Oiled and waterlogged Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) fledgling drowning in waters adjacent to a nesting colony on Queen Bess Island. With feathers damaged by oil, birds lose the ability to properly shed water and quickly become waterlogged, heavy and unable to fly. Many young birds, even those lightly oiled, are likely to suffer a similar fate as they make the transition from nesting colonies to living on the water as adults. Barataria Bay, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. July 2010.
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Oiled and waterlogged Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) fledgling drowning in waters adjacent to a nesting colony on Queen Bess Island. With feathers damaged by oil, birds lose the ability to properly shed water and quickly become waterlogged, heavy and unable to fly. Many young birds, even those lightly oiled, are likely to suffer a similar fate as they make the transition from nesting colonies to living on the water as adults. Barataria Bay, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. July 2010.