Oil Sands Birds Contact Monitoring Plan

The primary goal of the 2011 Oil Sands Bird Contact Monitoring Plan was to establish a robust and systematic program to document bird interactions with liquid storage facilities at oil sands mining sites. The program aimed to estimate bird contacts and mortalities on both process-affected and freshwater ponds. It also sought to standardize monitoring across all operations to ensure data comparability over time and across locations. A key objective was to identify species at risk affected by contact with process-affected waters. Additionally, the program was designed to inform adaptive management strategies for long-term monitoring and bird deterrent efforts. The report reflects collaborative efforts and lays the foundation for refining future monitoring plans, including updates already proposed for 2012.

The 2011 Oil Sands Bird Contact Monitoring Plan marked the first collaborative effort among industry, government, and academia to standardize bird monitoring across oil sands operations. Despite challenges, the program successfully documented bird landings and mortalities, revealing that while thousands of birds landed on process-affected ponds, relatively few deaths were recorded. This suggests that contact with tailings ponds is not frequently lethal, though more data is needed to confirm this finding. The initiative fostered transparency and cooperation among stakeholders, who had previously worked in isolation. The resulting dataset provides a valuable foundation for refining future monitoring and deterrent strategies. Importantly, the program’s success lies in its cultural shift toward shared responsibility and continuous improvement in protecting avian life in the region.