More than 200 birds died after they landed on a gooey, toxic Syncrude tailings pond just days after the oilsands giant agreed to pay more than $3 million in a similar image-soiling case where 1,600 ducks died.

The Alberta company has blamed freezing rain for the latest landing. A news release on the company's website said workers noticed the birds Monday night in parking lots and on roads around its operation. They appeared exhausted and unable to fly.

Read the entire Toronto Star article here.