Dead geese puzzle Ohio wildlife officials

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Wildlife officials say dozens of geese have been found dead or seriously ill along Lake Erie in northwest Ohio.

State wildlife biologist Dave Sherman tells The Blade newspaper of Toledo that the birds “will fall out of the sky and have trouble staying upright.”

He says mallard ducks showed similar symptoms a few weeks ago, but now it’s mostly Canada geese. Officials say the problem appears concentrated near a Toledo power plant, though Sherman says sick or dead geese have been found as far as 70 miles away.

Investigators are having tests run on some of the dead birds.

An Ohio wildlife officer says he has picked up about two dozen dead geese in recent weeks. About two dozen sick geese taken to nature centers either died or were euthanized.