For Immediate UseContact: Garrison Frost
February 8, 2008(323) 951-9620

Tiburon, CA – Staff at the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary in Tiburon reported today that they are experiencing an unusual spike in the number of dead birds found on their shores.

More than 60 birds of a variety of species have been found in and around the Sanctuary since Jan. 26. That number is similar the total number of dead birds that washed ashore at the Audubon Center during the oil spill in November.

“At this point, we don’t know what’s causing this,” said Brooke Langston, director of the Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary. “While it’s not unusual for us to find dead birds on our shores, this has now reached a level that should cause a great deal of concern.”

Representatives of Audubon California are in the processes of determining the cause of these deaths. They are also contacting the California Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board to call for closer study of the issue.

Langston noted that it is not usual for heavy storms, such as those experienced in the Bay Area in recent weeks, to cause an increase in bird deaths. But given the recent oil and sewage spills in the area recently, she said that a broader investigation was warranted.

“Birds are what we call an early indicator of the health of the overall environment,” Langston said. “If something is wrong in the bay, it will normally be the birds who tell us about it first.”

The Richardson Bay Audubon Center and Sanctuary is located on the edge of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California. Primarily a Sanctuary providing habitat for migratory waterbirds and other wildlife, it also involves the community through education, conservation and restoration programs. Comprised of 11 acres of uplands and 900 acres of submerged lands, the Center supports a variety of ecosystems, making it a diverse and engaging outdoor classroom.

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.