A tree damaged by the wind in a park in Marina del Rey, California, posed a significant risk of collapse, forcing the evacuation of bird eggs and chicks. Forty-seven eggs and 12 chicks of the double-crested cormorant species were relocated to the International Bird Rescue’s Los Angeles wildlife center. The center’s staff has worked tirelessly to care for these birds with the goal of releasing them back into the wild in the coming months.

Double-crested cormorants commonly reside in southern California and are known to nest in large groups, often occupying a single tree. During the rescue, each nest and chick was carefully removed, with eggs and hatchlings placed in egg cartons and boxes equipped with heated blankets for incubation. At the rescue facility, the chicks are fed every hour, and staff members wear black suits and use decoys to minimize human interaction, to prevent the birds from developing unhealthy attachments to humans.

The chicks are expected to remain at the center for at least three months before being released back into the wild. Some of the chicks are already two weeks old and eating whole fish under the attentive care of the rescue team, who focus on providing the birds with the knowledge and skills necessary for survival in their natural environment.

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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/25/birds-rescued-california