Fledgling Pelicans Need a Second Chance

Large numbers of fledgling California Brown Pelicans are flocking to International Bird Rescue. In the last few days we have received over 75 young, weak, and starving pelicans between our Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Centers. These birds are landing in schoolyards, at restaurants and on highways – sometimes even following people – in … Read more

High winds causing Cormorant strandings?

A notable spike in patients has local marine bird rescuers puzzled. In the last two days, International Bird Rescue Research Center in Northern California has received 13 stranded marine birds, mosty Brandt’s cormorants. Eleven more of the snake-necked birds are expected to arrive from San Jose, CA this afternoon. Another oddity is that many were … Read more

California Brown Pelicans in distress: Event update

^Brown Pelican feet suffering from frostbite (IBRRC photo) From Jay Holcomb, IBRRC’s exceutive director: I would like to provide you with an overview of what we know about the recent California Brown Pelican event that began in mid-December 2008 and slowed down in the last week or so. I wish we were able to point … Read more

Another wake up call: Global warming and birds

If you’ve been on the fence regarding global warming, here’s a sobering Audubon California report that should move you to some sort of action. The study released Tuesday finds that California will lose significant numbers of its native birds as the continuing shifts in climate change quickly shrinks the range and habitat of more than … Read more

State moves Pelican off Endangered Species List

On February 5, 2009, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to remove the Brown Pelican from the list species considered to be endangered by the State of California. This marks the first endangered species that has ever been deemed by the state to have recovered. The delisting and acknowledgement of success with this … Read more

Media steps up reports on Brown Pelican crisis

More news reports are coming out, some with humourous images (right) about the current brown pelican crisis in California. Currently there are 75 pelicans in care at IBRRC’s two bird centers: PELICANS suffering from a mysterious malady are crashing into cars and boats, wandering along roadways and turning up dead by the hundreds across the … Read more

“Drill, baby, drill” mantra to have its way off coast?

The Bush administration is reviving a 1980s plan to open Northern California coastal waters to offshore oil drilling, according to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle. >>>>>>>>>> See: Map of California coast >>>>> Read: Drillers eye oil reserves off California coast Both of the nation’s coasts have been protected from any more offshore oil … Read more

In wake of SF oil spill: Legislators get busy

The hue and cry over the Cosco Busan oil spill response in San Francisco Bay is finally making itself heard in the California legislature. A least seven new bills have been introduced to force improvements on everything from the state’s oil spill response to volunteer training. The spill dumped almost 54,000 gallons of bunker crude … Read more