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Wildlife officials say a weekend hail storm has killed a flock of birds on Antelope Island, as mining and development in the area has destroyed most of their habitat.

KUTV-TV reports that the small water fowl were killed by the storm on Sunday. Avian Sanctuary and Protection Director Richard Nowak says development near the Great Salt Lake is having an impact on the area's marshlands, where hundreds of species of birds find shelter.

He says increased development in the area has destroyed as much as 80 percent of the birds' habitat, leaving them unable to find cover during strong storms.