title: Chronic oiling of marine birds in California by natural petroleum seeps, shipwrecks, and other sources.
abstract: We assessed temporal and spatial patterns of chronic oiling of seabirds in California during 2005-2010, using data on: (1) live oiled birds reported to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) from throughout the state, and (2) dead oiled birds found during systematic monthly beached-bird surveys in central California. A mean of 245 (± 141 SD) live miscellaneous oiled birds (not associated with known oil spills) were reported to the OWCN per year, and 0.1 oiled dead birds km(-1) per month were found on beach surveys in central California. Chemical fingerprinting of oiled feathers from a subset of these birds (n=101) indicated that 89% of samples tested were likely from natural petroleum seeps off southern and central California. There was a pronounced peak during late winter in the number of oiled birds reported in southern California, which we theorize may be related to large storm waves disturbing underwater seeps.
authors.affiliation: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care & Research Center, 1451 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA. Electronic address: laird.henkel@wildlife.ca.gov.
authors.forename: Laird A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Henkel
authors.affiliation: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care & Research Center, 1451 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA; University of California Davis, Wildlife Health Center, Oiled Wildlife Care Network, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA.
authors.forename: Hannahrose
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nevins
authors.affiliation: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Petroleum Chemistry Laboratory, 1995 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, USA.
authors.forename: Marida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Spill Prevention and Response, Petroleum Chemistry Laboratory, 1995 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugarman
authors.affiliation: Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA.
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: University of California Davis, Wildlife Health Center, Oiled Wildlife Care Network, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ziccardi
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D002140:California; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012767:Ships / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Monterey Formation; Oil fingerprinting; Seabirds