A California Least Tern, an endangered species, was admitted to International Bird Rescue after being found at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach unable to take flight on May 28. The bird had been observed flapping its wings but struggling to lift off, a sign that something was seriously wrong.
Melissa Borde, Environmental Scientist and Reserve Manager at Bolsa Chica, responded quickly and brought the tern to International Bird Rescue.
Upon arrival, the bird was assessed by Dr. Rebecca Duerr, Senior Director of Research and Veterinary Science, and found to be cold, underweight, with radiographs revealing a tail fracture. While the cause of the injury is unknown, the combination of trauma and poor body condition significantly reduced the bird’s ability to survive in the wild.
“Every individual is important to biodiversity and the survival of the entire population, especially when that population is already on the verge of extinction,” Dr. Duerr said. “We’ll do everything we can to get this bird healthy and back out there in the wild.”
Care has included heat support, pain medications, and a carefully managed nutrition plan. The enclosure was set up with sand and greenery to provide a more natural environment, helping reduce stress during recovery. Initially, the bird was unable to stand or walk, but has since made significant progress and can now stand on its own. Because it was unable to stand for a period of time, the bird developed an injury to the skin overlying the keel. The wound may require surgery once the bird is in better overall condition.
A Tiny Tern with Big Challenges
Least Terns are the world’s smallest tern, weighing in at about 1.5 ounces. They are ground-nesters that breed in colonies. This offers several advantages, including spotting predators sooner, making better use of limited safe habitat, lowering the chance that any one nest is targeted, and helping guide birds toward successful sites.
The California Least Tern subspecies is listed as endangered by both federal and state endangered species lists. They face ongoing pressures from habitat loss, predation on nesting beaches, human disturbance during breeding season, pollution, and shifting food availability linked to changing ocean conditions.
Events such as the 2021 disturbance of an Elegant Tern colony at Bolsa Chica, which led thousands of birds to relocate to barges in the Port of Long Beach, underscore how vulnerable nesting seabirds can be to disruption during the breeding season.
Protected wetland reserves like Bolsa Chica, along with the conservationists, staff, and volunteers who care for them, help support the future of California Least Terns. The reserve provides managed nesting habitat, while the California Department of Fish and Wildlife leads breeding season monitoring for California Least Terns and threatened Western Snowy Plovers. Through the Eyes on Nest Sites program, developed in partnership with the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, trained volunteers support monitoring efforts throughout the breeding season.
“At Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, we safeguard some of the last remaining coastal wetland and dune habitats for vulnerable ground-nesting birds like the California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover,” Borde told Bird Rescue. “Each season reminds us that conserving these endangered species means protecting not only their habitat, but the birds themselves. Our commitment to both is essential for their survival and long-term recovery.”
One Rescue, A Broader Impact
The case of this tern patient reflects ongoing collaboration between Bird Rescue and Bolsa Chica, where they play a critical role in identifying and transporting injured or compromised birds from the field into specialized care. Early detection and rapid transport make a meaningful difference in outcomes, especially for sensitive species like the Least Tern.
This work also reflects a shared commitment to species of special concern, where field response and rehabilitation come together to support birds that are already facing multiple pressures across their range.
This patient came into care during Bird Rescue’s 55th anniversary year, which is dedicated to the Elegant Tern as the anniversary bird. As we approach the Long Beach Harbor Seabird Rescue’s fifth anniversary this summer, this Least Tern’s recovery is a reminder that one good tern deserves another.
In a changing world, each case underscores how important it is to protect both wild spaces and the wildlife that depends on them.