In wildlife rehabilitation, we often run up against the reality of ‘nature, red in tooth and claw’ in our work. We totally get that many wild animals survive by eating other wild animals, and predators need to eat just as much as the animals they prey upon. However, sometimes the prey animal fights its way … Read more
A Redhead isn’t necessarily a type of duck you see very often. It is definitely not a duck you expect to find sitting in the middle of the road. But that is exactly what a Thousand Oaks resident found on their street one morning in February. Luckily, they recognized that the downed duck was in … Read more
A young Brown Pelican wrapped in fishing line. This unlucky bird was lucky – someone found him and cared enough to get him help before it was too late. Our staff veterinarian explains the delicate treatment.
Watch then video of treatment and release After a month in care that included a 4-hour procedure to repair its torn pouch, a healed Brown Pelican was released this week and is back at home in the wild. The adult female pelican was banded with Y54, a special blue-band that helps International Bird Rescue track … Read more
A surge of seabirds beaching themselves along Northern California is overwhelming International Bird Rescue’s wildlife center. This summer over 200 sick Common Murres have been rescued and come into care. The birds – which resemble penguins but are more closely related to puffins – need a tremendous amount of care and Bird Rescue is asking … Read more
A severely injured Western Gull, that was originally entangled and trapped by discarded fishing line and tackle, is back in the wild after heroic surgery and treatment by International Bird Rescue. The Western Gull was spotted May 18, 2020 on the breakwater in Half Moon Bay, ensnared by fishing gear. Luckily, a local kayaker, Bart … Read more
The Long Road to Recovery Late last month we released a young Brown Pelican who came to us in 2019! This bird was found in Half Moon Bay, CA, in December standing around looking dazed on a beach, ignoring dogs running up to him. After his rescue, he was brought to our San Francisco Bay-Delta … Read more
We’re seeing a lot of fulmars in care lately (more about this below). These pelagic birds (often confused with gulls) have some, well, peculiarities—chief among them being their “special” reaction to anything they perceive as a threat, which, unfortunately, includes humans who attempt to help them. How exactly do they protect themselves? By projectile-vomiting a … Read more
After 143 days in care this resilient American White Pelican is back in the wild. This huge bird came into care in September 2019 and it was finally released last week. He was originally found in Santa Rosa, CA with a smelly, infected, open fracture of the wingtip. It was treated at our San Francisco … Read more
A Laysan Albatross that arrived into care at our San Francisco Bay-Delta Wildlife Center is our patient of the month. The bird was originally found at Marina State Beach and transferred to us by our friends at Monterey Bay SPCA. On arrival, the albatross was alarmingly underweight, very anemic, weak, and dehydrated. The intake exam … Read more