The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife says it’s investigating reports of sick and dead brown pelicans along the central Oregon coast.
The agency says two pelicans found in Newport tested negative for Avian flu but that test results are pending for other diseases and domoic acid toxicity.
Brown pelicans migrate north along the Oregon coast from southern California in the spring. The ODFW says juvenile birds can become fatigued and stop to rest, appear tired but are not injured.
Domoic acid toxicity caused by harmful algal blooms in southern California have recently caused illness or death in dozens of brown pelicans and other animals, the agency said in a news release.
If people find a sick, resting or dead pelican, the ODFW is asking that it be left alone and especially that dogs be leashed and kept away.
The state has also put an advisory in place for sport harvest of razor clams along the central and southern Oregon coast because of elevated levels of domoic acid.
I’m happy to hear that ODFW is looking into the pelican issue. I found a dead pelican in the tidepools just south of Seal Rock on 4/20 and another on the beach in north Waldport near access 66C on 4/28.