International Bird Rescue
Description
International Bird Rescue is a nonprofit that rehabilitates injured aquatic birds, most notably seabirds harmed by oil spills.
Founded in 1971 after a major oil spill in San Francisco Bay, it grew out of an effort led by nurse Alice Berkner to organize proper care for oiled birds. It has since responded to more than 300 oil spills and wildlife emergencies on six continents, including the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon disasters, and has treated more than a quarter million birds.
The organization runs wildlife care centers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, plus a spill response center in Alaska, and treats about 4,500 birds a year even outside emergencies. It developed widely used scientific techniques for cleaning and rehabilitating oiled birds, including the use of a specific detergent and controlled washing and drying methods. It is a founding partner of California’s Oiled Wildlife Care Network and of the Global Oiled Wildlife Response System, and it can be activated for emergency oil spill response.
Beyond spill response, its centers care year-round for sick, injured, abused and orphaned aquatic birds, and occasionally other birds such as owls and hawks. It relies on volunteers, who contribute about 31,000 hours a year to the work.
Latest news
Uptick in Starving Common Murres Raises Concern
Common Murres were among the seabird species affected by a California starvation event that occurred earlier this year, and this may be occurring again.
10 Sep 2026
Brown Pelican N33’s Decade of Resilience
Brown Pelican N33 was spotted thriving on July 10, over one year after her most recent rehabilitation and 10 years after she first came into our care. Twice rehabilitated after two major setbacks, N33’s re-sighting has become one of our most important success stories.
28 Aug 2026
Where Are They Now? Helena Echenique
Like many former interns, Helena Echenique’s time at Bird Rescue helped shape a lasting career in animal care. Today, Helena serves as the Ambassador Animal Programs Coordinator at the Oakland Zoo, where she combines her love of animal care and conservation education by working with permanent...
7 Aug 2026
Saving a Generation: The Long Beach Harbor Nesting Seabird Crisis
As International Bird Rescue celebrates 55 years of protecting birds in a changing world, Saving a Generation: The Long Beach Harbor Seabird Nesting Crisis looks back on one of the organization’s defining conservation efforts.
30 Jul 2026
Photographers in Focus: Rick Lewis
Our newest featured photographer is Rick Lewis from Alameda, CA. Several of his Elegant Tern photographs have been featured throughout International Bird Rescue’s 55th anniversary campaign, celebrating the species chosen as our anniversary bird.
10 Jul 2026
A Boy, a Pelican, a Rescue, and a Release
Four weeks after helping save a Brown Pelican entangled in fishing gear, 13-year-old Leo Batres Montoya reunited with and released the healthy bird back to the ocean.
19 Jun 2026
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