Starving Seabirds Wash Up Along San Diego Coast

Rescue efforts intensify as SeaWorld steps in to aid emaciated cormorants, pelicans, and murres

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:51am

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A bold, abstract painting in muted shades of blue, green, and brown, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex interplay of ocean temperatures and marine ecosystems that is impacting seabird populations.As a persistent marine heat wave disrupts the local food chain, emaciated seabirds struggle to find sustenance along the San Diego coastline.San Diego Today

Beachgoers across San Diego County are encountering an alarming number of dead and struggling seabirds washing up along the coast from La Jolla to Carlsbad. Rescue teams at SeaWorld San Diego have been inundated with calls, taking in over 115 birds, primarily Brandt's cormorants, brown pelicans, and common murres, that appear to be starving due to a persistent marine heat wave pushing fish into deeper, cooler waters and making it harder for the diving birds to find food.

Why it matters

The scale of the seabird die-off is striking, with rescue crews now responding to four to five rescues per day. Scientists link the starvation to unusually warm ocean temperatures creating a marine heat wave, which is disrupting the local marine ecosystem and food chain. The situation highlights the broader impacts of climate change on vulnerable wildlife populations.

The details

Rescue program curator Jeni Smith says SeaWorld's team has been receiving calls 'all day, every day' since mid-February, with the birds often exhibiting lethargy, extreme emaciation, and even neurological symptoms. Inside SeaWorld's rescue center, the birds undergo intensive care, first stabilized with fluids and a specialized 'fish milkshake' feeding formula before gradually transitioning back to solid food. Despite the grim trend, there have been small signs of hope, with five rehabilitated birds recently released back into the ocean.

  • Since mid-February, SeaWorld has seen a surge in rescue calls.
  • Earlier this week, SeaWorld teams released five rehabilitated birds back into the ocean.

The players

Jeni Smith

A rescue program curator at SeaWorld San Diego who has been overseeing the influx of starving seabirds.

SeaWorld San Diego

A marine life theme park and rescue organization that has been at the forefront of responding to the seabird crisis, taking in over 115 birds so far.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

A research institute that has recorded near-record ocean temperatures for months, creating a marine heat wave that is disrupting the local marine ecosystem and food chain.

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What they’re saying

“These cormorants are kind of wandering... they are starving to death.”

— Jeni Smith, Rescue Program Curator, SeaWorld San Diego

“It's definitely hard to see that these animals aren't able to find their food source. They're starving, they are very, very emaciated.”

— Jeni Smith, Rescue Program Curator, SeaWorld San Diego

“When we have success and return the animals and they fly away or swim away, it's a great feeling.”

— Jeni Smith, Rescue Program Curator, SeaWorld San Diego

What’s next

Rescuers are urging the public to keep their distance from any sick or stranded birds and report them to SeaWorld Rescue's trained professionals at 1-800-541-SEAL.

The takeaway

The seabird crisis along the San Diego coast is a stark reminder of the broader impacts of climate change on vulnerable wildlife populations. As marine heat waves disrupt local ecosystems, conservation efforts and public awareness will be crucial to protecting these iconic species.