Sick seabird with oiled feathers found on California beach — then rescuers stepped in
A sick seabird with what appeared to be oiled feathers was rescued in Northern California, officials said.
The common murre was found at Drakes Beach, according to a Jan. 4 post by Point Reyes National Seashore, which is part of the National Park Service.
“While somewhat alert, the murre did not flee from people,” officials said, explaining that the oiled feathers made the bird vulnerable to hypothermia.
“Oil can stick to feathers making them no longer waterproof,” officials said.
Also, “birds may try to remove the oil by preening and accidentally ingest the oil, sometimes resulting in organ failure or death,” according to officials.
Visitors and park rangers did the right thing and altered a Point Reyes wildlife biologist, who captured the bird and got it to International Bird Rescue, officials said.
Veterinary staff at the rescue “are optimistic that the murre will recover,” officials said.
Only staff from the National Park Service are allowed to touch or rescue wildlife at Point Reyes, officials said, pointing to the possibility of catching or passing diseases and hurting the animals.
Drakes Beach is about a 60-mile drive northwest from San Francisco.
This story was originally published January 8, 2025 at 9:12 AM with the headline "Sick seabird with oiled feathers found on California beach — then rescuers stepped in."
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