The eye of the storm: Oiled bird care Gulf update

Nearly 80 days into the BP Gulf oil spill, IBRRC’s Executive Director Jay Holcomb has an update from the center of oiled avian treatment in Louisiana: Hello from Fort Jackson! We had a very busy few weeks, treating hundreds of oiled brown pelicans. Mostly adults, but some nestlings too.  It has quieted down enough to … Read more

Video report: Saving one brown pelican at a time

Nice video produced by The Miami Herald to understand the oiled bird washing going on at the Fort Jackson Wildlife Care Center in Louisiana. Narrated by IBRRC’s Jay Holcomb (misidentified as Exec Director for Tri-State Bird Rescue) and Dr. Erica Miller who is staff veterinarian Tri-State. International Bird Rescue and Tri-State are teaming up to … Read more

Staggering Number of Sick Brown Pelicans Flood Bird Rescue Centers

International Bird Rescue admitted a staggering 435 wet and sick California Brown Pelicans since January 1, 2010. The good news is that more than 200 pelicans have been released back into the wild. At our Los Angeles bird center, 101 live pelicans currently are in care. The San Francisco Bay center has approximately 20. Wet, … Read more

Fishing line injury study: Pelicans most affected

A recent study has concluded, not surprising, that pelicans suffer the most fishing line injuries. Over 30% of the animals harmed by fish hooks and entangled fishing line were Brown Pelicans. The report was published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 45(2), 2009, pp. 355–362. The report was authored by Brynie Kaplan Dau including contributors, … Read more

2005 – Coatzacoalcos, Mexico

Ruptured PEMEX oil pipeline soaks wildlife in Gulf of Mexico A stubborn oil spill along the coast near Veracruz, Mexico affected hundreds of birds and animals. A total of 175 birds were captured by joint IBRRC/IFAW Emergency Response (ER) Team. The spill occurred on December 22, 2004. As aviaries were being constructed on the waters … Read more