Mysterious pelican deaths and illnesses may be solved

Brown pelican. Morguefile

The scarcity of normal pelican prey such as sardines and anchovies along with winter storms have taken a toll on West Coast pelicans, according to wildlife officials.

Animal scientists and wildlife officials believe they’ve found the cause of the deaths of hundreds of pelicans and some other sea birds that have been washing up on the shores of Oregon and California this winter: El Nino.

Fish and game officials said the mysterious malady that left hundreds of sick, dying and dead birds stranded on the shores is caused by a combination of bad weather and shortages of fish for them to eat -- both of which are caused by the El Nino effects.

Live-stranded birds are responding quickly to feeding at rehabilitation facilities, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) announced in a press release. The DFG has donated frozen trout to the rehabilitation centers to assist the rehabilitation effort. Unfortunately, the bird sanctuaries "have been overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of birds stranding along the coast," according to the DFG.

The El Nino conclusion came after officials ruled out all other causes including disease, environmental hazards and toxins.

Scientists from the DGF coordinated with the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, Sea World San Diego and the International Bird Rescue Research Center to determine why so many brown pelicans are stranding. “Unfortunately, we are looking primarily at a cyclical event driven largely by weather and oceanographic conditions," said state wildlife veterinarian Melissa Miller. "Food shortage coupled with bad weather have taken a toll on the pelicans.”

Many of the birds have been rescued, but authorities said about one-third of them died after being rescued.

There was also speculation that because the starving pelicans rescued over the last two months were covered with a dirty residue, that runoff from heavy costal rains may have washed away their natural protective waterproofing.

A mass stranding situation occurred last year due to lack of food but it was nothing like the magnitude of this year's.

Paul Kelway, spokesman for the International Bird Rescue Research Center, said "at least one rescued pelican in San Pedro bore a tag that suggested it had survived a decade along the coast before the stranding, suggesting its survival skills were not impaired."

The good news is that as of last week the number of calls to rescue centers sharply dropped, and officials hope the worst is over.