More than 30 birds have been found dead or severely injured in New Zealand after having Christmas decorations "deliberately attached" to them.
The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said many birds had tried to remove the decorations but had only got more trapped.
Some had been left so malnourished that the charity was forced to euthanise them.
The sightings were in Kilbirnie, a suburb of capital Wellington.
The charity said that they believe the decorations are being deliberately attached, but “at this stage we’re not sure if this is an intentional act of cruelty, or a misguided attempt at tracking the birds.”
Communications manager Jessie Gilchrist said: “Since 2015, SPCA has had thirty cases of birds that are found dead, or with injuries so severe they have had to be euthanised.
“We first started receiving calls about sightings in 2015 and they particularly increased last year over the Christmas and New Year period.
“We received around 30 calls alone just over this period. They were multiple sightings of a dozen birds that are still mobile and flying around the Kilbirnie area that we are unable to reach.
“Often the birds that come to us are dead due to the extent of their injuries.
“Many try to pry the foreign objects off their bodies with their beaks and feet, becoming further entangled and preventing them from eating, drinking and flying.
“With others, the decorations are wrapped so tightly it completely cuts off their blood circulation.
“We believe someone is intentionally tying the decorations to the birds, but at this stage we’re not sure if this is an intentional act of cruelty, or a misguided attempt at tracking the birds.
“Those that do survive and arrive at our centre are often in a very bad state, and are so malnourished and distressed that we have had to humanely euthanise them.
