Birds 'tipsy' on fermented berries flying into cars, windows in Minnesota town

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Birds in a Minnesota town have flown into windows and cars, likely because they are "tipsy" from fermented berries, local police said.

The frost in the northeastern Minnesota town of Gilbert came early this year, which has sped up the fermenting process for some local berries, Gilbert police said in a news release Tuesday.

"Many birds have not migrated south, so it appears to be more prevalent than in past years," Gilbert said. "It appears that some birds are getting a little more 'tipsy' than normal."

The sugars in some local fruits will ferment into alcohol, park ranger Sharon Stiteler told KMSP. The TV station reported police have received about a half-dozen reports of bird-related incidents.

"Drunk birds are totally a thing," Stiteler said.

Gilbert police included a few bird-related jokes in its news release, asking residents to call authorities if they see "The Roadrunner jumping in and out of traffic on Main Street."