“Look up!” is something we often remind people to do – to notice the birds that share our world. In this case, looking up is what saved a Ring-billed Gull from a devastating fate.
While driving around Long Beach, CA, on February 12, Courtney Walford spotted a gull hanging helplessly from bird deterrent spikes on a light post, unable to free itself. Unsure how to help, she snapped a photo and turned to a Facebook community page for guidance. For three hours, she monitored the bird until animal control arrived to rescue it.
The gull was then transferred to International Bird Rescue, where staff discovered a constriction wound on her right wing, likely caused by fishing line. The entanglement may have led to the bird getting caught on the spikes.
The following day, the gull underwent surgery to clean and treat two linear lacerations on her wing. During the procedure, Veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Duerr uncovered a troubling sign – the two lacerations were connected through the wing, cutting a slit-like hole into the space between the bird’s radius and ulna. This is equivalent to having a sharp flat knife driven between the two bones of a human’s forearm.
This wound could have been caused by either a fish hook (given the line entanglement) or by being impaled on one of the spikes on the light pole. Either way, it’s a significant injury because that narrow space between the bones is packed with vital blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and nerves.
“This poor bird has a very serious wound,” Dr. Duerr said. “It’s great that the bird was rescued promptly, because this has given her a better prognosis than if she had hung there much longer. Treating a fresh wound like this is always better than dealing with such wounds later after the animal has endured more damage.”
This case highlights the dangerous combination of man-made hazards that threaten wildlife. Bird deterrent spikes, meant to prevent birds from perching, can become deadly when paired with discarded fishing line or other debris. Entanglement in fishing gear is a common cause of injury in seabirds, and when coupled with structures designed to keep them away, the consequences can be severe.
This patient is recovering in an outdoor enclosure as she heals from surgery. Your donation plays a vital role in supporting her healing and continued care. Click here to support this gull and other waterbirds in care.