Starving brown pelicans turning up in strange places

KGO

By Leslie Brinkley

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    FAIRFIELD, California (KGO) — Brown Pelicans, which live along the Northern California coast, are being found in alarming numbers and rescued, and the International Bird Rescue in Fairfield says people are bringing in the weakened starving birds every day.

One brown pelican was found starving to death at a Napa County winery over the weekend.

Another two young birds came in last week from Cotati and Daly City. Not the kind of places you’d normally find pelicans.

“They’re being found in streets or trying to enter bars, like really crazy things where they’re desperate hungry birds, not able to hunt for fish the way they normally would. They’re looking for food anywhere they can find it,” said JD Bergeron, the CEO of International Bird Rescue.

It’s the third time this has happened in the last 4 years with the starving anemic birds wandering inland.

Experts surmise warmer water at the surface of the ocean is driving the fish they eat deeper and out of reach.

“A fully adult male brown pelican can dive about six feet, so you can imagine fish 7-8 feet deep. The birds will literally starve. The ones that can dive like cormorants and sea ducks are still eating, they’re not having this problem. So it’s specific to how brown pelicans feed,” Bergeron said.

Around 50 are now recovering at the International Bird Sanctuary in Fairfield—-another 130 in Southern California .

After 4-6 weeks, the birds will be strong enough to be released.

But more are streaming through the door every day.

“When a member of the public can grab a brown pelican, you know that pelican is in really rough shape,” Bergeron said.

The International Bird Rescue is asking everyone in the Bay Area to be on the lookout for pelicans in weird locations.

If you see one, call their helpline at 866-SOS-BIRD.

Unfortunately, they’re expecting to see more.

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