Birds rely on their feathers to stay warm and dry. Their feathers are also crucial for flight. When birds get covered in oil after an oil spill, their feathers lose their ability to repel water. This can lead to hypothermia. Their feathers also become matted and they lose the aerodynamic structure needed for flight. So in the short-term after an oil spill, most affected birds will not be able to fly.
How does oil impact birds’ feathers?
Bird feathers have a complex structure that allows them to be both lightweight and waterproof. The feathers consist of a central shaft with many barbs extending out from the shaft. The barbs have even smaller structures called barbules with little hooks that allow the barbules to zip together. This creates a tight, smooth surface that repels water.
When oil coats a bird’s feathers, it mats the barbs and barbules together. This destroys the waterproofing and aerodynamic properties of the feathers. The feathers can no longer effectively repel water, so the down feathers underneath get soaked. This leads to hypothermia as the bird loses body heat. The lack of airflow through the feathers also impairs flight.
Do oiled birds lose the ability to fly permanently?
In most cases, oiled birds can regain flight after going through rehabilitation. Trained wildlife rehabilitators wash the oil from the birds’ feathers using special detergents. This process removes the oil and allows the feathers to return to their natural structure.
The rehabilitation process takes time as the feathers may need multiple washings. Once clean, the birds go through waterproofing to restore their feathers’ natural oils. They may also need treatment for any issues like hypothermia, dehydration or malnutrition from being oiled. With proper care, their feathers can return to pre-spill condition.
Some birds are too severely impacted to be rehabilitated. But for most healthy adult birds that get promptly rescued, rehabilitation enables them to fly again in several weeks or months.
How long does it take for oiled birds to fly again?
The amount of time it takes oiled birds to fly again depends on factors like:
- How quickly they got rescued and washed
- The degree of oiling on their feathers
- If they have any other medical issues from being oiled
- The species of bird
- Their age and health before the spill
On average, most birds can regain flight within 2-4 weeks after being cleaned, assuming they did not suffer severe medical impacts. However, heavier oiling or other health effects may lengthen rehabilitation. Recovery can take 4-6 months for some species like penguins. Birds rescued later with heavy matting may never fully regain flight ability. But with quick rescue, most oiled birds can fly again within several weeks.
What are the stages of rehabilitating an oiled bird?
Oiled bird rehabilitation generally follows these stages:
- Intake and triage – The bird is rescued and undergoes initial evaluation and stabilization. This may involve rehydration, warmth and medication.
- Washing – The bird is gently washed multiple times with a diluted detergent solution to remove oil while minimizing feather damage.
- Rinsing – The bird is thoroughly rinsed to remove all soap residue.
- Drying – The bird is dried in a controlled setting to allow feather realignment.
- Waterproofing – Natural feather oils may be restored through solutions, food or a short release to allow preening.
- Conditioning – The bird rebuilds flight muscles and stamina through regular flight sessions.
- Release – Once fully recovered, the bird is released back to the wild.
This process allows oiled birds to progressively regain their flight abilities through feather restoration and conditioning. The full cycle may take several weeks to months depending on the severity.
What percentage of oiled birds recover flight?
The recovery rate for oiled birds that are promptly rescued and rehabilitated is quite good. According to the International Bird Rescue organization, roughly 90% of aquatic birds that they care for are able to be returned to the wild after rehabilitation.
Outcomes are worse for birds that are not rescued quickly and become severely oiled. One study of over 1,000 oiled seabirds in New Zealand found that around 98% of those with heavy oiling died, while 62% of lightly oiled birds survived after rehabilitation.
So when oil spills occur, it is critical to capture impacted wildlife as soon as possible. But even birds that initially appear completely coated in oil can often have their flight restored through rapid rehab by trained professionals.
What can be done to help oiled birds?
Here are some key steps the public should take to assist oiled birds after a spill:
- Avoid trying to handle oiled birds directly. Contact wildlife organizations instead.
- Don’t let oiled birds retreat back into the water, but also don’t force them to fly.
- If possible, contain or block oiled birds from entering the water.
- Observe oiled birds from a distance and note exact locations to report.
- Share photos and details with wildlife hotlines to enable quick rescue.
- Volunteer with wildlife response groups to help with rehabilitation.
- Support wildlife conservation organizations for continued recovery efforts.
Reporting oiled bird sightings rapidly and avoiding self-rescue allows professional teams to capture and treat affected birds in the critical window to restore flight ability. With quick response and proper rehab, even heavily oiled birds have a high rate of flying again.
How can oil spills be prevented to help birds?
The most effective way to protect birds from oiling impacts is to prevent oil spills in the first place through proper safeguards like:
- Regular inspection and maintenance of oil facilities and tankers.
- Utilization of double-hull tanker designs to minimize spills.
- Restriction of drilling activities in high-risk areas.
- Implementation of safer oil extraction technologies.
- Improved tracking of oceanic currents and wildlife populations.
- Establishment of protected wildlife areas.
- Enforcement of regulations and consequences for lapses.
- Investment in renewable energy sources to reduce oil demand.
While some small spills may still occur, following best practices for oil production, transportation and response can greatly reduce the frequency and impact on birds and other wildlife. This prevents the need for rehabilitation in the first place.
Examples of major oil spills and impacts on birds
Here are some of the largest oil spills on record and details on their effects on birds:
Gulf of Mexico – Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill 2010
- Nearly 134 million gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico from an offshore rig explosion.
- Over 8,000 birds were recovered, including many brown pelicans and northern gannets.
- An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 birds were likely killed by the spill and related effects.
Southern California – Huntington Beach Oil Spill 2021
- Approximately 25,000 gallons of oil spilled from an offshore pipeline.
- At least 150 birds were recovered including grebes, gulls and ducks.
- Oiled birds received rehabilitation but full impacts are still being evaluated.
Coastal New Zealand – MV Rena Oil Spill 2011
- Over 350,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil spilled when a cargo ship grounded on a reef.
- Over 2,000 birds were found dead, mainly penguins and petrels. Many more likely perished.
- Hundreds of Little Blue Penguins were rehabilitated and released.
These examples demonstrate the severe toll that large spills can have on birds. But they also show that with rapid response and proper care, many affected birds can fully regain flight.
Conclusion
Oil spills pose a major hazard to birds by compromising the complex structure of their feathers. Without the ability to repel water and air, most oil-coated birds initially lose their capacity for flight. However, with quick rescue and appropriate rehabilitation by trained wildlife professionals, the majority of oiled birds can have their flight restored and eventually be released back to the wild. While preventing spills remains imperative, advancements in oil spill response and bird rehabilitation enable many affected birds to successfully fly again.