Birds have started to fall to the ground because of the heat wave in Spain, RIA Novosti reported citing the radio station Cadena Ser.

The matter concerns Valladolid city in the autonomous community Castilla y Leon in north-western Spain where the thermometer column rose to a mark of 40.6 degrees, setting a new temperature record.

Reportedly, due to the heat wave that has set in the region, locals began to observe strange behavior of birds that were abruptly dropping and falling to the ground. According to municipal police sources, calls from concerned residents began coming in on Thursday. Various types of birds were in question, including pigeons, swifts and even storks.

According to the radio station, the cause could be dehydration, which in some cases leads to rapid decline, disorientation and an inability to fly.

The heat is not expected to abate in Valladolid until Tuesday.