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Midway Atoll, where these photos were taken, is more than 2,000 miles from the nearest land.
Slideshow

Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem

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Sabrina Taylor, a wildlife biologist at Louisiana State University and lead scientist for the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, releases a seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) in the Louisiana marsh.
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Sabrina Taylor Releases a Sparrow

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An estimated 5 tons of plastic are fed to albatross chicks each year at Midway Atoll.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 4

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Researchers on a boat try to to catch an oiled pelican in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast.
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Netting an oiled pelican in the Gulf of Mexico

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With their brown and yellow markings, seaside sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus) blend in well with marshgrass.
Article

Beyond the Sea: How Oil Spills in the Ocean Affect Birds On Land

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Photograph of an oiled brown pelican squatting on the beach.
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Brown Pelican covered in oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill

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Dr. Erica Miller, of the Louisiana State Wildlife Response Team, cleanses an oil-covered pelican in Plaquemines Parish, LA.
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Cleaning an Oiled Pelican in Louisiana

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Artist Chris Jordan, who took these photos, is making a documentary about Laysan albatrosses on Midway Atoll and their plastic problem. Watch the trailer.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 10

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If this chick had survived, it could have lived a long time: Laysan albatrosses are very long-lived birds. The oldest known wild bird is a 62-year old Laysan albatross named “Wisdom,” who still rears chicks on Midway Atoll.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 9

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Laysan albatross chicks are fed and raised by their parents for 180 days, until they are almost fully grown. Some older “chicks” are as large as their parents!
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 8

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Much of the plastic comes from litter on land, which washes down storm drains and eventually makes it to the ocean. Some bits are from fishing nets and lines discarded by fishing boats.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 7

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The plastic includes big pieces, such as bottle caps and cigarette lighters, as well as plastic confetti, indiscernible to the human eye.
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Laysan Albatrosses’ Plastic Problem 6

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