"It is not a suicide, to be precise. But the fact remains that birds are attracted by light and fly towards any object with a light source. This phenomenon still puzzles bird specialists," said Anwaruddin Choudhury, a well-known ornithologist in Assam, on the sidelines of the First International Jatinga Festival here.
B. Brahma, conservator of forests, Hills Circle, Haflong, also echoes the view.
"From past and present observations and experiences, it can be said that birds don't commit suicide," Brahma said.
The 'suicide', however, is just a part of the mystery. The more baffling question is why birds fly after sunset at all, as reserach shows that most birds are diurnal, that is, active only during the day.