A natural oil seep off the Santa Barbara coast has coated more than 100 seabirds in oil, leaving them in a life-threatening state, according to the nonprofit International Bird Rescue.
As of Friday, International Bird Rescue had received 109 birds at its Los Angeles center. Most of the birds were found around Ventura Harbor, with more found in Santa Barbara County and one found in Malibu.
The seabirds have been found tucked between boats, in the marina and on rocks.
IBR began receiving numerous reports on Monday of the Western grebes, a long-necked diving bird, coated in oil from a square-mile oil slick apparently caused by a natural underground oil seep.
The U.S. Coast Guard, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response are investigating the source of the oil spill. However, it is suspected to have been natural seep activity.
“We are actually quite concerned that five days in, the survival of the birds that have not already come into care is going to diminish rapidly, and, in fact, carcasses are being found now,” said JD Bergeron, CEO of International Bird Rescue.
The nonprofit Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network is working closely with IRB in stabilizing the bird and even sometimes driving the birds to Los Angeles.
As of Friday, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network had three Western grebes in its care, having seen 52 pass through the center so far, according to Executive Director Ariana Katovich.
Once in the Goleta center, staff and volunteers work to warm up the birds, provide hydration, ensure regular nutritional tubing and remove oil from feet to avoid chemical burns. Additionally, they check the birds’ bills for oil in feathers or eyes.
The Western grebes are usually waterbirds and rarely hang out on land, so seeing them on the sand can be a tell-tale sign that something is wrong, according to McKenna Kratt, seabird and raptor lead at the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network.
An oil-coated bird gets cleaned up at International Bird Rescue’s center in Los Angeles. Credit: International Bird Rescue photo
When the birds are drenched in oil, Bergeron compares the feeling to wearing a wetsuit with a tiny hole, letting in all of the cold water.
Birds then begin putting their energy into staying warm and do not feed as much as they should or they beach themselves, according to Bergeron.
He suspects the spill might have hit a large group of Western grebes all at once because of their known behavior to spend time in groups.
Once in the care of International Bird Rescue, staff ensure the birds are at a healthy body temperature and have enough nutrients before getting baths with soap and high pressure hoses to get the oil off.
However, the baths have to be done carefully because birds could die from distress associated with the process.
As of Thursday, the nonprofit organization reported that it had washed 40 birds.
“These are wild animals. We’re like monsters to them, and yet, if we do it right and efficiently, it’s their only chance of survival,” Bergeron said.
IBR is pleading for the public’s help to help it find more distressed birds.
To report a bird in distress, call the IBR Bird Helpline at 866.767.2473, contact local animal control, or call the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network at 805.681.1080.
Additionally, IBR is seeking monetary donations to cover the costs associated with saving the lives of dozens of birds.
Usually, oil spills come with a fund to help cover the costs of the consequences, but Bergeron said that because the seep has not been officially declared as one, International Bird Rescue is left paying for it all. Click here to donate.