We are excited to announce the nominees for our 2024 Patient of the Year! This year, we cared for an incredible 3,187 patients, including 425 Brown Pelicans rescued during a mass stranding event. Each bird has a story of resilience, but only one will earn the title.
Now, it’s your turn to decide which of these incredible patients will be crowned 2024 Patient of the Year. Read their stories, celebrate their triumphs, and honor the work that made their second chances possible.
Bonus: Enter your name and email address when you vote, and you’ll be entered to win a beautiful 2025 Bird Rescue calendar featuring stunning wildlife photography!
Cast your vote no later than December 31 for it to be counted. Let’s celebrate these incredible birds and the hope they bring into the world!
Yellow-billed Loon
A rare Yellow-billed Loon was discovered with fishing line wrapped around its body and wings while swimming around the Cabrillo Beach Pier in San Pedro, CA on January 19. In addition to being a rare Southern California visitor, this bird is listed as a near-threatened species. Staff treated wounds that were found on its wings and the sides of its mouth, and it was successfully released to the wild on January 30. Read more about this case in this blog post, and watch a video of its release on Facebook.
Common Murres
Stormy weather in February brought in several emaciated Common Murres contaminated with oil from natural seep. Staff and volunteers used a combination of Dawn dish soap and a high-pressure shower wash to effectively remove oil from the murres’ feathers. Once waterproof and at a healthy weight, these birds were released back into the wild. Read more about this case in this blog post, and watch a video of a wash on Facebook.
Laysan Albatross
A surprising stowaway, a Laysan Albatross, was found aboard a container ship en route to the Port of Long Beach. When a crew member recognized the bird was unable to fly away, he successfully captured it and brought it to Bird Rescue. In care, this patient had a dime-sized granuloma mass (typically produced in response to an infection) surgically removed from its foot. Once healed, the bird made a triumphant return to the open ocean on July 2. Read more about this case in this blog post.
Western Snowy Plovers
Beginning in late May, numerous Western Snowy Plover eggs were admitted into care after they were moved from a hazardous area where drying mud created deep fissures. The chicks hatched in care, where staff raised them until their flight feathers were fully grown, and they were united with a local plover colony. Successfully raising 19 chicks represents a critical contribution to the recovery of this federally threatened species, with fewer than 2,000 Western Snowy Plovers remaining on the Pacific Coast. Learn more about this case in this blog post.
Western Burrowing Owl
A Western Burrowing Owl wound up in the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County on October 8. The circumstances of how it ended up in the water are unknown, but as it was struggling to survive, it became contaminated by oil, rendering its feathers useless for insulation and flight. The bird was thoroughly washed by staff and a wildlife rehabilitation intern before it was returned to its natural habitat. Read more about this case in this blog post, and watch a video of the wash on YouTube.