It seems that humans aren’t the only ones who sometimes indulge to the point of intoxication. Fruit-eating birds like waxwings can get drunk when they eat fermented fruit, and it turns out drunk birds act a lot like you might expect. The good news is that birds don’t fly while inebriated because they aren’t able to easily avoid obstacles in flight. Flying into windows and buildings when drunk can cause injuries and even death in birds. In warmer months, eating fruit and berries doesn’t pose a problem for birds. However, berries and other tree fruits can ferment in late fall and winter when the first freeze occurs, and that’s when birds can become intoxicated. The cold weather concentrates the sugar in berries and other fruits, and then when it warms up, the speed at which the sugar breaks down is accelerated. In these cases, the alcohol that forms in the fruit is more potent than it normally would be. In humans, this would be like the difference between drinking beer and drinking vodka — the vodka packs much more of a punch. If you find a bird that you suspect is intoxicated, it's a good idea to contact a wildlife rehabilitator. In the meantime, you can put the bird in a cardboard box with a few holes punched in for airflow. After a few hours, you can see if the bird has sobered up enough to be released.
