birds are some of the most visible victims of the oil spill in the Gulf of
victims of the oil spill in the Gulf of
victims of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico
Mexico
Mexico thousands of affected Birds both live
thousands of affected Birds both live
thousands of affected Birds both live and dead have been recovered on or near
and dead have been recovered on or near
and dead have been recovered on or near beaches like this one on West Ship
beaches like this one on West Ship
beaches like this one on West Ship Island Mississippi some are obviously
Island Mississippi some are obviously
Island Mississippi some are obviously oiled others like this laughing gull
oiled others like this laughing gull
oiled others like this laughing gull must await a necropsy to see if oil is
must await a necropsy to see if oil is
must await a necropsy to see if oil is to blame for its death unfortunately
to blame for its death unfortunately
to blame for its death unfortunately most of the birds that die are never
most of the birds that die are never
most of the birds that die are never seen by humans and so the toll is still
seen by humans and so the toll is still
seen by humans and so the toll is still untold around 1500 oiled birds have been
untold around 1500 oiled birds have been
untold around 1500 oiled birds have been rescued so far from across the Gulf
rescued so far from across the Gulf
rescued so far from across the Gulf region of those volunteers have
region of those volunteers have
region of those volunteers have successfully cleaned and released around
successfully cleaned and released around
successfully cleaned and released around 500 animals but some experts worry after
500 animals but some experts worry after
500 animals but some experts worry after effects of the spill could claim other
effects of the spill could claim other
effects of the spill could claim other winged victims that will be visiting the
winged victims that will be visiting the
winged victims that will be visiting the Gulf region on their annual migrations
Gulf region on their annual migrations
Gulf region on their annual migrations the Gulf Coast is is really the center
the Gulf Coast is is really the center
the Gulf Coast is is really the center of a Western Hemisphere migration system
of a Western Hemisphere migration system
of a Western Hemisphere migration system and so we calculate that they’re
and so we calculate that they’re
and so we calculate that they’re probably a billion birds will fly by the
probably a billion birds will fly by the
probably a billion birds will fly by the Gulf of Mexico this fall the migration
Gulf of Mexico this fall the migration
Gulf of Mexico this fall the migration of hundreds of millions of birds began
of hundreds of millions of birds began
of hundreds of millions of birds began in July and continues through December
in July and continues through December
in July and continues through December some birds will spend the winter here
some birds will spend the winter here
some birds will spend the winter here while others are on their way to points
while others are on their way to points
while others are on their way to points farther south one of the birds is coming
farther south one of the birds is coming
farther south one of the birds is coming down as the piping plover that’s
down as the piping plover that’s
down as the piping plover that’s definitely an endangered species of bird
definitely an endangered species of bird
definitely an endangered species of bird we’re very concerned about and it
we’re very concerned about and it
we’re very concerned about and it patrols the edge of the beaches so right
patrols the edge of the beaches so right
patrols the edge of the beaches so right where every high tide you know the oil
where every high tide you know the oil
where every high tide you know the oil comes in there’s a lot of other birds
comes in there’s a lot of other birds
comes in there’s a lot of other birds some birds we call common birds and
some birds we call common birds and
some birds we call common birds and decline and so they’re not really
decline and so they’re not really
decline and so they’re not really endangered they’re not on any threatened
endangered they’re not on any threatened
endangered they’re not on any threatened species list but they’re in decline
species list but they’re in decline
species list but they’re in decline there’s a lot of other stresses on bird
there’s a lot of other stresses on bird
there’s a lot of other stresses on bird populations and adding an oil spill is
populations and adding an oil spill is
populations and adding an oil spill is really just adding insult to injury
really just adding insult to injury
really just adding insult to injury so the earliest migrants are sandpipers
so the earliest migrants are sandpipers
so the earliest migrants are sandpipers and plumbers there’s burst like semi
and plumbers there’s burst like semi
and plumbers there’s burst like semi palmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper
palmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper
palmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper greater Yellowlegs lesser yell legs
greater Yellowlegs lesser yell legs
greater Yellowlegs lesser yell legs there’s 20 different species and more of
there’s 20 different species and more of
there’s 20 different species and more of sandpipers these are birds that are
sandpipers these are birds that are
sandpipers these are birds that are feeding in sand flats and mud flats and
feeding in sand flats and mud flats and
feeding in sand flats and mud flats and so very exposed to this oil as the
so very exposed to this oil as the
so very exposed to this oil as the season moves on we switch over and some
season moves on we switch over and some
season moves on we switch over and some of the earliest ducks start arriving
of the earliest ducks start arriving
of the earliest ducks start arriving like the blue and teal and if it’s a
like the blue and teal and if it’s a
like the blue and teal and if it’s a marsh burn so it’s going to be in those
marsh burn so it’s going to be in those
marsh burn so it’s going to be in those marshes many of which are very heavily
marshes many of which are very heavily
marshes many of which are very heavily oiled and as the fall goes on some of
oiled and as the fall goes on some of
oiled and as the fall goes on some of the other ducks come in and lesser scope
the other ducks come in and lesser scope
the other ducks come in and lesser scope is a duck that’s just really really
is a duck that’s just really really
is a duck that’s just really really common in the Gulf and it’s going to try
common in the Gulf and it’s going to try
common in the Gulf and it’s going to try to dive in the waters that are oiled to
to dive in the waters that are oiled to
to dive in the waters that are oiled to try to find food at the bottom of the
try to find food at the bottom of the
try to find food at the bottom of the Gulf near the beaches and the marshes
Gulf near the beaches and the marshes
Gulf near the beaches and the marshes the Gulf wetlands and Shores offer vital
the Gulf wetlands and Shores offer vital
the Gulf wetlands and Shores offer vital habitat for birds that winter in the
habitat for birds that winter in the
habitat for birds that winter in the region and the area is a bountiful
region and the area is a bountiful
region and the area is a bountiful stopping point with forage for birds
stopping point with forage for birds
stopping point with forage for birds flying much farther south and butcher
flying much farther south and butcher
flying much farther south and butcher says there’s another less obvious
says there’s another less obvious
says there’s another less obvious problem with disel spill but what we
problem with disel spill but what we
problem with disel spill but what we worry about in this oil spill so much
worry about in this oil spill so much
worry about in this oil spill so much that oil has been dispersed and really
that oil has been dispersed and really
that oil has been dispersed and really sent to the bottom of the Gulf and we
sent to the bottom of the Gulf and we
sent to the bottom of the Gulf and we fear the impact on the whole web of life
fear the impact on the whole web of life
fear the impact on the whole web of life in the Gulf and people are love the web
in the Gulf and people are love the web
in the Gulf and people are love the web of life of the Gulf because it produces
of life of the Gulf because it produces
of life of the Gulf because it produces the fish and the shrimp and the oysters
the fish and the shrimp and the oysters
the fish and the shrimp and the oysters that we love to eat in the same way
that we love to eat in the same way
that we love to eat in the same way that’s what the birds are eating but if
that’s what the birds are eating but if
that’s what the birds are eating but if this web of life is destroyed by the oil
this web of life is destroyed by the oil
this web of life is destroyed by the oil that sunk to the bottom of the Gulf then
that sunk to the bottom of the Gulf then
that sunk to the bottom of the Gulf then they’ll be birds out there without
they’ll be birds out there without
they’ll be birds out there without enough food to eat
enough food to eat
enough food to eat Louisiana arguably the state hardest hit
Louisiana arguably the state hardest hit
Louisiana arguably the state hardest hit by this spill is home to about 40% of
by this spill is home to about 40% of
by this spill is home to about 40% of the country’s wetlands a favorite bird
the country’s wetlands a favorite bird
the country’s wetlands a favorite bird habitat is Grand Isle Louisiana where
habitat is Grand Isle Louisiana where
habitat is Grand Isle Louisiana where State Department of Wildlife and
State Department of Wildlife and
State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials are keeping a watch
Fisheries officials are keeping a watch
Fisheries officials are keeping a watch the biggest worry is the amount of oil
the biggest worry is the amount of oil
the biggest worry is the amount of oil out there and where it may end up when
out there and where it may end up when
out there and where it may end up when these birds come here to feed and
these birds come here to feed and
these birds come here to feed and utilize that habitat
utilize that habitat
utilize that habitat and the resources that they depend on
and the resources that they depend on
and the resources that they depend on for food you know how is that going to
for food you know how is that going to
for food you know how is that going to translate into you know contamination
translate into you know contamination
translate into you know contamination through ingestion or direct exposure
through ingestion or direct exposure
through ingestion or direct exposure Carlos has spent most of his life in
Carlos has spent most of his life in
Carlos has spent most of his life in Louisiana’s prime habitat and he worries
Louisiana’s prime habitat and he worries
Louisiana’s prime habitat and he worries it may be a slow recovery how long will
it may be a slow recovery how long will
it may be a slow recovery how long will these impacts be around you know a lot
these impacts be around you know a lot
these impacts be around you know a lot of people compared to Exxon Valdez you
of people compared to Exxon Valdez you
of people compared to Exxon Valdez you know over 20 years now that they you
know over 20 years now that they you
know over 20 years now that they you know can still find impacts although
know can still find impacts although
know can still find impacts although this is a different system you know
this is a different system you know
this is a different system you know warmer and a lot more open water
warmer and a lot more open water
warmer and a lot more open water hopefully we won’t have those same
hopefully we won’t have those same
hopefully we won’t have those same impacts for a long period of time so
impacts for a long period of time so
impacts for a long period of time so government and private groups are
government and private groups are
government and private groups are working to restore habitat from
working to restore habitat from
working to restore habitat from short-term flooding a fallow farmland to
short-term flooding a fallow farmland to
short-term flooding a fallow farmland to longer-term projects like rebuilding
longer-term projects like rebuilding
longer-term projects like rebuilding barrier islands replanting forage and
barrier islands replanting forage and
barrier islands replanting forage and restoring natural flow and sedimentation
restoring natural flow and sedimentation
restoring natural flow and sedimentation from rivers if you build it they’ll come
from rivers if you build it they’ll come
from rivers if you build it they’ll come kind of thing I mean it can be that
kind of thing I mean it can be that
kind of thing I mean it can be that simple doesn’t mean they’re all going to
simple doesn’t mean they’re all going to
simple doesn’t mean they’re all going to come and it doesn’t mean you’re going to
come and it doesn’t mean you’re going to
come and it doesn’t mean you’re going to stop all of them from going where they
stop all of them from going where they
stop all of them from going where they want to go along this Louisiana and the
want to go along this Louisiana and the
want to go along this Louisiana and the Gulf Coast but you can probably reduce
Gulf Coast but you can probably reduce
Gulf Coast but you can probably reduce those impacts by providing them
those impacts by providing them
those impacts by providing them additional habitat experts will be
additional habitat experts will be
additional habitat experts will be watching closely throughout the coming
watching closely throughout the coming
watching closely throughout the coming years to track the oil’s impact and try
years to track the oil’s impact and try
years to track the oil’s impact and try to help both local and migratory birds
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