Residents made a startling discovery over the weekend on a beach on City Island.

Nearly a dozen decapitated birds, including roosters, hens and pigeons, were found on a beach off Bowne Avenue. One resident, who often walks his dog along the beach, says he did notice some blue bags recently but didn't know what was inside. Eventually the tide jarred the contents onto the beach.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) cleaned up the bird carcasses and is investigating what happened. Officials say the first step is to figure out whether they were beheaded before or after their deaths. The ASPCA says the investigation could take several weeks.