Photos by Cheryl Reynolds Great Blue Herons are among the most majestic of aquatic birds, with their S-curved necks in flight, graceful stature and lightning-quick reflexes as they hunt for prey at water’s edge. Though this species has been protected by federal law for nearly a century, our wildlife teams regularly care for herons injured … Read more
Photos by Kylie Clatterbuck A common sight in our Los Angeles wildlife clinic: Here is the latest Brown Pelican to come to us with a fishing gear injury, this one affecting the bird’s left leg and foot. Fishing gear in the environment is one of several issues addressed in Judy Irving’s new documentary Pelican … Read more
Photos by Kelly Berry This Brown Pelican was brought to our Los Angeles center on August 18 from the Long Beach area, where it was found wrapped in a large amount of fishing tackle. Rehabilitation technician Kelly Berry reports that one lure had four fishing hooks of various sizes, two treble hooks and a long … Read more
Dear Friends, If you work in this business, you learn to live with a lot of heartache. For every case ending in an awe-inspiring release, there’s an animal whose injuries were just too much to bear. Some stories are a mix of both. Our Los Angeles center team recently received this adult Elegant Tern and … Read more
Terns upon intake, photo by Kelly Berry A number of loyal readers have asked us for an update on the Elegant Tern found hooked by fishing lure to one of the bird’s chicks. (Read more on this case at Care2.com and the Daily Breeze.) Both birds continue to be in the care of our Los … Read more
Update July 8, 2014 from our vet: “Wounds are healing well but both parent and chick still have guarded prognosis for full return to function. Chick has elbow and leg problems, parent has wing problem.” We will continue to update you when we know more. Thanks for your concern. –IBR Staff As we posted earlier … Read more
Photos by Kelly Berry Update July 8, 2014 from our vet: “Wounds are healing well but both parent and chick still have guarded prognosis for full return to function. Chick has elbow and leg problems, parent has wing problem.” We will continue to update you when we know more. Thanks for your concern. –IBR Staff … Read more
Photo by Bill Steinkamp Often we receive birds with inexplicable injuries. This is one such case. Animal control officers recently transported a Brown Pelican with an injured foot to our Los Angeles center. Our veterinarian, Dr. Rebecca Duerr, found and removed two sharp, wood objects that had impeded the bird’s ability to bear weight on … Read more
L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino releases Pink. Photos and video by Bill Steinkamp and Kira Perov (volume adjustment on lower right of video control panel) Pink, a California Brown Pelican and now arguably one of the most famous patients in International Bird Rescue history, was successfully released on Tuesday afternoon at White Point Park in … Read more
Photos by Bill Steinkamp Good news! “Pink,” a California Brown Pelican who made national headlines after being found with a near-severed throat pouch caused by an unknown assailant, has made a truly remarkable recovery at International Bird Rescue’s Los Angeles center and is scheduled for a June 3 release. Here’s the scheduled release information for … Read more