In California, brown pelicans are facing alarming levels of starvation, prompting significant rescue efforts. The International Bird Rescue treated over 400 injured pelicans in 2024, with nearly 200 more this year already. CEO JD Bergeron expressed his concerns about the frequency of these incidents, noting that the organization receives daily reports of starving pelicans, marking a serious ecological warning.
Since early March, 183 pelicans have been admitted to rehabilitation centers in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife highlighted that in spring 2022, nearly 800 stranded pelicans were reported, half of which could later return to the wild. Many pelicans have been observed engaging in dangerous behaviors due to hunger, such as venturing inland searching for food, resulting in vehicular accidents.
The underlying cause of these starvation events remains unclear, but Bergeron speculates that climate change is affecting fish behavior, pushing them deeper into the ocean, beyond the reach of the pelicans’ hunting capabilities. While the pelicans dive from heights of up to 100 feet, their buoyancy limits their depth to about six feet.
Wildlife organizations have also noted other seabirds suffering from toxins like domoic acid due to algal blooms in Southern California. Although Northern California hasn’t reported such issues this year, malnourished pelicans often require extensive care for 3-6 weeks. The species, once endangered due to pesticide exposure, remains protected, but Bergeron warns that without vigilant conservation efforts, the population may face a severe mortality crisis.
