If you ever spot a bird flying erratically, as though it had one too many drinks, you’re not imagining things. Birds in Whitehorse, Yukon, have been getting drunk from fermenting berries, leading Environment Yukon to create makeshift “avian drunk tanks” where these tipsy flyers can safely sober up.

Fruit-eating birds, like the Bohemian Waxwing, gorge on berries this time of year in preparation for winter. However, the freeze-thaw cycles cause the berries, particularly those from the mountain ash tree, to ferment, turning them into potent cocktails for unsuspecting birds. The result? Intoxicated birds wobbling through the skies with poor coordination. “Tipsy birds have a harder time controlling their flight movements, and like people, their coordination under the influence is wonky,” explains Meghan Larivee of Environment Yukon’s animal health unit.

The effects of this bird booze binge are serious. Birds often crash into windows and doors, becoming stunned or unconscious. To help, Environment Yukon collects the birds and places them in hamster cages where they can sober up in peace.

While this might sound unusual, it’s not the first time animals have been caught under the influence. In 2011, a small flock of blackbirds died after consuming fermented berries. That same year, German police had to rescue a drunken owl found stumbling near two empty Schnapps bottles. The owl, unharmed but clearly inebriated, was taken to a bird expert who provided plenty of water to help it sober up.

And it’s not just birds. In Sweden, a moose found itself stuck in a tree after feasting on too many fermented apples. After a noisy rescue involving sawing off branches, the moose, clearly hungover, took a couple of days to rest before returning to the wild.

Experts say there’s little that can be done to prevent animals from overindulging on fermented fruit. Like humans, they just need time to rehydrate and recover from their accidental binge. So, if you see a bird flying like it’s had a few too many, it might just be working off a berry-fueled hangover!