Rain Eases but Storm-Battered Pelicans Still Pouring into California Bird Centers

The Los Angeles Center in San Pedro has now received over 60 pelicans from the storms.

Pelicans rest after being beaten up by severe storms in Southern California. (IBRRC photo)

(LOS ANGELES) - The weekend brought Southern California its first break from relentless storms, but bird rescue experts at the International Bird Rescue Research Center are fighting to save over 100 cold, wet California Brown Pelicans, as more hypothermic birds keep coming.

Staff and volunteers from International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) have been working around the clock since Monday in an effort to save cold, weak and starving brown pelicans, unable to stay dry in this week’s severe storms.

Pelicans have been collected from many parts of the California coast and are now being divided between IBRRC’s Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Centers to avoid overcrowding.

While waterproof feathers usually allow pelicans to float and stay insulated from weather changes, the current massive runoff from 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 in a critical condition,” says IBRRC Director Jay Holcomb, “and since the storms kept coming, one after another, the wet birds did not have time to dry off and feed, and are becoming weak and hypothermic.”

The Los Angeles Center in San Pedro has now received over 60 pelicans from the storms. Another 45, found between Sonoma County and Santa Barbara, have been sent to IBRRC’s San Francisco Bay facility in Fairfield. While the rain has stopped for now, more birds are expected over the coming days.

The center is asking for donations to help support the care of these animals.

To help save these pelicans please go to ibrrc.org.