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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A report by three environmental research groups warns Alberta's oilsands will have a devastating effect on birds in the boreal forest, including the NWT.

The report - "Danger in the Nursery: Impact on Birds of Tar Sands Oil Development in Canada's Boreal Forest" - was released in Chicago on Dec. 2.

A new report warns that Alberta oilsands development could drastically decrease the number of birds in Canada's boreal forest in the coming decades. - photo courtesy of David Dodge, Pembina Institute

The report predicts that, over the next 30 to 50 years, as many as 166 million birds could be lost, including future generations, despite international treaties to protect the birds.

"It's a pretty sobering estimate," said report contributor Simon Dyer, with the Pembina Institute, an environmental group in Calgary.

The report says bird populations will be affected by open pit mining, habitat fragmentation, toxic waste holding ponds, air and water pollution, and pipelines.

Dyer said the NWT is being affected in a number of ways, including reduced flow in the Mackenzie River watershed as water is withdrawn from the Athabasca River for use by the oilsands.

The report notes the oilsands also account for Canada's fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions.

"The overriding issue in all of this is climate change," Dyer said. "We know the Northwest Territories is going to be hard hit by climate change."

Every year, between 22 million and 170 million birds breed in the 35 million acres of boreal forest that could eventually be developed for oilsands.

Along with the Pembina Institute, the report was prepared by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Boreal Songbird Initiative, both based in the United States.

Dr. Jeff Wells of the Boreal Songbird Initiative and lead author of the report said the study strove to be fair and balanced in making predictions on the number of birds that could be lost, so figures were based on low-density and high-density population estimates.

"We actually think it's closer to the high end," he said.

Wells said, depending on the species, some birds could see a reduction of 10-50 per cent in numbers over the coming decades.

He said the oilsands development will affect the NWT in a couple of ways.

First of all, ducks, geese and other birds migrating to the NWT have to pass over the oilsands area, which he said is "smack in the middle" of many migration routes, especially for millions of songbirds.

"For migratory songbirds, they need places to stop and feed on the way through," he said, adding that will become more difficult as habitat is degraded.

Secondly, Wells said water withdrawal and air and water pollution will also have negative effects.

The report identifies a variety of species affected by the oilsands, including ducks, geese, waxwings, warblers, sparrows and jays.

For whooping cranes, the report notes the endangered birds' breeding success in Wood Buffalo National Park is jeopardized in dry years and most global warming scenarios predict more dry years in the region.

Dyer said the report doesn't suggest whooping cranes would be affected by water withdrawal from the Athabasca River.

Stuart Macmillan, the manager of resource conservation with Wood Buffalo National Park, agreed.

"I'd be surprised to see any impact on the whooping crane nesting area as a result of water withdrawal on the Athabasca River," Macmillan said.

Ken Hudson, president of the Fort Smith Metis Council and an avid outdoorsman, said at first glance the estimates of the future loss of birds seem really high.

"It's probably possible," he said, pointing out no one would have believed 20 years ago how far the numbers of caribou have fallen in recent years.

Hudson has already noticed a decrease in the number of ducks in the Fort Smith area.

"There seems like there are a lot less ducks around," he said.

Hudson said he never realized how massive the oilsands development is until he visited Fort McMurray.

"It's unreal how big it is," he said. "It's very scary for the environment."

Travis Davies, a spokesperson for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), takes issue with many of the numbers in the report, including those related to annual mortality rates of birds.

The report claims annual bird mortality from landings and drowning in oily water in existing tailings ponds could range from more than 8,000 birds to in excess of 100,000.

"We don't think that demonstrates reality," Davies said.

The CAPP spokesperson said it is important for people to look at oilsands development in a balanced way, pointing to a fact sheet on the Alberta government's website.

"These are big projects and they do impact the environment," he said, adding the companies involved are responsible and well regulated and working to lessen impacts.

As for water withdrawal from the Athabasca River, Davies said the oilsands only take one per cent of the water flow during most of the year and a maximum of five per cent in the winter when water flow is lower.

The report calls for a moratorium on new projects and project expansions and a clean-up of existing projects, plus tougher international regulations to protect birds.

It also calls on oil companies to adhere to strict standards to protect habitat and minimize impacts on the land, air and water.