Florida Brown Pelican by janeswalden

Today the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) released a list of Globally Important Bird Areas that are most threatened by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf.

ABC President George Fenwick:

This spill spells disaster for birds in this region and beyond. It is ironic that next weekend is International Migratory Bird Day. At a time when we should be celebrating the beauty and wonder of migratory birds, we could be mourning the worst environmental disaster in recent U.S. history.

This is bad.

Important Bird Areas at risk from oil spill by American Bird Conservancy (Click for larger version)

From the press release:

Gulf Coast Least Tern Colony
One of the world’s largest colonies of the threatened Least Tern

Lower Pascagoula River – including the Pascagoula River Coastal Preserve
The coastal marshes at the mouth of the river support Yellow and Black Rails, Snowy Plovers, and endangered wintering Piping Plovers

Gulf Islands National Seashore
Hosts thousands of wintering shorebirds, including endangered Piping Plover, Wilson’s Plover, and American Oystercatcher, as well as Brown Pelican, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, and Black Skimmer.

Breton National Wildlife Refuge – including the Chandeleur Islands
Largest tern colony in North America, predominantly of Sandwich, Royal, and Caspian Terns. Also American Oystercatcher, Brown Pelican, Reddish Egret, and endangered Piping Plover. Also an important wintering area for Magnificent Frigatebird, and stopover site for Redhead and Lesser Scaup.

Dauphin Island
An important stopover site for migrant birds including shorebirds, gulls, terns, herons, and rails.

Fort Morgan Historical Park
An important stopover site for migrant birds including shorebirds, gulls, terns, herons, and rails.

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
An important stopover site for thousands of trans-Gulf migrants.

Eglin Air Force Base
Best known for its inland population of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Elgin also has significant coastal habitat for shorebirds and wading birds

Delta National Wildlife Refuge
Large numbers of wading birds nest here, including White Ibis, Snowy Egrets, and herons; thousands of shorebirds use the mudflats in winter and during migration, including Dunlin, Long-billed Dowitcher, and Western Sandpiper, as well as endangered Piping Plover.

Baptiste Collette Bird Islands
This artificial barrier island, created from dredge spoil is one of the many Louisiana coastal islands that could be affected. Birds found here include Caspian Tern, Brown Pelican, Gull-billed Tern, and Black Skimmer.

If you’re in the Gulf coast area helping, thank you so very much!