‘A big indicator’: Dead seabirds found along California beaches raise environmental concerns
May 6, 2026
BEAR. JUST A LITTLE SNOOZE FEST THERE AS THEY GOT HIM OUT. WILDLIFE OFFICIALS SAY WARMER OCEAN TEMPERATURES ALONG CALIFORNIA COAST ARE HARMING SOME WILDLIFE. ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL BIRD RESCUE, AN ABNORMALLY HIGH NUMBER OF DEAD SEA BIRDS ARE POPPING UP ON BEACHES. KCRA 3’S ANAHITA JAFARY SHARES HOW PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO HELP THE INTERNATIONAL BIRD RESCUE HERE IN FAIRFIELD IS HOME TO 20 BROWN PELICANS LIKE THESE. FOR NOW, AS THEY WORK TO REGAIN THEIR STRENGTH, THE LOS ANGELES CENTER HAS HAD EVEN MORE. 76 PELICANS RESCUED SINCE MARCH 1ST. OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, HUNDREDS OF INJURED OR DEAD SEA BIRDS HAVE BEEN FOUND ON BEACHES ACROSS THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. THE CAUSE AFFECTING THE BIRDS, STARVATION AND INJURIES. MANY OF THESE BIRDS ARE BROWN PELICANS, A FEDERALLY PROTECTED SPECIES. THAT’S WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL BIRD RESCUE COMES IN, HELPING TAKE CARE OF THEM WHILE THEY RECOVER. A VETERINARIAN RESEARCH DIRECTOR AT THE RESCUE CENTER SAYS SOMETHING UNEXPLAINED IS HAPPENING IN THE OCEAN. SHE SAYS SINCE BIRDS RELY ON DIVING TO DIFFERENT DEPTHS IN THE OCEAN AND EATING CERTAIN FISH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THEIR ABILITY TO EAT. IT’S THE CONDITION OF THE WILD ANIMALS IN THE WORLD IS A BIG INDICATOR FOR WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE ENVIRONMENT. SO WHAT THIS TELLS US IN CALIFORNIA IS THAT THERE’S SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAPPENING IN THE OCEAN, IN PARTICULAR. EVERYONE’S PROBABLY HEARD THAT THE WATER IS UNUSUALLY WARM OUT THERE, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM. AND IF YOU SEE A BIRD THAT APPEARS TO BE SICK OR HURT, CALL THE BIRD HELPLINE. WE’LL HAVE THAT NUMBER ON KCRA.COM. IN FAIRFIELD, I’M ANAHITA JAFARY KCRA THREE NEWS. EXPERTS ON THE SPECIES ADD THAT THE BROWN PELICANS ALSO HAD A BAD BREEDING YEAR, WITH MOST OF THE NESTS BEING ABANDONED. THEY THINK IT’S OV
‘A big indicator’: Dead seabirds found along California beaches raise environmental concerns
A surge in dead and injured seabirds, including brown pelicans, along California’s coast is prompting rescue efforts and concerns about unusual ocean conditions.
Updated: 5:27 PM PDT May 6, 2026
An unusually high number of dead and injured seabirds, including federally protected brown pelicans, are being discovered along California beaches from San Diego to Northern California, according to the International Bird Rescue. The International Bird Rescue in Fairfield is currently caring for 20 brown pelicans as they work to regain their strength. “The condition of the wild animals in the world is a big indicator for what’s going on in the environment,” said Rebecca Duerr of the International Bird Rescue. While experts have not determined the exact cause, hundreds of starving or injured seabirds have been found along the California coast. “So what this tells us in California is that there’s something unusual happening in the ocean, in particular,” Duerr said. “Everyone’s probably heard that the water is unusually warm out there and that seems to be a big part of the problem.” The rescue center is helping the birds recover. “Each species of bird has a different depth that they dive to. They have different species of fish that they normally eat or invertebrates or whatever they normally eat and the environmental conditions that they experience can drive what they’re able to find to eat,” Duerr said. The Los Angeles rescue center has seen even more cases, with 76 pelicans rescued since March 1. “I’d say a third of the ones that we’re receiving are what I’d call simply starving, which is to say they’re just down and out and have nothing particularly wrong with them,” Duerr said. “And then the other two-thirds have terrible injuries and so we’ve been dealing with lots of fishing gear injuries, lots of broken bones, that sort of thing.” Experts also noted that brown pelicans had a poor breeding year, with most nests abandoned due to a presumed lack of food. Many pelicans were also observed flying north two months earlier than usual this year.If you see a bird that appears injured call the Northern California Bird HelpLine at (707) 456-4528See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
An unusually high number of dead and injured seabirds, including federally protected brown pelicans, are being discovered along California beaches from San Diego to Northern California, according to the International Bird Rescue.
The International Bird Rescue in Fairfield is currently caring for 20 brown pelicans as they work to regain their strength.
“The condition of the wild animals in the world is a big indicator for what’s going on in the environment,” said Rebecca Duerr of the International Bird Rescue.
While experts have not determined the exact cause, hundreds of starving or injured seabirds have been found along the California coast.
“So what this tells us in California is that there’s something unusual happening in the ocean, in particular,” Duerr said. “Everyone’s probably heard that the water is unusually warm out there and that seems to be a big part of the problem.”
The rescue center is helping the birds recover.
“Each species of bird has a different depth that they dive to. They have different species of fish that they normally eat or invertebrates or whatever they normally eat and the environmental conditions that they experience can drive what they’re able to find to eat,” Duerr said.
The Los Angeles rescue center has seen even more cases, with 76 pelicans rescued since March 1.
“I’d say a third of the ones that we’re receiving are what I’d call simply starving, which is to say they’re just down and out and have nothing particularly wrong with them,” Duerr said. “And then the other two-thirds have terrible injuries and so we’ve been dealing with lots of fishing gear injuries, lots of broken bones, that sort of thing.”
Experts also noted that brown pelicans had a poor breeding year, with most nests abandoned due to a presumed lack of food. Many pelicans were also observed flying north two months earlier than usual this year.
If you see a bird that appears injured call the Northern California Bird HelpLine at (707) 456-4528
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
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