In early November, a pelican in Iowa found herself in a very sticky situation. Perhaps hoping for a quick break from patrolling the Des Moines River for food, she sat down in debris piled up under a pedestrian bridge.
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation
Unfortunately, the pelican’s lower half got stuck in the sludge of the debris pile. Despite flapping her wings and wiggling back and forth, she could not get out on her own.
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation
Luckily, Des Moines residents crossing the bridge noticed the bird in distress and called Iowa Bird Rehabilitation (IBR).
“Throughout the day, we received several calls,” Jenni Boonjakuakul, founder and director of IBR, told The Dodo. “We always ask for photos to confirm we’re talking about the same bird.”
Sure enough, concerned locals sent in many pictures of the same pelican, caught in the gunk.
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation
Though Boonjakuakul hasn’t seen birds caught in debris like this before, it’s not entirely surprising to her.
“When river levels drop this time of year, we often see these ‘log and trash jams’ form,” she said. “They can definitely become hazards for wildlife.”
IBR reached out to its experienced volunteers for help — specifically to Rickie, who asked that we not use her last name. She has extensive kayaking experience.
“I’ve been kayaking recreationally for about 10 years,” Rickie told The Dodo. “Since volunteering, I purchased a hardshell kayak to not risk any punctures from debris or birds.”
In the past two years, Rickie has rescued geese, ducks and swans, but this was the first call about a pelican. When she got the call around 4:30 p.m., she rushed to the bridge to meet another IBR volunteer.
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation
“We didn’t know if she could fly, so I didn’t want to approach too quickly and scare her,” Rickie said. “I also didn’t want to approach too [slowly] and miss my chance. She was just out of reach of my net when she started to try and get away, and at that point, it became very clear how bad of shape she was in.”
Rickie expertly netted the panicked pelican and pulled her safely into the kayak.
“It took me a few minutes after getting her into my kayak to get her positioned safely,” Rickie said. “I was able to secure her in the shell of my kayak, and I put my legs over top of her to keep her from moving around too much.”
As they paddled back to shore, against the current, the bird gave in to exhaustion.
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation
“Birds rescued from situations like this are usually completely worn out by the time we get to them,” Boonjakuakal said. She estimated the pelican had been stuck since the previous night or early that morning.
At IBR’s clinic, the veterinary team discovered both of the bird’s legs were fractured. Scared and tired, the pelican didn’t have an appetite. Boonjakuakal said they hand-fed her to make sure she got nutrients.
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation
They also set her up with splints, a wheelchair and a new name: Shrimp.
After two tough days at IBR, Shrimp’s condition improved dramatically.
“She relaxed, began trusting us and then started picking up fish from her dish all by herself,” Boonjakuakal said. “That’s always a big moment for us, when a bird finally feels safe enough to eat.”
Staff have also seen Shrimp’s personality come to life.
“She’s sweet and calm, but not afraid to snap if you get too close,” Boonjakuakal said. “Her brown eyes are bright and curious; she watches us closely as we clean or bring fresh water.”
Iowa Bird Rehabilitation
Though Shrimp isn’t out of the woods yet, Boonjakuakal is hopeful the feisty bird will be able to walk again once her legs have healed.
“We don’t mind the feistiness,” Boonjakuakal said. “Staying a bit wild is a good thing. It tells us she’s feeling stronger, and that’s exactly what we want.”
If you’d like to support Iowa Bird Rehabilitation, you can donate to their efforts via their website. 
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