Houston, we have lift-off: four recovered juvenile Pigeon Guillemots took flight off a high cliff into the ocean at Wall Beach in the Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County on August 6, 2025.
These birds were found contaminated with oil from natural seep off the coast of Santa Barbara on July 6. After a few days of stabilization at the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, they were transferred to International Bird Rescue for ongoing veterinary care.
Each patient underwent a wash to remove the oil from their feathers and continued their recovery in an outdoor pool, where they restored their waterproofing, healed from burns caused by the oil, and regained their strength. After 28 days in care, they were ready for a second chance in the wild.
Set Up for Success in the Wild
For young birds like these, the right release location is key to survival. Being returned to an area where other Pigeon Guillemots are present gives them the chance to join their peers on the next great journey: migration.
With this in mind, Kylie Clatterbuck, Center Manager for Bird Rescue’s Los Angeles Wildlife Center, reached out to affiliates at Point Blue Conservation Science, who have been monitoring numerous waterbird species at Vandenberg, a site recognized for its commitment to environmental stewardship and wildlife protection.
“We are thankful for our community of wildlife professionals who are able to work together for a common goal: to serve and protect wild birds,” Kylie said. “These collaborations not only benefit the individual, but the species as a whole.”
Nesting in colonies on coastal cliffs, guillemot chicks prepare for life at sea by instinctually leaping from the nest before they can even fly. So when these rehabilitated birds were released at Vandenberg, they dove in confidently, joining their flock, and beginning life in the wild.