Surf Scoter Injured By Oil

The following story about a surf scoter was shared with us by International Bird Rescue in California.

A handsome, adult, male surf scoter arrived at International Bird Rescue’s Los Angeles Wildlife Center from our partners at California Wildlife Center in the middle of March 2021. He was found on the beach in Malibu with 30% of his body covered in oil, causing him to be severely emaciated and anemic. His physical examination also revealed chemical burns caused by the oil, sadly a common occurrence with oiled birds.

After an entire week of providing nutritional support with EmerAid IC Piscivore, he was finally stable enough to go through the stressful washing process. This critical care diet was also indispensable for making sure he stayed healthy and stable after the wash as he began to acclimate to eating on his own and once again living in a pool of water full-time.

Luckily once the bird was living in water, his burns healed quickly and he finally felt well enough to eat on his own.

After nearly a month in care, this beautiful bird was well enough to be released back into the wild.