vee Ellis estimates she's found "two to three dozen birds" over the years.

"My husband found a hawk that lost its leg when it was electrocuted, and the claw was still stuck to the wire," Ellis said. "So, it was obvious with that."

The neighbors told KDKA that repeated requests for help went unanswered, so they contacted KDKA Investigates.

After KDKA reached out to West Penn Power, the utility sent crews to inspect the pole. Within days, neighbors watched crews work late into the night to make repairs.

West Penn Power said workers installed bird and squirrel guards and replaced an older porcelain-style lightning arrestor with a newer polymer model.

According to the utility company, the older equipment had an exposed metal connection on the energized side of the pole, increasing the likelihood that birds or other animals could come into contact with it.

The new design includes a covered jumper wire, which reduces that risk while also improving the reliability of the electrical system.

Neighbors say they're relieved that something was finally done. They're hopeful the repairs will keep the wildlife they've come to know safe.

"You get used to them," Magdich said. "You know their patterns. It's just like an old friend. You see them all the time."

For the neighbors, the improvements mean more than protecting birds. They mean preserving the wildlife that makes their community feel like home.