Two people kneeling on a wooden dock feeding two seabirds in a calm harbor

Back Where They Belong

The final rescued Western Grebes return to the wild

  • by Eunah Preston

After months of specialized care and rehabilitation, the final Western Grebes from this spring’s Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) response in Southern California have been released back into the wild.

In February, the OWCN was activated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (CDFW-OSPR) following reports of oiled birds along the Southern California coast. When activated, OWCN fills leadership and staff roles throughout the Wildlife Branch alongside CDFW-OSPR staff. At this time, there is still no known anthropogenic (human-caused) spill associated with these birds.

Trained OWCN responders mobilized to locate and recover affected wildlife, giving these birds the best possible chance at survival. Rescued Western Grebes received expert care to remove oil contamination, restore waterproofing and support their recovery journey.

Person in yellow coat and blue mask handling a penguin wrapped in cloth on an exam table
Trained OWCN Responder Cynthia Dunbar from International Bird Rescue holding an oiled Western Grebe collected from Ventura Harbor as it's being prepped for wash(Credit: Ariana Gastelum/International Bird Rescue)

Following field operations, continued rehabilitation efforts were led by OWCN member organization International Bird Rescue at the Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care & Education Center.

On April 21, the final Western Grebes from this response were successfully released.

Two long-necked black-and-white grebes with yellow bills swimming side by side on gray water.
Washed and healthy Western Grebes released back into a clean environment (Credit: Ariana Gastelum/International Bird Rescue)

Every successful release reflects the expertise and constant readiness of the Network’s trained responders. Special thanks to OWCN member organizations International Bird Rescue, Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, and Wildlife Innovations for jumping into action to work together on behalf of California’s wildlife.