An unusual bird recently washed up on the sands of Manhattan Beach, CA: a Black-vented Shearwater. Soaking wet and unable to fly away, the bird was rescued by Manhattan Beach Animal Control and admitted to care on December 15.
In care, this patient has been receiving treatment for starvation and contaminated feathers, which were coated with an oily substance the bird had spit up – similar to the defense mechanism seen in fulmars. The bird underwent a wash and is now recovering in a pelagic pool while it regains its strength and restores its waterproof coat.
Though most shearwaters roam vast distances across the open ocean, the Black-vented Shearwater typically stays closer to the coast – usually within 15 miles of shore. In winter, it ranges along the Baja California coastline, extending its reach as far north as central California.
The Black-vented Shearwater is listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its numbers were once decimated by introduced mammals on their nesting islands; feral cats alone were killing over 1,000 Black-vented Shearwaters each month on Natividad Island, off the coast of Mexico’s Baja California Sur, according to the American Bird Conservancy. Thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, the cats have been eradicated, leading to improvements in shearwater nesting success.
Bird Rescue is dedicated to providing expert care to seabirds like this shearwater, giving them a second chance at life in the wild. To support this patient’s recovery and Bird Rescue’s vital work, click here to donate.