UPDATE – September 26, 2026
Since this story was first published, the number of Common Murres arriving at International Bird Rescue has nearly doubled. We have now received 125 Common Murres into our care, many of them severely emaciated and in need of supportive care.
CBS News recently visited our San Francisco Bay-Delta Wildlife Center to learn more about the influx of starving murres and the changing ocean conditions that may be contributing to this troubling situation. Read the CBS News story: Dying sea birds washing ashore in Bay Area due to effects of warming ocean.
Our wildlife care team continues to provide these birds with the specialized care they need as we work to give them a second chance in the wild.
Read more below to learn more about what these birds are experiencing, how our team is responding, and how you can help support Common Murres.
September 10, 2026
International Bird Rescue recently has seen an uptick in Common Murres arriving in critical condition. Since August 15, we have received 68 murres from the greater Bay Area including 53 from Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties. 57 of these are adult murres that have been arriving severely emaciated, with most showing signs of worn, broken, excessively weathered feathers.
Common Murres were among the seabird species affected by a California starvation event that occurred earlier this year, and this may be occurring again. KSBW Action News 8 recently reported on the concerning increase in murres along the central coast. [Read the full story]
Changing ocean conditions can influence where fish gather and how available they are to seabirds, making it more difficult for them to find enough food to survive. This time of year, Bird Rescue normally receives large numbers of orphaned chicks with a few adults. However, this year, more adults than chicks are coming into care.
All birds have an annual schedule of replacement for their feathers. Seabirds rely on their feather coat for buoyancy, staying warm in ocean water, and the ability to swim and fly. If their feathers are not able to be replaced on time, they can have problems surviving.
“It is hard to molt when food is scarce,” said Dr. Rebecca Duerr, Senior Director of Research and Veterinary Science. “Not having the energy to grow new feathers is kind of like not having enough money to buy a new wetsuit and having to use a ratty old one with lots of holes in a cold ocean. The longer the food scarcity persists, the more their feathers become bleached and worn until they can’t stay waterproof anymore.”
Staff and volunteers are providing specialized supportive care to help these birds regain their strength. Many of them are also being treated for a red blood cell parasite called Babesia uriae. They will remain in care until fit to return to the wild. To see some of these patients, tune in to Bird Rescue’s live BirdCam.
In late 2015, Common Murres experienced the largest known die-off of a single bird species. A 2024 study revealed that approximately 4 million murres, roughly half of Alaska’s murre population, perished from starvation due to a massive two-year marine heatwave known as “the blob.” Bird Rescue’s San Francisco Bay-Delta center received more than 500 stranded murres that fall.
Common Murres typically do not come to land unless they need help. Warning signs to watch for include a bird in an unusual location, allowing people to approach closely, isolating from other birds, or entangled in fishing gear.
If you find a bird that appears to be in distress, contact your local animal control or Bird Rescue’s Bird HelpLine at 866-SOS-BIRD (866-767-2473) for guidance. If you find a dead bird, report your sighting to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Mortality Reporting page.
As challenges increase for birds in a changing world, Bird Rescue is committed to giving wild seabirds a second chance at life. You can support Bird Rescue in providing murres the care they need to ensure their successful return to the wild by making a donation or symbolically adopting a murre.