FOXNews.com - 19 Bald Eagles Die After Eating Fish Waste in Alaska - Science News Science & Technology Technology News
Okay...they did not die from EATING the fish waste....they died because they got covered in the goo and it weighed down their feathers.
Most people do not realize how birds bodies work so here we go.
If you have ever looked at a bird in the summer you will notice that they look smaller than they do in the winter. Many people figure its because they have to put on the extra weight to make it thru the lean times....but that's not what it is.
They puff up their feathers to stay warm....about the same way that your down jacket works. Air gets trapped between the feathers and warms up, it makes a great insulator.
When their feathers get overly wet, or slimed with oils (such as crude or fish) the feathers can not fluff up....and unlike the water, the oil will not simply dry...it will become sticky/gooey and the birds can not simply wait for the feathers to regain its poofiness.
THAT is what killed the majority of these birds.
There were a few birds who sank into the truck load of fish guts and were crushed by the sheer weight of it all.
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