Wild Bird Crisis Hits Gulf of Mexico and Its Shores
May 4th, 2010
A brown pelican lowering its head onto its shoulders with the bill open, pulls its head back, and stretches the pouch over its throat and neck. The exposed neck looks like a large lump sticking up out of the pouch, according to the Cornell Bird Guide. Not sure that’s what this one’s doing. I think she was posing for me.
The tragedy of the loss of human life as a result of the explosion of a British Petroleum oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana is now also threatening to become one of the worst environmental disasters in American history, according to Birders United. Seabirds are particularly vulnerable and oil-soaked birds are beginning to wash up on coastal beaches.
Important bird areas on the Gulf Coast are threatened by the oil that continues to spew into the Gulf at an alarming rate. The timing of the spill could not be worse. Many birds are nesting on Gulf Coast beaches. Both parents and offspring could be threatened if the oil reaches shore.
Among the species for which there is considerable concern are the brown pelican, reddish egret, American oystercatcher, black skimmer, and the least tern.
Furthermore, wind and weather could push the oil into marshes and wetlands near the coast which are the breeding grounds for many waterfowl species.
In addition, millions of migratory songbirds are currently flying across the Gulf from their winter homes in Central and South America. After their long flights across the water, these birds stop off in the coastal areas impacted by the oil spill.
“This spill spells disaster for birds in the region and beyond,” George Fenwick, president of the American Bird Conservancy, said in a statement issued today. “We could be mourning the worst environmental disaster in recent U.S. history.”
“This spill tells us we cannot take our coastline for granted,” he said. “A reassessment of our approach to offshore drilling is required. We must stop playing Russian roulette with the future of our environment.”
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