International Bird Rescue
Professional services
UnclaimedA nonprofit organization that rescues, rehabilitates, and studies injured aquatic birds, with particular expertise in wildlife affected by oil spills.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
International Bird Rescue is a United States nonprofit organization focused on the rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation of aquatic birds. It is best known for developing practical and scientifically informed methods for treating seabirds exposed to petroleum during oil spills, while also providing year-round care for sick, injured, orphaned, and human-affected birds. The organization was established in California in 1971 after the collision of the Standard Oil tankers Arizona Standard and Oregon Standard near the Golden Gate Bridge caused a major San Francisco Bay oil spill. Thousands of birds were affected, and the limited rehabilitation knowledge available at the time resulted in a low survival rate. The crisis helped motivate Alice Berkner and other volunteers associated with Ecology Action to create a permanent organization dedicated to organized oiled-wildlife response. Originally called the International Bird Rescue Research Center, the group began in a small facility above the Berkeley Humane Society and moved in 1975 to Berkeley's Aquatic Park under a long-term low-cost lease. During its early decades, it combined conservation work with cooperation with government agencies, petroleum companies, veterinary specialists, and other wildlife organizations. Its first oil-spill response contract was signed with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in 1977. This partnership-oriented model allowed the organization to improve treatment methods while preparing for incidents involving large numbers of birds. International Bird Rescue became a leading source of expertise in oiled-seabird rehabilitation during the 1980s and 1990s. Its work contributed to better stabilization, washing, drying, pool therapy, enclosure design, and post-release assessment. It helped establish practices such as delaying washing until a bird is medically stable, using warm-water washing with an appropriate detergent, providing net-bottomed cages to reduce pressure injuries, and monitoring waterproofing before release. The organization also contributed to technical literature, including the 1986 field manual Rehabilitating Oiled Seabirds. Its emergency response work has extended across North America and internationally. Major operations have included the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska, the 2000 Treasure oil spill in South Africa, the 2002 Prestige spill in Spain, the 2007 Cosco Busan spill in San Francisco Bay, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the 2011 Rena spill in New Zealand, the Yellowstone River pipeline spill, and a 2013 bitumen release in Alberta. In the Deepwater Horizon response, International Bird Rescue worked with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research and helped coordinate rehabilitation centers in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Its work was also featured in the documentary Saving Pelican 895. The organization operates two California rehabilitation and education centers: the Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care and Education Center and the San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center. These facilities treat thousands of birds in a typical year and serve as California response facilities when an oil spill occurs. Common patients include brown pelicans, western grebes, common murres, Pacific loons, gulls, herons, coots, ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. The organization can also assist with some terrestrial birds, including raptors, owls, doves, finches, hummingbirds, pigeons, and wild turkeys. International Bird Rescue is a member of California's Oiled Wildlife Care Network, administered through the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine on behalf of the state. Its work combines direct animal care, emergency deployment, training, public education, research, and conservation partnerships. It remains an active nonprofit rather than a commercial consumer brand, and its principal public role is specialist wildlife rehabilitation and disaster response.
History
International Bird Rescue emerged from the response to the January 1971 collision of the Arizona Standard and Oregon Standard near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. The resulting spill contaminated a long stretch of coastline and affected thousands of birds. Volunteers rescued many of them, but only a small number survived to release because organized oiled-bird rehabilitation methods and facilities were still poorly developed. The incident persuaded Alice Berkner and other Ecology Action participants that a permanent, coordinated wildlife-rescue organization was needed. The organization was established in May 1971 as the International Bird Rescue Research Center. Berkner served as its first executive director. It initially operated from a small space above the Berkeley Humane Society, then moved to Berkeley's Aquatic Park in 1975. Its early mission combined seabird conservation with practical experimentation and cooperation with parties involved in petroleum transportation. In 1977 it obtained its first oil-spill response contract, with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. During the 1970s and 1980s, the organization developed and disseminated methods for stabilizing, washing, drying, housing, and releasing oiled aquatic birds. By the middle of the 1980s it was recognized as a major source of professional expertise. It promoted practices including medical stabilization before washing, warm-water pool therapy, specialized cage floors to reduce pressure injuries, and systematic observation of feather waterproofing. It also co-published technical guidance, including a 1986 field manual on oiled-seabird rehabilitation. Jay Holcomb became executive director in 1986 and led the organization through a period of expanding international work. The 1989 Exxon Valdez spill marked a major test of the organization's methods. International Bird Rescue spent approximately six months managing several rehabilitation centers and field collection programs in Prince William Sound. The scale of the disaster helped demonstrate the importance of field stabilization, transport logistics, veterinary triage, and coordinated wildlife response. Subsequent changes in United States oil-spill law, especially the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, increased expectations that spill contingency plans would address wildlife impacts. California legislation and state programs later contributed to the creation of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, in which International Bird Rescue participates. International operations expanded in the following decades. After the 2000 Treasure spill near Cape Town, the organization worked with the International Fund for Animal Welfare and SANCCOB to assist with the rehabilitation of more than 20,000 oiled African penguins. It later responded to the Prestige spill in Spain, the Erika spill in France, and other incidents in Europe, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. In 2007 it assisted with the Cosco Busan spill in San Francisco Bay. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster brought the organization especially broad public attention. International Bird Rescue partnered with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research to co-manage oiled-bird rehabilitation centers in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Government figures cited in the reference material recorded more than 8,000 oiled birds collected alive or dead and 1,246 released. The response was later portrayed in Saving Pelican 895, an HBO documentary about the rehabilitation of an individual brown pelican. International Bird Rescue subsequently responded to the 2011 Rena spill in New Zealand, the Yellowstone River pipeline spill, and a 2013 bitumen release in Alberta. Alongside emergency deployments, the organization developed a year-round California care network. Its Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care and Education Center and San Francisco Bay Oiled Wildlife Care and Education Center provide treatment for aquatic birds affected by disease, trauma, fishing gear, pollution, habitat loss, and other human activity. The facilities also serve as prepared response bases for California oil spills. The organization treats species ranging from pelicans, grebes, murres, loons, gulls, herons, ducks, and geese to selected non-aquatic birds. Holcomb died in 2014 after a career that earned multiple conservation and wildlife-rehabilitation honors. Barbara Callahan, a senior employee and global response specialist, served as interim executive director. JD Bergeron became executive director in 2015, and the board later used the title chief executive director. International Bird Rescue continues as a nonprofit organization centered on wildlife medicine, emergency response, research, professional training, and public conservation education.
- 2015
JD Bergeron appointed executive director
[1]JD Bergeron took over executive leadership; the role was later retitled chief executive director.
- 2014
Leadership transition after Jay Holcomb's death
[1]Holcomb died, and Barbara Callahan became interim executive director.
- 2010
Deepwater Horizon response
[1]The organization co-managed bird rehabilitation centers in four Gulf Coast states after the Deepwater Horizon blowout.
- 2000
Treasure spill penguin response
[1]International Bird Rescue helped rehabilitate tens of thousands of oiled African penguins in South Africa.
- 1989
Exxon Valdez response
[1]The organization managed multiple rehabilitation and field-collection operations after the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.
- 1986
Technical leadership expands
[1]Jay Holcomb became executive director, while the organization continued developing and publishing professional oiled-seabird rehabilitation methods.
- 1977
First oil-spill response contract
[1]International Bird Rescue signed its first oil-spill response contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
- 1975
Moves to Berkeley's Aquatic Park
[1]The young organization moved from temporary quarters above the Berkeley Humane Society to a facility at Aquatic Park.
- 1971
Organization founded after the San Francisco Bay oil spill
[1]Alice Berkner and Ecology Action members established the International Bird Rescue Research Center after the Arizona Standard and Oregon Standard collision exposed the need for organized oiled-bird care.
Products and positioning
A specialist nonprofit authority in aquatic-bird rehabilitation and oiled-wildlife emergency response, combining veterinary care, field operations, research, training, and conservation partnerships.
Emergency conservation service · 1977
Oiled wildlife response
International Bird Rescue deploys personnel and equipment to oil spills, where teams collect affected birds, provide triage and stabilization, wash and dry animals once medically appropriate, monitor recovery, and assess candidates for release. The service is delivered through coordination with public agencies, industry, veterinary organizations, and other wildlife-rescue groups.
Wildlife veterinary care · 1971
Aquatic bird rehabilitation
The organization provides year-round care for injured, ill, orphaned, and polluted aquatic birds at California facilities. Patients commonly include pelicans, grebes, murres, loons, gulls, herons, ducks, geese, and coots. Treatment can address trauma, fishing-line entanglement, plastic pollution, habitat-related injury, and other human-caused conditions.
Training and public education
Wildlife response training and education
International Bird Rescue shares practical knowledge through technical publications, professional training, public education, and partnerships. Its educational work covers aquatic-bird biology, oil-spill preparedness, stabilization, washing, enclosure design, veterinary care, and conservation practices.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Deepwater Horizon bird rehabilitation response
United States
International Bird Rescue and Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research co-managed rehabilitation centers in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida after the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.
Outcome. Government figures cited more than 8,000 oiled birds collected alive or dead and 1,246 birds released.
- 2000Treasure spill African penguin response
South Africa
Working with IFAW and SANCCOB, the organization supported a large rehabilitation effort for African penguins affected by the Treasure spill near Cape Town.
Outcome. More than 20,000 oiled penguins were washed and rehabilitated, and more than 90 percent of captured oiled birds were released.
- 1989Exxon Valdez wildlife response
United States
International Bird Rescue managed three bird-care centers and two search-and-collection programs for approximately six months after the Exxon Valdez spill in Prince William Sound.
Outcome. The operation advanced the use of field stabilization and organized transport in large-scale oiled-wildlife rehabilitation.
Brand decisions
2010
Expands multi-state disaster coordinationStrategyBackground
The Deepwater Horizon disaster required large-scale coordination among government agencies, industry, and wildlife organizations across the Gulf Coast.
Action taken
International Bird Rescue partnered with Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research to co-manage rehabilitation centers in four states.
Aftermath
The response became one of the organization's most visible operations and was later featured in a documentary.
1977
Formalizes industrial oil-spill response partnershipsStrategyBackground
The organization sought to improve wildlife protection by preparing for petroleum incidents and cooperating with companies responsible for transporting or handling oil.
Action taken
It signed its first oil-spill response contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
Aftermath
The partnership model helped establish International Bird Rescue as a professional emergency-response organization while it continued its nonprofit conservation mission.
Sources2 sources
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