Will the Gulf Oil Spill Affect Backyard Birds?

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Will the Gulf Oil Spill Affect Backyard Birds?

Written by Administrator Thursday, 08 July 2010 12:15

As oil washes ashore along the Gulf Coast, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is asking birders to keep an eye on nesting birds, not just near water, but hundreds of miles inland.

Wildlife biologists are monitoring species such as pelicans and plovers in the immediate path of the oil," said Laura Burkholder at the Cornell Lab. "But we need bird watchers across the country to help us find out if birds that pass through or winter in the Gulf region carry contamination with them..."

To help, Burkholder said that anyone with an interest in birds can learn how to find and monitor nests as part of the Cornell Lab's NestWatch project. It involves visiting a nest for a few minutes, twice per week, and recording information such as how many eggs it contains, how many chicks hatch, and how many leave the nest.

Many birds, such as Red-winged Blackbirds and Tree Swallows, spend part of the year along the Gulf of Mexico, where they could be affected by the oil spill, Burkholder said.

To help the effort, visit www.nestwatch.org.