Desperate Pelicans: A Struggle for Survival in a Changing Environment

A young brown pelican made an exhausting journey of over 500 miles along California’s coast before landing near Mendocino on May 10. This fledgling was found alone, tired, and hungry, and is now being cared for by International Bird Rescue.

This spring, the organization has noticed an unusual increase in emaciated young pelicans. It’s the third time in four years that we’ve seen such starvation events among these birds. While experts are still trying to pinpoint the cause, they agree that climate change is likely a significant factor.

“Everything’s getting weirder,” says Corinne Gibble, a marine bird specialist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Observations of harmful algal blooms and unpredictable weather patterns seem to support that idea. These environmental changes complicate the feeding habits of pelicans, especially the young ones still learning how to forage.

Bring up the past, and in 2012, a serious starvation event occurred after a productive breeding season. A similar trend is emerging now, with experts wondering if sick parents, affected by toxic algae, may be leaving their young to fend for themselves too early. Rebecca Duerr from International Bird Rescue explains, “These young birds didn’t know how to eat yet. If mom doesn’t come back, they have to leave the nest.”

In 2022, around 800 pelicans needed rehabilitation due to similar issues. This year, the numbers are lower, with only 250 ailing pelicans reported thus far. Rescue centers saw adults suffering from toxic algae blooms before the young birds started showing up, mostly within the last few weeks.

In recent months, scientists have been analyzing various factors. For instance, the harmful algal blooms are expected to worsen with climate change. The blooms can produce toxins that affect marine life, including fish that pelicans depend on for food. As fish populations shift deeper, pelicans may struggle more than ever.

Gibble notes that this year’s early breeding season was particularly successful, but that translates into more challenges for the fledglings. Past events highlight the ongoing struggle of this California subspecies, which was once nearly extinct due to the pesticide DDT in the 1960s. They were listed as endangered until 2009 but are now facing a new threat: warming seas and their impact on fish availability.

JD Bergeron, CEO of International Bird Rescue, emphasizes the urgency of the situation. “We’re really on the frontline of climate change here,” he says. The caring staff and volunteers are dedicated to helping these injured birds regain their strength and return to the wild.

The pelicans that are rehabilitated typically live for about six years in the wild, but young birds may face tougher odds. The fledgling that arrived in Mendocino has already transitioned from an indoor space to outdoors and is starting to adjust to its new surroundings. It’s a hopeful sign, but the future for these birds remains uncertain as environmental conditions evolve.

For more on the impact of climate change on marine life, you can read a detailed report from NOAA.

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