11/06/2025
🌊 Get to know your seabirds! Each winter we tend to see an increase in seabirds brought to PWC oiled, injured, or weak, especially during storms and strong surf. While it's normal to spot certain birds on the beach, some species live primarily on the water and only come ashore when something’s wrong. You can help by learning to recognize which seabirds are meant to be on land and which aren’t.
Think of the ✅ birds as surfers 🏄: they spend time in the water and on land! These birds have the ability to take flight from land and are often seen on beaches, piers, and docks. They only need rescuing if they appear injured or sick. Common birds in this category include pelicans, cormorants, gulls, and shorebirds.
Think of the ⚠️ birds more like submarines: they need to be in water to get around effectively. These birds spend their lives in water and most cannot take flight from land. Their legs are set far back on their body, which makes them excellent swimmers but awkward on land. These birds beach themselves when they are sick, injured, or oiled; although they can “walk” short distances on land to try to escape predators, this is tiring for the bird. Common birds in this category are grebes, loons, scoters, and murres.
If you see one of these ⚠️ seabirds on land, do not put the bird back in the water, as this will exhaust them further. The bird’s BEST chance of survival is to get an exam at a wildlife rehabilitation center ASAP – if you’re in SLO County, give our hotline a call 805-543-WILD! As with all wildlife, please keep a respectful distance and pets away. If the bird is oiled, DO NOT try to wash contaminants off – our trained staff have all the tools and skills to maximize the animal’s chance of success.
Thank you for looking out for wildlife in need! 🩵
