The phenomenon is a natural occurrence, which happens every year along South Coast beaches.

NPWS wildlife management officer Geoff Ross said the majority of birds are known as shearwaters or muttonbirds.

“Thousands of these birds die at sea and in some years we see a lot on our beaches due to the prevailing winds and tides washing them ashore,” he explained.

“In past year large die-offs have occurred all along the east coast, as far south as Tasmania.”

Mr Ross explained that most of the birds die of exhaustion during the annual migration from the southern hemisphere and back to the northern hemisphere as far as Alaska.

“The birds we see now have died on the last leg of their journey back to Australian shores,” he said.

“If they encounter severe weather or have trouble locating sufficient fish stocks they will struggle and some will succumb and eventually wash up on shores.”