International Bird Rescue

Soaring Style: Wear What Matters - International Bird Rescue Each week of March, Bird Rescue will spotlight a featured collection of merch created to celebrate the beauty, resilience, and spirit of birds.

This March, celebrate bird-inspired merch that supports rescue and recovery! Each week we’ll spotlight a new collection.

This week’s theme: Adventure Ready! Gear up for your next outing with practical, stylish favorites made for days outside.
www.birdrescue.org/soaring-styl...

Thirty years after the 1996 Pribilof Islands spill, the response remains a powerful example of coordinated care in action.

One King Eider rescued and banded during the spill was later identified 23 years after rehabilitation, powerful proof that expert care creates lasting impact.

As we celebrate our 55th anniversary bird, the Elegant Tern, we’re spotlighting a resilient Royal Tern on the road to recovery.

Found cold and unable to fly in Playa Del Rey, this bird underwent wing surgery and is rebuilding strength through rehab and physical therapy.

After a few days of intensive care, they were transferred to another rehabber, where they’ll be raised and eventually returned to the wild.

Found an orphaned bird? Call our Bird Helpline at 866-SOS-BIRD (866-767-2473) for guidance!

📹 Kadi Erickson

Hummingbirds aren’t typical patients for us, but baby bird season arrived early.

This pair of Allen’s Hummingbird hatchlings showed up in a box on our doorstep, and we moved quickly to care for them.

Their beaks are so so small that drops from Q-tips kept them hydrated!

Why the Elegant Tern Is Our 55th Anniversary Bird - International Bird Rescue As we mark 55 years of taking action for birds in a changing world, we are proud to name the Elegant Tern as our anniversary bird.

As we mark 55 years of taking action for birds in a changing world, we are proud to name the Elegant Tern as our anniversary bird!

Dive deeper into why this species was chosen and what makes them so remarkable here:
www.birdrescue.org/why-the-eleg...

Celebrating One Rehabber’s Global Journey in Conservation - International Bird Rescue Jennifer Martines, Senior Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician for International Bird Rescue, has always carried a big dream: to travel the world and help wildlife wherever she is needed. Most recently,...

Jennifer Martines, Senior Wildlife Rehab Tech at IBR, has always carried a big dream: to travel the world and help wildlife wherever she is needed.

In January, that dream carried her to South Korea.

Read to learn about her experience, in her words: www.birdrescue.org/celebrating-...

Our 2025 Annual Report shares a year of overlapping crises—from raising orphaned chicks to treating starving pelicans.

See how our team, volunteers, and YOU made this lifesaving work possible.

Read the report: www.birdrescue.org/wp-content/u...

Want to turn your passion for wildlife into hands-on impact?

Bird Rescue’s San Francisco Bay-Delta Wildlife Center is seeking Wildlife Rehabilitation Interns to support the care of injured, orphaned, and oiled wildlife!

Learn more and apply: birdrescue.org/internships

Last chance to give a Valentine’s gift that lasts longer than candy or flowers. Adopt a bird by today to make sure your custom adoption certificate and personalized Valentine’s card arrive before February 14.

Adopt today: www.birdrescue.org/adopt/

She was there in 1971 and she's still here today!

Susan "Mac" McCarthy reflects on the spill that started International Bird Rescue. Click here to read the full account: www.outsidelands.org/1971_oil_spi...

Born in Crisis: The 1971 Oil Spill that Gave Rise to International Bird Rescue - International Bird Rescue There was no established system for oiled bird rehabilitation. No shared protocols. No coordinated response. People were simply moved to take action. That instinct to act became the foundation of Inte...

On January 18, 1971, two oil tankers collided near the Golden Gate Bridge spilling 800,000+ gallons of crude oil.

That moment sparked International Bird Rescue.

As we mark 55 years, we’re reflecting on why preparedness still matters for birds.
www.birdrescue.org/born-in-cris...

Our work is growing, and so is our team! 🙌

We’re hiring dedicated people to help care for wildlife and prepare for the moments they need us most.

Learn more and apply on our website: www.birdrescue.org/get-involved...

#WorldWetlandsDay 2026 celebrates wetlands as both life-giving ecosystems and cultural landscapes.

At International Bird Rescue, protecting birds also means honoring the wetlands and traditional knowledge that sustain wildlife, culture, and communities across generations.

Leaving work on Friday like a Surf Scoter on release day!

#Friday #flyday #TGIF

YouTube video by International Bird Rescue Saving a Brown Pelican With a Severed Pouch

How does a Brown Pelican found with a severe pouch injury in Marina del Rey go from the brink of survival to flying free in just 25 days? Watch her remarkable rescue, recovery, and return to the wild.
youtu.be/lGRyNBo1FnQ?...

Whether you’re lovebirds, or just love birds, celebrate Valentine’s Day with a symbolic bird adoption!
Complete your adoption by February 7 at 4:30 p.m. PST to ensure your certificate and message arrive by February 14.
Visit our website to get started: birdrescue.org/adopt

Part II: Investigating Brown Pelican N51’s Reluctance to Fly - International Bird Rescue Although N51 was eating great and continuing to normalize the skin at his former wounds, it quickly became obvious that he had zero interest in flying.

Why wouldn’t this pelican fly, even after healing? Dr. Rebecca Duerr walks us through Brown Pelican N51’s mysterious setback, the tests that followed—including an MRI—and how this story ultimately took flight. www.birdrescue.org/part-ii-inve...

This American White Pelican was found in Napa County with fishing hooks painfully entangled in its wing and bill. After surgery & 81 days of care, this bird was able to return to the wild. A reminder that human-made hazards have an impact, and that rescue and expert care can provide a second chance.

Part I: The Saga of Blue-Banded Brown Pelican N51 - International Bird Rescue Not many birds get a third chance at life, but N51, a twice-rehabilitated California Brown Pelican, is living proof of resilience in the face of repeated challenges.

Not many birds get a third chance at life, but N51, a twice-rehabilitated Brown Pelican, is living proof of resilience in the face of repeated challenges.
In the part one of two, IBR's Dr. Rebecca Duerr, shares details about N51's severe injuries.
Part 1: www.birdrescue.org/part-i-the-s...

All-Black Heron Found in Louisiana Highlights How Oiling Can Go Unnoticed - International Bird Rescue A large, all-black heron spotted in Slidell, LA, sparked major debate in the birding community on social media this past week, with many assuming the bird had a rare genetic condition called melanism....

A large, all-black heron, dubbed the “goth heron," spotted in Louisiana sparked debate online, with many assuming it was a rare, melanistic bird. In reality, it was a Great Blue Heron coated in oil.

Learn about recognizing the subtle signs of contaminated wildlife www.birdrescue.org/all-black-he...

This Brown Pelican is a fighter!

After arriving last month with a severely severed pouch, her final sutures were removed. Today, she’s flying joyfully in the large aviary, eating well, and has regained 37% of her body weight.

Her scars are a testament to her journey, but her spirit is unstoppable.

She wasn’t rare, flashy, or widely adored, but in 2025, a Western Gull made history as International Bird Rescue’s first-ever gull named Patient of the Year.

Sometimes, one individual’s journey is enough to change how we see them all. Read more:
www.birdrescue.org/an-unexpecte...

#NationalBirdDay

Following recent storms, we've seen a sudden influx of oiled birds at both California centers. Testing is underway to identify the oil source, but more birds may soon be affected. If you visit the beach, please report oiled birds to 866-SOS-BIRD or your local animal control/wildlife rehabilitator.

YouTube video by International Bird Rescue Second Chances in a Changing World

As 2025 comes to a close, we want to share a glimpse into the heart of our work.

Today these birds are thriving thanks to people who chose to act—people like YOU!

In a rapidly changing world, more birds need our help. Together, we can keep giving them hope.

Happy New Year from birdrescue.org!

YouTube video by International Bird Rescue A Look Back at a Diving Duck Duo

One of this year’s sweeter highlights came from an unlikely pairing: a Bufflehead and a Ruddy Duck who became rehab roommates during their time in care.

Two very different circumstances brought them to us, but both were given a second chance at life together.
youtu.be/YCR0NaJU7yo

What are the odds?!

Two former patients from the same 2024 crisis, treated in CA 400 miles apart, and spotted healthy and thriving together in Newport, OR.

This has to be one of the year’s most incredible sightings (thanks to Roy Lowe) and a reminder of how far recovery can carry them!

An 18-year-old Black-footed Albatross arrived in our care after hitching a ride from Hawaiʻi to Fort Bragg!

A federal leg band placed in 2007 revealed its age and history, an invaluable tool that helps guide our care as this it regains strength before returning to the open ocean.

📷: Kelly Beffa

Such a pleasure to meet Paula & Bridgette Powers, founders of Twinnies Pelican & Seabird Rescue. Traveling from Australia, they finally saw a CA Brown Pelican in person!

Congrats on winning Clip of the Year on @jimmykimmel.com, and heartfelt applause for their dedication to helping birds in need.

So hard to choose just one!