The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks of Montana confirmed 11,000 birds were killed during a hailstorm last week.

In a press release that was held by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, they confirmed that the August 11, 2019 hailstorm killed over 11,000 birds, which includes waterfowl and wetland birds.

The birds that were killed were mostly at the Big Lake Wildlife Management Area in Molt, Montana.

In the press release, the department said they found “broken wings, smashed skulls, internal damage and other injuries consistent with massive blunt-force trauma.”

The Big Lake Wildlife Management Area in Molt, Montana, is a nesting area for over dozens of species of birds.

The department added that they sent biologists to visit the area after the hail happened. Biologists picked up dead birds with broken wings, smashed skulls, and many more.

Wildlife Biologist Justin Paugh said that around twenty to thirty percent of the birds in the area were injured or killed during the hailstorm.

Justin said the hailstorm killed or severely injured at least 11,000-13,000 shorebirds and waterfowl birds.

The hailstorm of August 11, 2019, saw wind speeds of 70 miles per hour and 2-inch pieces of hail.

A landowner near the area said he saw a baseball-sized hail landing on his front yard.

According to a report published by the Washington Post, it is believed that the birds at the lake had no idea that the hailstorm was coming.

Researchers with the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks are currently worried about the effects of the massive hailstorm.

Biologists believe that a disease could come up due to thousands of birds rotting. This disease could possibly kill thousands of birds.