For Immediate UseContact: Garrison Frost
November 13, 2007(323) 951-9620

Emeryville, CA – While the environmental impacts of last week’s oil spill in the San Francisco Bay have reached across the entire ecosystem, the story of the disaster has largely been written through images of dead or suffering birds. According to representatives of Audubon California, this is natural as the well-being of birds is a remarkably accurate indicator of the health of a specific ecosystem.

“If something is wrong in the environment, birds will typically be the first to tell us,” said Gary Langham, director of bird conservation for Audubon California. “The San Francisco Bay is a vital ecosystem for migrating birds in this hemisphere, so it’s not surprising at all that they are bearing the brunt of this disaster.”

Since the spill began, staff and volunteers at the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Tiburon have observed more than 150 oiled birds, recovered about 20 dead birds, and transported about 10 oiled birds to recovery facilities.

“These numbers are particularly frightening because Richardson Bay is only one small part of the larger bay ecosystem, and it has so far escaped the massive oil slicks that have hit other regions,” said Langham, who estimates that by the time the numbers are tallied for the entire bay, thousands of birds will die. Many of these, he notes, are already under threat from habitat loss and other dangers.

The San Francisco Bay has been designated an Important Bird Area of Global Significance by Audubon California. It was given this high designation because it hosts well over a million birds annually and some of the last remaining wetlands in California. San Francisco Bay is host to the largest shorebird concentration in the West.

“This is really the worst time and the worst place for this accident to happen, given that millions of birds are stopping here for their winter migration and finding this oily water,” said Langham.

About Audubon California

Audubon California is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. With more than 50,000 members in California and an affiliated 48 local Audubon chapters, Audubon California is a field program of Audubon. This relationship links Audubon California to a national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engaging millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation.

More information is available at www.ca.audubon.org.