Fowl ball as bird struck in freak baseball accident

A bird has died after being struck by a ball in a freak incident during a Major League Baseball pre-season clash in the USA.

Footage of the match shows Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann slice an attempted drive off the Atlanta Braves pitcher.

The ball flies off towards the stands before it hits a bird, sending a shower of feathers into the air.

The bird didn’t get much sympathy from umpire Joe West, who informed an unaware McCann of the incident.

“He (West) said he didn’t know what was funnier, seeing the bird get hit or the woman’s reaction when it landed in her lap,” McCann said.

Despite hopes of a miracle like one seen with a seagull during a cricket game at the MCG in January,the bird was unable to recover.