Many of the 2010 BP oil spill’s long-term consequences have so far remained relatively unknown, but as time marches forward, the environmental effects of the largest oil spill in history are becoming increasingly apparent.

A recent study by researchers from Louisiana’s Tulane University, examined the oil spill’s effects on migratory shorebirds along the 650 miles of the Gulf coast where oil from the spill washed ashore. It is difficult for researchers to measure the exact impact the oil spill had on these birds because solid population figures did not exist until after the spill. However, they believe that more than one million birds from 28 species were potentially exposed to oil.

These birds migrate to the Gulf region from as far away as the Arctic and South America. The oil’s effect on their health may delay their migration patterns, which could effect food chains in those regions.

It is not easy to assess the damage the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has had on wildlife and families who live along the coast. If you have been effected by the oil spill, contact the oil spill attorneys of Williams Hart at 800-821-1544 to learn more about your legal options.