‘Coastal pollution, a threat to migratory birds’

TDT | Manama Rajeevan Puravankara

It’s that time of the year again for rare guests to come flapping to the Kingdom. Every year, during the beginning of winter, many migratory birds including flamingos fly to Bahrain’s coasts as part of their regular seasonal movement. However, environmentalists are worried about the possible impact of rising coastal pollution across the Kingdom on these birds. They pointed out that the foraging behaviour makes many migratory birds prone to ingesting plastics.

“Floating on the surface of the water, covered in algae, single-use plastics such as bags, drinking straws and bottles can easily be mistaken for prey, both by shape and by smell. “Birds also feed plastic to their chicks that are even more vulnerable due to their underdeveloped organs.” In cases of ingestion, the damage caused by plastic depends on its shape. Sharp plastic particles cause immediate death by piercing internal organs, the environmentalists added.

They added that the number of migratory birds flying into the Kingdom have declined over the past few years.