225+ Wildlife Emergency Responses since 1971
Since 1971, our International Bird Rescue (“Bird Rescue”) team of highly-trained specialists has led wildlife rescue efforts in over 225 oil spills in 11 states, two U.S. territories, and 12 different countries. See below a list of most of the major oil spill responses to which Bird Rescue has lent its expertise.
Major Wildlife Responses
| Date | Spill Name | Location | Birds Treated | Mortality | Released | Release Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | ||||||
| January 2018 | Shuyak Island Bunker C Spill | Alaska | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2018 | Ventura Oil Seep Incident | Ventura, CA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2016 | Istra Ace Spill | Southern CA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| January 2015 | Mystery Goo Response | Alameda, CA | 423 | NA | NA | NA |
| Oct. 2011-Feb. 2012 | Rena 2 | Tauranga, New Zealand | 420 | 45 | NA | NA |
| July - Nov. 2011 | Yellowstone River Pipeline Break 1 | Billings, Montana | Data NA | NA | NA | NA |
| April-Sept. 2010 | BP Deepwater Horizon 2 | Louisiana | NA | NA | 375 | 89% |
| 2000s | ||||||
| 2009 | Dubai Star | San Francisco Bay | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2008 | Patagonia Mystery 2 | Argentina | 500 | NA | NA | NA |
| November 2007 | Cosco Busan | San Francisco, CA | 1,084 | 1,858 | 421 | 40% |
| 2006 | Estonia | Tallinn, Estonia | 156 | NA | 61 | 39% |
| January 2006 | Westin Spill | CA | 38 | 9 | 29 | 77% |
| Feb. 2005 | Ventura Mystery #2 | Ventura, CA | 76 | 1 | 19 | 25% |
| Jan. 2005 | Ventura Mystery #1 | Ventura. CA | 1,202 | 310 | 243 | 20% |
| Dec. 2004 | Selendang Ayu | Unalaska Island, Alaska | 23 | 13 | 10 | 43% |
| Oct. 2004 | Dalco Passage | Puget Sound, WA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| April 2004 | Kinder Morgan Pipeline Spill | Fairfield, CA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Jan. 2004 | Rocknes Spill | Bergen, Norway | 131 | 50 | 81 | 62% |
| January 2003 | Mystery Spill | Huntington Beach, CA | 9 | 0 | 9 | 100% |
| Dec. 2002 | Monterey Mystery Spill | Monterey to Bodega Bay | 538 | 260 | 89 | 32% |
| Dec. 2002-Jan. 2003 | Prestige Spill 2 | Pontevedra, Spain | 1,550 | NA | NA | NA |
| Nov. 2002-Feb. 2003 | Luckenbach Spill 2 | San Francisco, CA | 131 | 50 | 81 | 62% |
| Sept. 2002 | Auburn Spill | Auburn, CA | 35 | 3 | 32 | 91% |
| June 2002 | Livermore Diesel Spill | Livermore, CA | 11 | 2 | 9 | 85% |
| Jan. 2002 | Placentia Creek Spill | Placentia, CA | 6 | 4 | 2 | 20% |
| Nov. 2001 | Central Coast Mystery Spill | Santa Barbara, CA | 9 | 7 | 2 | 20% |
| Nov. 2001 | Mystery Spill | St. Peter Ording, Germany | Data NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Nov. 2001-July 2002 | Luckenbach Spill 1 | Monterey to Bodega Bay | 828 | 535 | 293 | 36% |
| Aug. 2001 | Windy Bay Spill | Valdez, AK | 2 | 0 | 2 | 100% |
| Jan.-April 2001 | Malibu Mystery Spill | Santa Barbara- Long Beach, CA | Data NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Jan. 2001 | Jessica 2 | Galapagos Is., Ecuador | 21 | 0 | 21 | 100% |
| Jan. 2001 | Equilon | Long Beach, CA | 12 | 1 | 11 | 92% |
| Nov. 2000 | Arco Refinery | Los Angeles, CA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Oct. 2000- 2006 | Trona #3 | Trona, CA | 303 | 73 | 230 | 76% |
| Sept. 2000 | Trona #2 | Trona, CA | 11 | 6 | 5 | 45% |
| Aug. 2000 | Argentina Mystery | Argentina | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| June-Sept. 2000 | Treasure 2 | Cape Town, South Africa | 20,251 | 1,957 | 18,200 | 90% |
| June 2000 | Trona #1 | Trona, CA | 18 | 11 | 7 | 39% |
| March 2000 | Hunter's Point | San Francisco, CA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| March 2000 | Berkeley Mystery | Berkeley, CA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| March 2000 | Malibu Mystery | Malibu, CA | 3 | 2 | 1 | 33% |
| Feb. 2000 | Canola Oil | Vancouver, BC Canada | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Jan. 2000 | Erika 2 | Brittany, France | Data NA | Data NA | 1,945 | Data NA |
| 1990s | ||||||
| Nov.-Dec. 1999 | Four Bayou | Grande Isle, LA | 15 | 0 | 15 | 100% |
| Oct. 1999 | Stockdale/Oildale | Bakersfield, CA | 21 | 16 | 5 | 24% |
| Oct. 1999 | Ballona Creek | Los Angeles, CA | 5 | 0 | 5 | 100% |
| Sept. 1999 | Stuyvesant | Humboldt Bay, CA | 690 | 409 | 281 | 41% |
| July 1999 | Davis Golf Course Motor Oil | Davis, CA | 11 | 0 | 11 | 100% |
| June 1999 | Calloway Canal | Bakersfield, CA | 11 | 8 | 3 | 30% |
| Feb.-March 1999 | New Carissa | Coos Bay & Waldport, Oregon | 175 | 43 | 132 | 74% |
| Jan.-Feb. 1999 | Golden West | Huntington Beach, CA | 35 | 14 | 21 | 60% |
| Jan.-Feb. 1999 | College Park | Huntington Beach, CA | 15 | 3 | 12 | 80% |
| Jan. 1999 | Delphi Heating Oil | Astoria, Oregon | 12 | 11 | 1 | 8% |
| Dec. 1998 | El Segundo Refinery | El Segundo, CA | 23 | 7 | 16 | 70% |
| Dec. 1998 | Winterburg Channel | Huntington Beach, CA | 50 | 24 | 26 | 56% |
| Nov. 1998 | Pallas 2 | Fohr & Amrum Island, Germany | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Sept.-Oct. 1998 | SPM Hose Spill | Oahu, HI | 33 | 14 | 19 | 55% |
| Sept.-Nov. 1998 | Command | San Mateo Coast, CA | 76 | 46 | 29 | 38% |
| July 1998 | Lake Union | Seattle, WA | 5 | 1 | 4 | 80% |
| June 1998 | Vaya Con Dios | Pacifica, CA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Feb.-March 1998 | Santa Barbara Mystery | Santa Barbara, CA | 39 | 28 | 11 | 23% |
| Dec. 1997-March 1998 | Pt. Reyes Mystery #2 | Pt. Reyes, CA | 635 | 345 | 290 | 46% |
| Jan. 1998 | Carson | Carson, CA | 153 | 6 | 147 | 96% |
| Nov.-Dec. 1997 | Pt. Reyes Mystery #1 | Pt. Reyes, CA | 303 | 196 | 79 | 27% |
| Nov. 1997 | Kure | Eureka, CA | 484 | 177 | 195 | 40% |
| Oct.-Nov. 1997 | Fish/Vegetable Oil | Santa Cruz, CA | 505 | 250 | 255 | 50% |
| Sept.-Oct. 1997 | Torch Oil | Lompoc, CA | 53 | 33 | 18 | 34% |
| July 1997 | Penitencia Creek | Milpitas, CA | 7 | 1 | 6 | 86% |
| Jan.-Feb. 1997 | Nakhodka 2 | Japan | 136 | 49 | 87 | 58% |
| Jan.-Feb. 1997 | Bollona Creek | Long Beach, CA | 160 | 50 | 110 | 63% |
| Nov. 1996- Jan. 1997 | Cordigliera 2 | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | 1,200 | NA | NA | NA |
| Oct.-Nov. 1996 | Cape Mohican | San Francisco, CA | 58 | 22 | 36 | 63% |
| July-Aug. 1996 | Cerritos Channel | Long Beach, CA | 35 | 9 | 26 | 74% |
| April 1996 | Brea Oil 2 | Brea, CA | 8 | 0 | 8 | 100% |
| March 1996 | Evergreen Oil | Newark, CA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50% |
| Feb.-March 1996 | Pribilof Island | Pribilof Islands, Alaska | 165 | 35 | 130 | 78% |
| Sept.-Dec. 1995 | Back Bay | Newport Beach, CA | 9 | 7 | 3 | 30% |
| Sept. 1995 | Dyer 2 | Cape Town, South Africa | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| July-Sept. 1995 | BHP 2 | Tasmania, Australia | 2,124 | 110 | 2,014 | 95% |
| Feb. 1995 | Metrolink | Long Beach, CA | 96 | NA | NA | NA |
| Jan 1995 | Chevron | Venice, CA | 24 | 1 | 23 | 96% |
| Jan. 1995 | McDonnell Douglas | Long Beach, CA | 141 | 9 | 5 | 36% |
| July-Sept. 1994 | Apollo Sea 2 | Cape Town, South Africa | 9,672 | 4,633 | 5,003 | 52% |
| June 1994 | Tidelands | Dominguez Channel, Long Beach, CA | 15 | 0 | 15 | 100% |
| Jan. 1994 | Four Corners | Valencia, CA | 321 | 1 | 23 | 96% |
| June 1994 | Tidelands | Dominguez Channel, Long Beach, CA | 15 | 0 | 15 | 100% |
| Jan.1994 | Bush | Oxnard, CA | 46 | 30 | 16 | 34% |
| Jan. 1993 | Prado Basin | Riverside, CA | 201 | 10 | 10 | 50% |
| Oct. 1992 | Green Hill Petroleum | Timbalier Bay, LA | 101 | 0 | 10 | 100% |
| Aug. 1992 | Unocal | Avila Beach, CA | 42 | 26 | 15 | 38% |
| Jan. 1992 | Chevron | Alcatraz Island, CA | 3 | 1 | 2 | 67% |
| Dec. 1991 | US Navy | San Diego Harbor, CA | 26 | 6 | 20 | 77% |
| Nov. 1991 | Source Unknown | Crescent City, CA | 5 | 3 | 2 | 40% |
| Oct. 1991 | La Esperanza | Long Beach, CA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Sept. 1991 | Source Unknown 2 | Punto Tumbo, Argentina | Approx. 400 | NA | Approx. 150 | Data Incomplete |
| July 1991 | Tenyo Maru | Washington Coast, WA | 700 | 550 | 150 | 21% |
| June 1991 | Alphius | Long Beach, CA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 100% |
| May 1991 | Unocal | Los Angeles, CA | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% |
| Feb. 1991 | Santa Clara River 1 | Valencia, CA | 1661 | 41 | 123 | 72% |
| Feb. 1991 | Texaco | Annacortes, WA | 87 | 49 | 38 | 44% |
| Jan. 1991 | Sammy Superstar | Long Beach, CA | 56 | 24 | 32 | 57% |
| Dec. 1990 | Source Unknown | San Mateo Coast, CA | 195 | 154 | 41 | 21% |
| June 1990 | Western Transport | San Mateo, CA | 67 | 37 | 28 | 52% |
| Feb. 1990 | Source Unknown | San Mateo, CA | 173 | 111 | 53 | 36% |
| Feb. 1990 | American Trader | Huntington Beach, CA | 565 | 226 | 310 | 60% |
| 1980s | ||||||
| March 1989 | Exxon Valdez | Alaska | 1,604 | 803 | 801 | 50% |
| Dec. 1988 | Nestucca | Gray's Harbor, WA | 3,048 | 2,099 | 959 | 31% |
| Sept. 1988 | Mobil | Los Angeles River, CA | 64 | 23 | 41 | 61% |
| April 1988 | Shell/Martinez | Martinez, CA | 414 | 117 | 297 | 72% |
| Feb. 1986 | Apex Houston | San Francisco, CA | 2,512 | 1,405 | 1,107 | 44% |
| Dec. 1985 | Arco Anchorage | Port Angeles, WA | 1,562 | 1,243 | 281 | 18% |
| Oct. 1984 | Puerto Rican | Marin County, CA | 624 | 309 | 315 | 50% |
| April 1984 | S/S MobilOil | Columbia River, OR | 458 | 174 | 284 | 62% |
| Feb. 1981 | Source Unknown | Myrtle Beach, SC | 252 | 72 | 180 | 71% |
| May 1980 | Marathon | Platte River, WY | 289 | 198 | 91 | 32% |
| 1970s | ||||||
| May 1979 | Source Unknown | Concord, CA | 82 | 14 | 68 | 83% |
| March 1978 | Source Unknown | Concord, CA | 100 | 29 | 71 | 71% |
| March 1978 | Steuart Transportation | Chesapeake Bay, VA | 400 | 260 | 140 | 35% |
| Dec. 1977 | Source Unknown | Martinez, CA | 44 | 3 | 41 | 93% |
| Feb. 1977 | Bethlehem Ship Yard | San Francisco, CA | 330 | 288 | 42 | 13% |
| April 1976 | Colgate | Aquatic Park, Berkeley, CA | 50 | 22 | 25 | 56% |
| Jan. 1976 | Matson Lines | Crockett, CA | 140 | 35 | 105 | 75% |
| Sept. 1975 | Source Unknown | San Mateo Coast, CA | 635 | 476 | 159 | 25% |
| February 1974 | Source Unknown | San Francisco, CA | 77 | 36 | 41 | 53% |
| December 1973 | Source Unknown | San Francisco, CA | 100 | 75 | 25 | 25% |
| January 1973 | Source Unknown | Oakland Estuary, CA | 308 | 165 | 143 | 46% |
| January 1971 | Standard Oil Tanker Collision | San Francisco, CA | 7,000 | 6,700 | 300 | 4.50% |
1) Mammals, reptiles or amphibians were also treated by International Bird Rescue at this spill.
2) International Bird Rescue was not the lead organization on this spill, but assisted other organizations or state and federal agencies in the management of the rehabilitation program.
3) This figure represents birds picked up alive and dead.