than in the southeast; surveys there averaged 3.5 birds/mi (2.2/km) from 1971 

 to 1975 (Ainley 1976). The disparity in beached bird mortality rates between 

 California and Europe and the southeast may result partly from differences in 

 prevailing winds and currents. In parts of North America where prevailing winds 

 blow offshore, most mortality is found around enclosed inlets. On islands off- 

 shore in North America and in northwest Europe, where prevailing winds carry 

 dying birds (and oil) to shore, both chronic oil pollution and the recorded mor- 

 tality of marine birds is greater (Bourne 1976). 



MAJOR BIRD KILLS FOLLOWING OIL SPILLS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 



There are few records of large bird kills following oil spills in south- 

 eastern waters, and the records that do exist are usually inadequate. A typical 

 example occurred in late December 1968, when a barge spilled crude oil along 

 the coast of Wakulla County, Florida. This resulted in "many ducks snipe and 

 other birds so covered with oil that they were unable to fly. Smaller birds 

 were unable to walk in the heavy oil" (Center for Short-Lived Phenomena 1969). 



We have found only a few instances of major oil spills in or near the study 

 area for which there is even fair information on the number and species of birds 

 killed. The first of these occurred in early February 1976 in the lower Chesa- 

 peake Bay. About 250,000 gallons (950,000 1) of No. 6 fuel oil entered the bay 

 following the sinking of a barge near the mouth of the Potomac River (Roland et 

 al. 1977). Subsequent movement of the oil resulted in the widespread contami- 

 nation of marshes and beaches. Roland et al. (1977) estimated that 20,000 to 

 50,000 birds were killed. Perry et al. (1979) made individual estimates for 

 each species that died during this spill as well as for five spills that occur- 

 red in the Delaware River and for another large spill that occurred in the Ches- 

 apeake Bay. They estimated that 15,715 Oldsquaw, 14,571 Horned Grebes, and 

 12,665 Ruddy Ducks died as a result of these seven spills. A thousand or more 

 each of Canvasbacks, Common Goldeneyes , and scaup were also killed, as well as 

 lesser numbers of 15 other species of ducks, geese, and swans. These figures 

 indicate that about five percent of the North American Ruddy Duck winter popu- 

 lation may have been lost to these spills. 



The second major mortality following an oil spill in the southeast was in 

 Tampa Bay on the Florida Gulf in mid-February 1970 (Sims 1970). Some 80-100 

 tons of Bunker C oil were spilled from the Greek tanker DELIAN APPOLON when it 

 ran aground and ruptured its hull (Wallace 1970, Clark 1973). Winds and tides 

 spread the oil to cover more than 100 sq mi (259 sq km) of Tampa Bay. Sims 

 (1970) estimated that as many as 4,500 birds were handled at cleaning and rehab- 

 ilitation stations following the spill, and Clark (1973) suggested that there 

 may have been as many as 9,000 casualties. Sims (1970) indicated that the St. 

 Petersburg Audubon Society handled "some 500 Common Loon, 200 Horned Grebe, 200 

 Red-breasted Merganser, 2500 Lesser Scaup and 100 other species including sev- 

 eral cormorant, two Mallard, a White-winged Scoter, several heron, a kingfisher 

 and many small shore birds." 



17 



