Oilsands development could lead to 166 million fewer songbirds: new study

EDMONTON — A new report by a prominent American scientist suggests that songbirds will pay a hefty price for the development of Alberta's oilsands.

The study, to be released Tuesday in Edmonton, suggests that cumulative effects from plans currently on the books could eventually deprive North American skies of up to 166 million birds.

"When you start actually trying to estimate the total numbers and what that impact really looks like, it is pretty shocking," said lead author Jeff Wells of Cornell University.

Wells worked on the report with Alberta's Pembina Institute and the U.S.-based Natural Resources Defence Council.

He used a combination of previous studies and mathematical modelling to estimate what the eventual impact of oilsands development could be on birds.

The boreal forest is a crucial breeding ground for many species that migrate throughout the continent, from tiny warblers to tundra swans to common songbirds such as blackbirds and grosbeaks.