All In a Day's Work - Brown Pelican, Baby Cormorant Rescued on N. Oregon Coast

Published 7/13/24 at 6:35 p.m.
By Andre' GW Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach Connection

(Seaside, Oregon) – Along the Oregon coast, periodically birds need rescuing – and luckily for them up on the north coast there's two facilities to help out with that. Both the Seaside Aquarium and Astoria's Wildlife Center of the North Coast had to help rescue two birds on Friday in way or another. (All photos Seaside Aquarium)

“We were happy to assist in the rescue of a brown pelican and a juvenile cormorant,” said the aquarium.

The injured brown pelican was already known about when aquarium staff got the call, but the baby cormorant was their own discovery on the beach. Talk about two birds with one....well...something.

“The brown pelican had a broken wing and was near the life guard tower when the Wildlife Center of the North Coast called and asked if we could capture the little guy,” the aquarium said.

Manager Keith Chandler said he didn't get to look at it closely as it was already boxed up for travel by the time he saw it. And, he said, he wouldn't have wanted to take a peek from past experiences with them.

Then, during the morning hours, as Seaside Aquarium staff were working on some of their beach equipment out near the tideline, a disoriented and apparently injured baby double-crested cormorant popped up.

“Then this morning while we were working on the beach, we came across a juvenile cormorant in need of some TLC,” the aquarium said. “Both are now safely in the hands of the caring and loving staff of the Wildlife Center of the North Coast. Good luck little guys!”

The interesting aspect of the cormorant is that they knew the little one was in trouble simply because it was on the beach. That's a sign of trouble for them.

“Those birds shouldn't be walking: they should be flying or in the water,” Chandler said. “And if it's flying, you shouldn't try to catch it. If it was walking it means something's really wrong with it.”

In the end, that means the crew had no idea exactly what was wrong with it.

Chandler has had some interesting experiences with brown pelicans in the past. See Pelican Rescue at Ft. Stevens Both Tragic and Comical | Oregon Coast Beach Connection. He wound up in a somewhat comical chase one back in '21.

Brown pelicans are common along the Oregon coast, and often found along beaches and about estuaries. They are large and “ponderous,” according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). They're “easily recognized by its large size, massive bill, and brownish plumage.”

Also in the area: Wild Tales from Oregon Coast Lighthouses: Giant Holes to Killer Storms - Port Orford, Coos Bay, Bandon, Florence and Seaside / Cannon Beach.

They're especially common in spring, summer and fall along the coast: a very energetic bird that is a part of large flocks. Those numbers get even larger when they join up with other species of birds and their flocks hunting for schools of fish just offshore.

As adults, double-crested cormorants have sport deep coppery feathers with black borders, which shimmer with a green iridescence. Their striking appearance includes a rich orange throat atop a gracefully curved neck. During the breeding season, the double-crested cormorant lives up to its name, displaying plumes—ranging from white to black—that adorn either side of its head.

Also in the area: Scientific First for Oregon Coast: New Kind of Sunfish Confirmed at Gearhart - Not a Mola mola but a hoodwinker sunfish.

This species is adaptable and opportunistic, holding the distinction of being the most abundant and widespread among the three cormorant species found in Oregon. These birds can be spotted both inland and along the coast.

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