WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- An environmental group warned Friday that the oil slick approaching the Gulf Coast shoreline threatens some important bird habitats.
The American Bird Conservancy in Washington issued a list of coastal areas where several species of birds, including ducks, terns, gulls and herons, make their home.
"This spill spells disaster for birds in this region and beyond," said ABC President George Fenwick. "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."
Fenwick said in a written statement the crude oil leak caused by the sinking of the offshore rig Deepwater Horizon should prompt the administration of President Barack Obama to think twice before opening up more offshore areas to oil drilling.
The ABC list includes four national seashores and wildlife refuges as well as the entire Lower Pascagoula River, Dauphin Island and even the beach at Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle.
