International Bird Rescue

Helping birds for over 40 years.

On a fog shrouded morning in February 1971, two oil tankers collided near the Golden Gate Bridge off San Francisco resulting in a spill that stained 50 miles of coastline with thick bunker crude. It killed thousands of birds and moved people to action. It was the genesis of International Bird Rescue 40 years ago.

	1971 Founder Alice Berkner volunteers to help treat birds at Oregon Standard oil spill in San Francisco Bay. Over 7,000 live birds were treated after the spill fouls 50 miles of coastline. International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) is founded and moves into a warehouse in Berkeley, CA.
	1975 The city of Berkeley gives IBRRC buildings and land in Aquatic Park for $5 a year. Governor Jerry Brown sends a letter of support to IBRRC.
	1977 IBRRC signs first oil spill response contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in Alaska.
	1978 Research indicates that Dawn detergent is the most effective and safe way to clean birds.
	1984 Net bottom cages that help prevent pressure sores in birds developed during the Puerto Rican oil spill, San Francisco Bay.
	1985 "Rehabilitating Oiled Seabirds: A Field Manual" is published, becoming IBRRC's second book on handling oiled animals.
	1986 Jay Holcomb joins the staff during the Arco Anchorage spill, which fouls the Northern California coastline and kills 9,000 seabirds. IBRRC creates the first spill response team.
	1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. IBRRC staff spends six months managing three bird centers and two search and collection programs. Eagles, Puffins, Murres and other seabirds are treated.
	1990 American Trader oil spill off Huntington Beach, California. IBRRC leads effort to save over 150 Brown Pelicans, and assists with research into oiled pelican survivability. Alaska Wildlife Response Center (AWRC) opens in Anchorage as the centralized oiled bird facility for the State.
	1992 IBRRC develops warm water therapy pool prototype, which increases survival rates of oiled aquatic birds.
	2000 An IBRRC and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Emergency Response team directs massive effort to relocate 19,500 non-oiled African penguins and rescue, rehabilitate and wash 20,000 more during the Treasure Oil Spill, Cape Town, South Africa. A 90% release rate is achieved. IBRRC and IFAW team rushes to the Galapagos Islands when a tanker spills oil, threatening some of the World's most unique and endangered species.
	2001 IBRRC moves its San Francisco Bay headquarters to Fairfield, and opens a new Los Angeles area wildlife hospital and oiled bird center in San Pedro - these bird rescue clinics become key centers for the OWCN network.
	2005 Over 250 baby Brown Pelicans are rehabilitated with IBRRC's help at an oil spill in Breton National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.
	2008 IBRRC staff successfully washes and rehabilitates 32 Bald Eagles oiled while feeding from an open truck from an Alaska fish processing plant.
	2010 Starting in late April, a team of bird rescue specialists from IBRRC and Tri-State Bird Rescue worked along the Gulf Coast for six months to help with an all-hands-on-deck effort to rescue seabirds caught in oil from the BP Deepwater Horizon well blowout.
	2011 IBRRC celebrates its 40th anniversary, with a new Website and new name: International Bird Rescue. With the leadership of new Executive Director, Paul Kelway, and Director Emeritus, Jay Holcomb, we look forward to another 40 years caring for birds and other wildlife impacted by human or environmental changes, and welcome your support to continue advancing the field!