Think You Know What Makes Birds Waterproof? - You Might Be Surprised!

Many people following the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have undoubtedly been viewing images of oiled birds and hearing a lot of inaccurate information about wildlife. I'm not blaming any particular news agency for the reporting of this inaccurate information, but I would like to take the time to put some solid information out there to help people understand what is actually happening to these birds. I have experience working with a wide array of bird species and for whatever reason, the topic of waterproofing is one that is commonly misunderstood.

It isn't the natural oils on bird feathers that make a bird waterproof.

Many people have read or been taught that a bird's ability to remain waterproof relates to the oil-producing gland located on their their back. While it's true that birds do coat their feathers with this oil as they are preening, it isn't what makes their feathers waterproof. The natural oil that birds distribute across their feathers as they preen acts as a conditioner. A bird's waterproofing actually relates to the position and alignment of their feathers. When you see a bird preening, you are witnessing the animal meticulously aligning each of its feathers so that they are perfectly interlocked.

The interlocking hooks and barbules on feathers is what makes a bird waterproof

Bird feathers are amazing when you examine them closely. Feathers have a series of hooks, barbs, and barbules, which allow feathers to remain tightly locked together. This interlocking of hooks and barbules is what actually provides an airtight seal allowing bird's skin to remain insulated from water and the elements. In addition to the hooks and barbules locking together, a bird's feathers lay flat against their body similarly to the shingles on your roof. Not unlike the shingles on your roof, if feathers are not in alignment, they are not waterproof. As you can imagine, this is why birds spend so much time preening and aligning their feathers-their survival depends on it.

So what exactly happens when a bird becomes coated in oil?

When a bird comes into contact with oil on the water's surface, the oil sticks to the bird's feathers causing them to separate and fuse together in an unnatural way. It doesn't take a large amount of oil to compromise a bird's waterproofing, thereby threatening its life. Once a bird has come into contact with oil on the water's surface, it will immediately set about fixing the problem. As I discussed earlier, preening would ordinarily be the solution to this problem. Oiled birds begin ingesting the toxic oil they have come into contact with as they preen and this begins to damage the bird's internal organs as well. Once a bird is compromised both internally and externally, it's only a matter of time before it dies. Without waterproofing, birds are no longer able to remain buoyant on the water's surface and fall victim to drowning. Birds that are able to get close enough to land once this has happened will beach themselves in an attempt to avoid hypothermia and drowning.

A beached bird is a sitting duck.

Birds that have lost their waterproofing and are sickened by the toxic oil they have ingested face a miserable death. Unable to feed themselves, these birds quickly become emaciated and dehydrated in addition to being made extremely ill by the oil they have already ingested while attempting to preen and re-establish their waterproofing.

Concerned humans are a bird's last chance for survival once they have become oiled.

Birds that are found in time by concerned humans are often taken to a wildlife care center where they are re-hydrated, nourished, medicated, and ultimately washed by skilled wildlife professionals or volunteers. This is a complicated and specialized process in which only the strongest survive. Generally speaking, birds that arrive at a wildlife care center in this condition are stressed out, weak, exhausted and fragile. Attempting to wash a bird in this fragile state oftentimes would lead to death. Instead, a bird is generally triaged, hydrated, given supportive care and washed once it's deemed medically stable.

Time for the Dawn dishwashing liquid!

Birds that are stable enough endure a series of tub washings in a very diluted solution of Dawn dishwashing liquid and clean water. The process requires two people for each bird, tons of water, and takes about 45 minutes. It's an expensive and arduous process and unfortunately, many birds don't survive. Once an oiled bird has been washed, it is returned to a pen with a net bottom and a warm dryer. Birds that are strong enough will instinctively begin preening and realigning their feathers, beginning the process of waterproofing themselves.

Birds that make it this far are eventually placed in warm water pools where they can swim and continue preening and realigning their feathers. Skilled personnel must carefully monitor birds during this process and eventually they graduate to a cold water pool where the process is completed. Once it is determined that a bird is completely waterproof and has normal blood results and body weight, it can be released back into the wild where it belongs. This process doesn't happen overnight. Depending on the bird's condition, it may take days or more than a week.

It isn't just nature.

I've tube fed and medicated many birds that are undergoing this process and I can tell you firsthand that it takes a veritable army of caring and skilled individuals to make this happen. It's dirty, tiring, and emotionally draining for everyone involved. It's worth the effort because these animals have been compromised and placed into this precarious situation at the hands of humans. It isn't just nature. Oftentimes when a lot of birds die, I'll hear people say that it's just nature and to let nature take its course. The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not "just nature" or a natural event. This is a disaster created by humans that is going to impact wildlife populations in unforeseeable ways that may not be determined for years.

Source:
Personal experience
International Bird Rescue Research Center
Oiled Wildlife