This young Double-crested Cormorant is undoubtedly the Bird Rescue patient with the best Halloween scream. Instead of candy, he’s actually hoping to get a big delicious fish to eat, and he won’t stop screaming until he gets one. Caring for these baby birds gets our team in the Halloween spirit as they have to dress up in cormorant costumes and use puppets to feed them in order to prevent the young birds from getting habituated.
The award for Spookiest Halloween Gaze goes to the Western Grebe! What could be a creepier sight than two bright red eyes staring at you out of the darkness? Western Grebes typically start to show up in care in increasing numbers during October as they migrate south for the winter. Some of them crash land during their migratory journey, others run into natural oil seep and become contaminated. No matter the situation, Bird Rescue is here to care for them and get them back on their way.
The bill of the adult male Surf Scoterlooks as though it was inspired by candy corn! The bright yellow, orange, and white combined with the dark black plumage gives these diving ducks the perfect Halloween aesthetic. These birds are common patients during the fall and winter months as they travel along the coasts from their breeding grounds in Alaska and Canada.