Storm Battered Brown Pelicans Admitted to Hospital

January 23, 2010: The relentless storms and torrential rains in California are impacting pelicans and the number of wet, cold and often hypothermic birds arriving at our centers is growing rapidly.

International Bird Rescue Research Centers rehabilitation clinics in San Pedro near Los Angeles Harbor and Fairfield, near San Francisco Bay, are currently taking in many wet and cold brown pelicans. Our Los Angeles center has rescued 40 birds in the past 48 hours and more are being captured. Our Fairfield center in California has also received approximately 40 birds, and that number is also growing. We expect to have about 100 wet and cold brown pelicans.

Like all water birds, pelicans have waterproof feathers that allow them to float and stay insulated from weather changes. Waterproof feathers also allow them to fly and plunge feed for fish. Brown pelicans tend to feed and congregate near harbors and river mouths where nutrients from the runoff attract fish and other creatures. Pelicans can easily become dirty from pollution in these areas and can lose their waterproofing. The current massive runoff from the storms has brought even more grease, car oil sheen, fish oils and other forms of surface pollution into the coastal areas where these birds feed. Many brown pelicans have been found soaking wet and hypothermic. Since the storms keep coming, one after another, the wet birds do not have time to dry off and feed and succumb to hypothermia.

The silver lining in this scenario is that the majority of these birds respond very well to being washed and rehabilitated.

--- Jay Holcomb, Executive Director, IBRRC

These birds need to be washed. About half were washed on January 24. Birds also received medication, as needed. Some had injuries. To see a Brown Pelican get a bath, click here: http://www.youtube.com/user/MyWildlifeVideos#p/u/12/4pdXQlCtw8o

Each pelican will eat $500 - $1,000 worth of fish during his rehabilitation. Donations of any size will really help! Thank you!

http://www.ibrrc.org/

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• IBRRC
• California
• Brown
• Pelican
• hospital
• nature
• wildlife
• rehabilitation
• bird
• crisis
• pelikaan
• pélican
• pellicano
• πελεκάνος
• ペリカン
• пеликан

[NameOnRice]

There were two pelicans going into the shops at venice beach yesterday. check out my video

[MyWildlifeVideos]

People should not touch or feed wildlife. The only food a Brown Pelican should eat is fish he's caught himself. The peli in this video was becoming habituated to people, which could be a disaster for him. For his own health and safety, it's essential that he remain wild and not dependent on humans. People have caught and broken the wings of these gentle birds. :(

[anmoose]

It's always a stark reminder to see the dedication and effort that goes into these rescues. With the horrendous weather conditions this winter, we can hide indoors and turn the thermostats up. Our wildlife can't...

[MyWildlifeVideos]

The two women in this video are awesome rehabilitators! They are calm, efficient, gentle, and respectful of the birds they work with. I was glad to have the opportunity to film them. We were all tired by that time, but I didn't drop the camera, thank goodness.

[MrTabby5000]

@MyWildlifeVideos

More pelicans will have to be cleaned from the spill.