A rare Nazca booby, found nearly 3,000 miles from its native range, is on the path to rehabilitation and release after receiving care at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
The bird was initially found on the docks of Newport’s bayfront. A member of the public was able to retrieve the bird and bring it to the aquarium.
“The range of this species of sea bird is typically along Central and South America,” said OCAq’s Curator of Birds CJ McCarty.
“This bird must have followed food and warm currents north and then gotten cold in our Oregon waters.”
After performing immediate triage, OCAq aviculturists provided the large sea bird with a warm and comfortable space to aid in its recuperation, ensuring it remained hydrated and well fed, while monitoring its health closely.
Once OCAq aviculturists and veterinary staff determined the Nazca Booby was ready, a travel carrier was modified to accommodate the bird and staff chauffeured it to Portland International Airport for an early-morning flight to Los Angeles, Calif., where it was taken to the International Bird Rescue, a nonprofit organization that rehabilitates injured aquatic birds.
Once the booby is fully recovered, it will be released it into warmer waters closer to its normal range.
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Enjoy painting wildlife?
Artists are invited to compete in one or all three of ODFW’s 2023 stamp art competitions.
The winning artist in each contest receives a $2,000 award and winning artwork is used to produce collector’s stamps and other promotional items with sale proceeds benefitting Oregon’s fish, wildlife and their habitats.
For more information on contest rules and to order stamps and art prints, visit: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/stamp_contest/index.asp
Habitat Conservation Stamp
Art entries must feature an eligible species from the Oregon Conservation Strategy in its natural habitat. See contest rules and entry form for a list of eligible species.
Waterfowl Stamp Contest
Art entries must feature the greater scaup in its natural habitat setting: More information on the contest rules and entry form.
Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest
All entries must feature the mountain quail in its natural habitat setting. See contest rules and entry form for more information.
Entries will be accepted between August 26 and up to 5 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2022, at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife headquarters, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr., SE, Salem, OR 97302.
Entries can be mailed or hand delivered. Artists, please see the final page on contest rules for packaging tips.
A panel will judge artwork based on artistic composition, anatomical accuracy of the species and general appeal.
Collector’s stamps, art prints and other promotional materials are produced from first-place artwork. Proceeds from product sales are used for habitat improvement, research surveys and conservation projects.
Interested artists are encouraged to visit http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/habitat_conservation_stamp.asp for more information on the contests and to view entries from previous years.