Birds and Tar Sands Tailings Ponds: Ever Safe to Land?

Wild Lands Advocate article, April 2014, by Carolyn Campbell. The Oil Sands Regional Bird Monitoring Program 2012 report indicated that approximately 40 percent of migrating birds observed near the tailings ponds were landing on the ponds. Although only a small portion of birds landing were found dead nearby, there are concerns about long-term effects of birds landing in bitumen containing ponds. The need for stronger regulations to remove tailings ponds from the landscape is overdue.

“Even small spots of oil can interfere with a waterbird’s intricate feather structure that insulates and waterproofs them. Alberta’s diving birds, such as grebes and scaups, are especially vulnerable to impacts from contaminant-caused changes to feather structure and loss of insulation because the increased water pressure from diving forces water to penetrate their feathers, allowing it to reach their skin.”