Ten more healthy Common Murres returned home this week. The seabirds were among hundreds of beached murres that have been rescued along the Northern California coast. They were released on October 23rd at Fort Baker in Sausalito, CA.
The hungry, exhausted murres – a diving seabird that looks a lot like a penguin – seem to be affected by the changing marine environment. Ocean water temperatures have risen along California and scientists believe that warmer currents associated with El Niño weather pattern may be to blame. As fish head for cooler water, the foraging birds may find a meal harder to reach.
Since July 1st a total of 468 murres have been delivered to our clinic. In October alone we’ve received 100+ new patients. Usually this time of the year we receive about 10 of this species each month. See earlier post
Bird Rescue has received seabirds from Monterey to Mendocino. The center which is located in Fairfield has deep above ground pelagic pools to allow the murres to swim, eat and gain their strength back.
Similar strandings with murres and other pelagic seabirds have been reported from Oregon to Alaska.
You can support the care of these seabirds by adopting: http://bird-rescue.org/adopt-murre
Media reports
10 birds return to San Francisco Bay after month-long rehab: ABC7-TV
Bird Rescue Center Releases Rehabilitated Seabirds: Getty Images
Biologists work to save massive number of sick sea birds: KTVU 2-TV
Along the Pacific Coast, a seabird is starving — and we don’t know why: PRI Radio