Oiled Seabirds Rescued After Slick Found Off Santa Barbara Coast

The International Bird Rescue is rescuing and treating several oiled seabirds after an oil slick of about one square mile was discovered off the Santa Barbara Coast, the organization announced on November 6, 2025. 

Sixty-two oiled Western Grebes, long-necked diving water birds, have been receiving critical care since November 3, 2025, Bird Rescue said. After receiving initial care at the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, the birds were transferred to Bird Rescue’s Southern California Wildlife Center in San Pedro.

Field teams said more affected birds are on the way. 

The U.S. Coast Guard, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response are investigating the source of the oil, Bird Rescue said. 

Preliminary information suggests that the slick may be the result of natural seep activity. Crude oil and gas may have leaked and traveled up through the seafloor during storms. Laboratory confirmation is pending, the organization said. 

Oiled birds are first stabilized with heat, nutrition, and fluids before being washed, Bird Rescue said. They are cleaned with warm water and gentle dish soap, which is safe and gentle enough to remove debris. 

Once the birds recover and heal from any secondary injuries, they are released back into the wild, the organization added. 

“An oil seep of this magnitude can harm thousands of birds. This is exactly the kind of situation where immediate, skilled care makes the difference between life and death for these birds. But we cannot do it alone, we urgently need the public’s support,” said International Bird Rescue CEO JD Bergeron.

The organization has urged residents along the Santa Barbara and Ventura County coasts to help with the following information: 

• Western Grebes usually do not come ashore. If the birds are spotted on a beach, they might need immediate help. These birds have long necks, with black on top and white underneath, red eyes, and olive-yellow, pointed bills. If the bird’s feathers are clumped or “dirty-looking,” the bird may have been affected by the slick.
• If there is a bird in distress, residents can call the helpline at 866-SOS-BIRD (866-767-2473) or reach out to a local animal control or wildlife rehabilitation center. 
• As a nonprofit, Bird Rescue depends on donors and volunteers to continue working. Residents can contribute at birdrescue.org/donate-oiled-birds-2025. 

Bird Rescue said it is often asked to respond to seabirds in a crisis even before the cause of the incident is known. 

The organization responded to a similar natural oil slick incident in 2013, where 77 oiled Common Murres were brought into its Los Angeles center. In 2019, Bird Rescue treated over 150 oiled seabirds.

In 2015, the organization spent more than $230,000 to treat over 300 birds affected by a “Mystery Goo” in the San Francisco Bay.