Deadly toxin killing loons and other water birds at beginning of St. Lawrence River

Friday, December 6, 2013 - 3:08 pm

A natural toxin is killing migrating water birds near where Lake Ontario empties into the St. Lawrence River, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Type E botulism struck the eastern basin of Lake Ontario this fall resulting in sizeable mortality in migrating waterbirds, said a DEC report.

Reports from the public and field investigations by DEC crews indicate that at least 200-300 common loons have washed ashore along Jefferson and northern Oswego County shorelines.

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