STARKS --The state veterinarian has been called to investigate the sudden deaths of a dozen exotic birds Sunday in a private home where they lived as pets in this rural, Somerset County town.

"They were cockatiels, parrots, parakeets $ exotic birds," Starks Fire Chief Julie Costigan said Monday.

"There was 13 of them, 12 of them died within a half hour of each other. The first one died and within a half-hour, all 12 of them were dead."

Costigan said fire officials from three towns, along with the family's oil-furnace technician and propane dealer, were called Sunday to determine what might have caused the deaths.

"It's sad," she said. "Some were paired off, mates $ male and female $ they were love birds. There was one that was actually sitting on a nest of eggs."

Fire crews from Starks, Anson and Madison went to the house to check for fumes or possible carbon-monoxide poisoning, Madison Fire Chief Roger Lightbody Sr. said.

An ambulance also was sent to the house, just in case, he said.

"We did some tests of the air $ the birds died all of a sudden $ but we didn't find carbon monoxide," Lightbody said. "We had Anson come out and they went up on the roof to see if the chimney was plugged."

It wasn't, Costigan said.