Rat Poison on the Metro

The FBI is investigating bird deaths outside of several Metro stations. Dead birds were found at Branch Avenue (15), Takoma (16), Rhode Island Avenue (2), Greenbelt (20), College Park, Naylor Road, and Anacostia. Rat poison is the likely culprit:

Etter said fire officials have confirmed that the birds at Greenbelt died from a rat poison called d-CON. Dead birds were also found at the College Park, Naylor Road, Anacostia and Rhode Island stations, officials said.

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The D.C. Department of Health will do a necropsy on several dead birds found at the Anacostia station Monday, he said. Metro officials said substances like "popcorn kernels" were found near the dead birds at the Takoma station.

Details are preliminary, but Etter said witnesses reported seeing a man in a black pickup truck spraying material at some of the stations.

Metro spokeswoman Asato said the transit agency was not aware of maintenance work involving rat poison. After reports of dead birds started coming in at around noon, station managers throughout the system began checking the areas outside the entrances.

Branch Avenue and Takoma stations are temporarily closed for investigation, so make alternate arrangements if you need to use them.

Update: The stations are open again. Apparently the poison was spread by a Metro contractor for pigeon control.