Buffalo News: Great Lakes- "Loons, other birds washed up"

GREAT LAKES
Loons, other birds washed up dead



More than 100 loons and other migratory birds have washed up dead on Great Lakes shores in the past week, and environmental experts suspect they were poisoned by botulism after feeding on invasive mussels and fish.

Type E botulism has been causing die-offs on Lakes Erie and Ontario for several years, state Department of Environmental Conservation scientists said. The birds, which are believed to travel from Canada, become paralyzed and die after consuming the quagga mussel and a fish called the round goby.

“Unfortunately, this has become an annual event,” said David Adams, a DEC water bird specialist.

DEC estimates that Type E botulism has killed 41,000 migratory birds on Lake Erie since 2000 and approximately 10,300 on Lake Ontario since 2002.


Distributed without profit to protect ESA Great Lakes District surfers from contact with avian botulism.


Magilla Schaus: I'm not an expert in wild migratory birds but I believe there is a dead goose on the beach at what surfers here call Area 51. This dead bird was not there last week. It possible washed up.