WARNING! This post contains images that some might find disturbing.
While conducting band resight surveys on Stone Harbor Point, our research team discovered three birds entangled in discarded fishing line within the same week. One was an adult American Oystercatcher identified as A36 (for the color band on his leg) and the other two were an adult Black Skimmer and adult Royal Tern tangled together in the same snarl of line.
The Oystercatcher had line (with a weight attached) wrapped around both legs, severely hindering his ability to forage. We banded him as a chick in 2016, and we’ve resighted him multiple times over the years, so there’s a good chance he was nesting in the area. Our researchers returned to Stone Harbor point several times to relocate A36 and attempt capture efforts to remove the fishing line, but they have not seen him with the flock since.
They were able to catch the Black Skimmer, though, as this bird was far worse off. Its legs were completely entangled in fishing line (also with an attached weight) and it had a hook stuck through its upper leg, which was badly twisted, likely in an attempt to free itself. Our team successfully freed the Royal Tern snared with the Skimmer and transferred the Skimmer to a licensed reahbber, but odds are that it will have to be euthanized due to the extent of its injuries.
The takeaway: if you fish, do so responsibly. Recover discarded line, and keep away from areas where birds are nesting and foraging. If you’re out enjoying nature and find discarded line, take it with you and dispose of it safely. Every year, many birds like these two are victims of preventable accidents. We can do better by them. It’s up to each of us to take responsibility for ourselves and minimize our impact on the other animals with whom we share our natural spaces. A few simple actions can make a world of difference.
#wetlandsinstitute #conservation #dobetterforbirds #fishresponsibly
