Urgent: Water Needed at Klamath to Avoid Deaths of Thousands of Birds

A botulism outbreak was just discovered at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in southern Oregon, killing hundreds of birds that depend on the refuge for breeding and migration. If immediate action isn’t taken, tens of thousands of birds will likely perish. We need your help today. Please urge the Bureau of Reclamation and Department of the Interior to release sufficient water to Tule Lake NWR in Southern Oregon and Lower Klamath NWR now to avoid a mass die off.

The Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Complex is one of the most important stopover and breeding sites for waterfowl and waterbirds in the Pacific Flyway. This spring, Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges benefitted from a water delivery it hasn’t received in several years, leading to a highly productive year at the refuges for birds. However, there have been no water deliveries since early June, creating the perfect conditions for a botulism outbreak (warm, stagnant water). 

Botulism is deadly for birds, attacking their nerve endings, so they can’t hold up their heads or fly. Many waterfowl simply drown, and the presence of infected carcasses exacerbates the outbreak. Right now, both this year’s young as well as molting birds who can’t fly are on the water. All birds, including Eared Grebes, Black-necked Stilts, American Coots, Gadwalls, Mallards, and more, are highly vulnerable to botulism, and need our help.