Extremely rare for San Diego, the red-billed tropicbirds presented a unique opportunity for SeaWorld San Diego rescue team
Three seabirds that were blown inland by Tropical Storm Hilary were reunited with the ocean Friday for the first time in weeks.
Three red-billed tropicbirds are released back into the wild on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. The birds were rehabilitated by SeaWorld San Diego’s rescue team after being blown inward due to tropical storm Hilary. A red-billed tropicbird prepares to take flight back into the wild on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. The bird is one of three who was rehabilitated by SeaWorld San Diego’s rescue team after being blown inward due to tropical storm Hilary.
That’s one reason SeaWorld made the decision to reopen its bird rescue operations, which had been shut down last year due to an extremely lethal variant of avian influenza known as bird flu, said Peterson. Jeni Smith, supervisor of the SeaWorld San Diego rescue team, releases a red-billed tropicbird back into the wild on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. The bird is one of three who were rescued and rehabilitated after being blown inward due to tropical storm Hilary.