Newport Beach police are seeking the public’s help in finding whoever shot birds with arrow-like projectiles in the past few weeks.

Animal-control officers found four birds — three Heermann’s gulls and one mallard — that were shot through the neck with orange projectiles about 8 inches long. The injured birds were still able to fly, and authorities were unable to capture them for medical treatment, said police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella.

Police said the projectiles likely are darts fired from a blowgun, which is illegal in California.

Federal and state laws prohibit anyone from intentionally harming birds.

It is unclear why the birds were targeted.

“I can’t fathom that kind of activity or why someone would want to do this,” Manzella said. “It’s just really sad.”

More than a dozen people have reported seeing injured birds in their neighborhoods, police said.

“We’re not sure if the birds that were reported were the same birds that had been spotted or if there are more birds out there,” Manzella said.

She said this is the first time the Police Department has seen anything like this.

Authorities ask that anyone who sees an injured bird call (949) 644-3717 and report its location.

Anyone with further information about the case is asked to contact animal-control Officer Nick Ott at (949) 644-3688, ext. 2716, or nott@nbpd.org.