Pelicans in Trouble
Pelicans in Netarts Bay Jan. 11, 2010 Photo Courtesy Bob Reed
Brown Pelicans should not be in Oregon right now. But they remain on the coast by the hundreds, months after they should have migrated south.
Their late departure is threatening their lives. They’re acting strangely. Biologist are getting reports of wild pelicans begging for food, showing not a lick of fear of humans. What would you do if a bird approaches you? Read below to see why biologists say the best thing is not to feed them.
Some people are finding dead pelicans washed up on the beach.
US Fish & WIldlife biologist Roy Lowe wrote me today saying he’s never seen anything like this in the 25 years he’s worked on Oregon’s coast and he believes this is a record number of pelicans to stay so late. Update: As of March 1, 2010, 17 pelicans were still at Yaquina Bay, the first time pelicans have ever been recorded on the Oregon coast in March.
They should be in southern California and Mexico for winter breeding season. But this is the third year in a row large numbers of pelicans have stayed well past normal in Oregon. A year ago large flocks got caught in a two week ice and snow storm on the coast. Some drowned while many suffered frost bite and hypothermia. (Watch for a story on this on Oregon Field Guide coming up in March.)
Brown Pelicans are no longer endangered but they are federally protected. The biologists want people who see any ailing birds to follow this advice, which I’ll copy straight in from their press release:
Pelicans at Netarts Bay December, 2009 Photo Courtesy Bob Reed
If you come upon a Brown Pelican that is still alive but appears to be
starving here is what to do:
* If the bird is in the area of the coast from Astoria to Yachats
please call the Wildlife Center of the North Coast at (503) 338-3954.
Visit their Web site at www.coastwildlife.org/Home.html
* If the bird is in the area of the coast from Florence south to Gold
Beach please call Free Flight Bird Rehabilitation at (541) 347-3882.
Visit their Web site is www.freeflightwildlife.org
* If you find a dead Brown Pelican please leave it where you found
it. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act it is illegal to possess any
part of a migratory bird, dead or alive. If you find a dead pelican
please contact the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team at
(206) 221-6893 or visit their Web site at:
http://depts.washington.edu/coasst/
* Finally, please DO NOT feed these birds. This will only lead to
further habituation of these birds to handouts from humans. It is
important that these birds continue on their migratory route.
