Rescuing Hooked Brown Pelicans
Every year scores of brown pelicans are accidentally hooked by fishermen
who fail to remove the hook and line from the injured bird. When the bird flies
away, the line is frequently entangled in trees and bushes, ensnaring the bird
in a trap from which it can't escape. It eventually dies of starvation. The
Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center offers these guidelines to rescue
hooked pelicans.
- First, reel in the pelican hooked on your line. Be careful not to break
the line. Although the bird will be struggling
and flapping its wings, it weighs only about 6 pounds and can be handled
if done properly.
- Next, grab part or all of the bird's bill. Close it and hold it securely
in one hand. The inside edges of the bill, and
the tip, are sharp, but unless you rub your hand up and down the edge, a
pelican's bite shouldn't hurt you.
- Next, fold the wings into their normal closed position and hold them
there. This quiets the bird and it should stop
struggling enough to be transported to the nearest wildlife rehabilitation
center.
- Transport the injured or hooked bird to the nearest rehabilitation center,
either the Wild Bird Center in Tavernier, or one
of these other locations: Marathon Wild Bird Rescue, MM 47, Marathon. Phone
(305) 743-8382. Wildlife
Rescue of the Florida Keys, Key West. Phone (305)
294-1441. If you're not near a bird rescue center, contact a local veterinary
clinic.