What Effect Does Oil Have On Birds

My science fair project what effect does oil have on birds. The purpose of this experiment was to see what will happen if you put oil on different birds molded feathers. So my hypothesis was that the darker types of oil will stain the molded feathers the most. My independent variable is the amount of oil I put on birds. My dependent variable is the amount of oil I’m measuring. This project will help with developing better ecosystems for birds and their habitat.

The first source reviewed was a book written by V.Matthews-D.b Linger tilted How Do oil and gas affect bird feathers. I think oil and gas affect bird feathers because if you put a bird in oil it will come out three types of ways. Oil might harm bird feathers because if you dip a feather in oil the oil might soak into the feathers and get stuck in there where it can harm the bird, and the only way you might get it out is using tide hot water or dish soap water.

Well, get to that later. Another way oil of gas can harm birds is because we don’t really know what types of gas it is like it can be a strong gas.

“When oil sticks to bird’s feather, it causes them to the mat and separate. When oil sticks to a bird’s feathers, it causes them to mat and separate, impairing waterproofing and exposing the animal’s sensitive skin to extremes in temperature.

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This can result in hypothermia, meaning the bird becomes cold, or hyperthermia, which results in overheating”(Saving Pelican 895).

So when oil gets stuck in bird feathers, there will be a couple ways to get them out. “… Cold water washing. “Put some cold water in a bowl, and then try washing some of the oiled feathers in it. Hot water washing. Put some hot water in a bowl, and then try washing some of the oiled feathers in it. Washing with detergent.” But I’m not doing it that

way because I’m going to use 3 types of things to try to wash it out to see which one will clean it the most and better.

“When oil gets in a bird feather, there’s no telling what will happen. The il might harm the bird feather by getting stuck and starting to make the oil feathers stick together where it’s making it hard for the bird to flap, and to try to fly. Have you ever thought about what happens if the rd couldn’t fly? If birds couldn’t fly, oil has made it hard to get around to places and made it hard to get away for their predators if you really think about it.”

“Oil has more impacts on birds than just coating their feathers. An area subjected to a large oil spill can become uninhabitable for the birds as food supplies are gradually killed off from the toxic poisons, and oil coating nesting areas destroy critical habitat”. If birds are already nesting at the time of the pollution, oil that coats the eggs will suffocate unhatched chicks, decimating the birds’ population. If eggs have not been laid but female adults ingest the oil, the pollution can cause thinner shells that are more subject to being crushed and may cause malformed chicks that will not survive. Over time, small amounts of oil in the birds’ ecosystem can be absorbed into food supplies, gradually building to deadly concentrations in birds that eat that food, whether it is plant life, insects, fish, or other food sources.

“Birds’ feathers are precisely aligned and designed to provide superb waterproofing and insulation. Oil in the feathers, however, will mat them and misalign the tiny barbs that keep the feathers properly positioned. Even a small misalignment can cause birds to lose critical body heat, therefore exposing them to temperatures and weather conditions that can be fatal. Oiled birds also lose their natural buoyancy from air pockets created by proper feather alignment, and they can sink and drown in polluted waters”. As they preen, they inadvertently ingest the toxic sludge, which will then poison their kidneys, liver, lungs, intestines, and other internal organs, causing slow and agonizing death. If they do not die from the oil’s toxicity, their excessive preening in a desperate attempt to realign their feathers and get clean again will cost them more energy than they can spare. Many oiled birds eventually succumb to exhaustion, dehydration, or starvation.”

It can take years to clean up and restore areas impacted by oil spills and similar pollution, but there are many ways concerned birders can help, such as:

• Volunteering with cleanup efforts and helping clean birds and affected habitats after a spill happens
• Donating to organizations involved in cleanup either through financial or material contributions or organizing fundraising drives
• Joining organizations and related causes to raise awareness and taking part in active campaigns to stop causes of oil pollution
• Avoiding unintentional contributions to pollution problems by keeping watercraft in peak condition without leaks and disposing of all oils properly
• Reporting any oiled birds or contaminants to local authorities immediately to minimize pollution and begin restoration efforts
• Working to live a greener lifestyle and use fewer petroleum resources, which will lessen the need for refined oil

“Oil, even in small amounts, is deadly to birds and can have a lasting impact on a contaminated area’s ecosystem and other wildlife. By understanding the severity of oil’s effect on birds, it is possible to raise awareness for rescue and rehabilitation efforts and

My science fair project what effect does oil have on birds. The purpose of this experiment was to see what will happen if you put oil on different birds molded feathers. So my hypothesis was that the darker types of oil will stain the molded feathers the most. My independent variable is the amount of oil I put on birds. My dependent variable is the amount of oil I’m measuring. To conclude this is the beginning of my Science fair Project.

The first source reviewed was a book written by V.Matthews-D.b. Linger tilted How Do oil and gas affect bird feathers. I think oil and gas affect bird feathers because if you put a bird in oil it will come out three types of ways. Oil might harm bird feathers because if you dip a feather in oil the oil might soak into the feathers and get stuck in there where it can harm the bird, and the only way you might get it out is using tide hot water or dish soap water. Well, get to that later. Another way oil of gas can harm birds is because we don’t really know what type of gas it is like it can be a very strong gas.

“When oil sticks to bird’s feather, it causes them to the mat and separate. When oil sticks to a bird’s feathers, it causes them to mat and separate, impairing waterproofing and exposing the animal’s sensitive skin to extremes in temperature. This can result in hypothermia, meaning the bird becomes cold, or hyperthermia, which results in overheating”(Saving Pelican 895).

So when oil gets stuck in bird feathers, there will be a couple ways to get them out. “… Cold water washing. Put some cold water in a bowl, and then try washing some of the oiled feathers in it. Hot water washing. Put some hot water in a bowl, and then try washing some of the oiled feathers in it. Washing with detergent. But I’m not doing it that way because I’m going to use 3 types of things to try to wash it out to see which one will clean it the most and better.

When oil gets in a bird feather, there’s no telling what will happen. The il might harm the bird feather by getting stuck and starting to make the oil feathers stick together where it’s making it hard for the bird to flap, and to try to fly. Have you ever thought about what happens if the rd couldn’t fly? If birds couldn’t fly, oil has made it hard to get around to places and made it hard to get away for their predators if you really think about it.

“Oil has more impacts on birds than just coating their feathers. An area subjected to a large oil spill can become uninhabitable for the birds as food supplies are gradually killed off from the toxic poisons, and oil coating nesting areas destroy critical habitat”. If birds are already nesting at the time of the pollution, oil that coats the eggs will suffocate unhatched chicks, decimating the birds’ population. If eggs have not been laid but female adults ingest the oil, the pollution can cause thinner shells that are more subject to being crushed and may cause malformed chicks that will not survive. Over time, small amounts of oil in the birds’ ecosystem can be absorbed into food supplies, gradually building to deadly concentrations in birds that eat that food, whether it is plant life, insects, fish, or other food sources.

“Birds’ feathers are precisely aligned and designed to provide superb waterproofing and insulation. Oil in the feathers, however, will mat them and misalign the tiny barbs that keep the feathers properly positioned. Even a small misalignment can cause birds to lose critical body heat, therefore exposing them to temperatures and weather conditions that can be fatal. Oiled birds also lose their natural buoyancy from air pockets created by proper feather alignment, and they can sink and drown in polluted waters”. As they preen, they inadvertently ingest the toxic sludge, which will then poison their kidneys, liver, lungs, intestines, and other internal organs, causing slow and agonizing death. If they do not die from the oil’s toxicity, their excessive preening in a desperate attempt to realign their feathers and get clean again will cost them more energy than they can spare. Many oiled birds eventually succumb to exhaustion, dehydration, or starvation”.

“It can take years to clean up and restore areas impacted by oil spills and similar pollution, but there are many ways concerned birders can help, such as:

• Volunteering with cleanup efforts and helping clean birds and affected habitats after a spill happens
• Donating to organizations involved in cleanup either through financial or material contributions or organizing fundraising drives
• Joining organizations and related causes to raise awareness and taking part in active campaigns to stop causes of oil pollution
• Avoiding unintentional contributions to pollution problems by keeping watercraft in peak condition without leaks and disposing of all oils properly
• Reporting any oiled birds or contaminants to local authorities immediately to minimize pollution and begin restoration efforts
• Working to live a greener lifestyle and use fewer petroleum resources, which will lessen the need for refined oil

“Oil, even in small amounts, is deadly to birds and can have a lasting impact on a contaminated area’s ecosystem and other wildlife. By understanding the severity of oil’s effect on birds, it is possible to raise awareness for rescue and rehabilitation efforts and minimize the impact oil can have on all wildlife.” minimize the impact oil can have on all wildlife”.“Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters, and the water repellency of a bird’s feathers; thus exposing these creatures to the harsh elements.

Without the ability to repel water and insulate from the cold water, birds, and mammals will die from hypothermia.” When oil gets stuck to a bird feather, I wonder can a bird die from that? An area that has been affected by a large oil spill will become uninhabitable for many bird species as their sources of food such as fish are killed off. Once the oil has entered the ecosystem and food chain over time small amounts can gradually build to deadly concentrations. If birds are nesting at the time of the spill oil covered eggs will suffocate the unhatched chicks and breeding females will lay eggs with thinner shells which can easily break.

Soap breaks up the oil into smaller drops, which can mix with the water. It works because soap is made up of molecules with two very different ends. One end of the soap molecules love water – they are hydrophilic. The other end of soap molecules hate water – they are hydrophobic. At the high end of the estimates, that’s well more than 1,000 birds chopped to death each day. Meanwhile, as many as 28,000 birds are killed each year — that’s one every two minutes — by the Ivanpah solar plant in the Mojave Desert, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. June 17, 2015

To conclude, this is my Science Fair – Review of Literature, of the project What Effect Does Oil Have On Birds.