Duck Die-Off in the Ballona Wetlands

International Bird Rescue (Bird Rescue) is responding to a possible botulism incident on the Ballona Creek in Los Angeles, CA that has already resulted in the death of over 60 Mallard Ducks. 19 live Ducks and an American Coot (and two pelicans that were not a part of the incident – one tangled in fishing line, and … Read more

Duck Doing Well After Treatment for a Belly Full of Lead

A male mallard is in recovery this week after the successful removal of BB pellets from his stomach by International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) staff. The drake arrived in late January at IBRRC’s Southern California center, and was not able to stand or walk. He was very dehydrated, had poor blood values, and was … Read more

Two ducks recovering after “plastic surgery”

This spring, IBRRC’s San Pedro facility took into care two female mallards with head injuries sustained during breeding. Mallards are known for their aggressive mating practices, during which females can become injured or even drown. Both mallards had extensive trauma to the scalp, with few to no remaining feathers. The skin had become jerky-like and … Read more