Bird deaths puzzle Unalaska

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Youngfox

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More than 1,600 sea bird carcasses have washed onto Unalaska shores over the last two days in a mysterious die-off that scientists are scrambling to understand.

Some say they may have died of hunger. Others say they're smashing into boats.

Maybe it's both, some scientists said.

Several hundred black, gull-like shearwaters died after flying into a crabbing boat that steamed through the early morning darkness in Unalaska Bay on Wednesday morning, said Forrest Bowers, a fisheries biologist for the state Department of Fish and Game in Unalaska.

The captain of the boat walked into Bowers' office that day to report that a hail of shearwaters struck his boat for up to 30 minutes, Bowers said. The crew pitched the dead and dying birds overboard, the captain said, according to Bowers.
Bowers would not release the captain's name, saying he requested anonymity.

The captain reported that other boats were in the area and may also have been bombarded by the sea birds, Bowers said.
It's happened before in Unalaska, but usually not in such big numbers, Bowers said.
Bird deaths puzzle Unalaska
 
Something they ate possibly?
http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/perp/response/sum_fy05/041207201/041207201_index.htm
A little less than two years ago, a cargo ship called the Selendan Ayu crashed near Unalaska causing an oil spill. So there may be a chance that there's some residual pollution in the water that the fish have picked up, which is making the birds ill.
According to that site, clean up efforts are ongoing to some degree. Wikipedia sez:
One tank containing 40,131 gallons of fuel ruptured when the ship broke apart. It is estimated that 424,000 gallons of heavy bunker C fuel oil remains onboard, although most of that fuel was transferred to internal tanks when the ship foundered, and heaters were turned off so that the fuel would thicken in the cold waters. Another 18,000 gallons of diesel fuel is believed to still be on board as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selendang_Ayu

ETA: I didn't notice this bit until I read the whole thing
eid Brewer, a local marine biologist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said he counted just over 1,600 carcasses on the pebbled shores near homes in Unalaska and along beaches outside the Aleutian island community.

The birds don't appear thin and aren't oiled, he said. Some had necks twisted at odd angles, as if they had smashed into something, he said.
So that may throw that theory out.
 
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