Sick and dead Gull-billed Terns in San Diego Bay

Local avian biologist Robert Patton has reported that the Gull-billed Tern colony at South San Diego Bay has been experiencing a significant mortality event over the past three days, with 30 documented dead adults to date and additional impaired but still flying individuals observed.

To put this loss in perspective, Robert notes that the local breeding population is estimated at 65 pairs, with a few additional pairs likely but not yet nesting.

Robert says that testing of carcasses and necropsies are currently being conducted to attempt to determine cause of death.

Robert advises that if you observe apparently-impaired or Gull-billed Terns or carcasses, you should contact him, or the staff at the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Reserve.

It's not possible to say at this juncture whether or not this event is similar to the one in 2004, when Southern California experienced a widespread wildlife mortality event in which numerous dead and ill birds were encountered at various locations.  But thinking about recent news stories regarding the incidence of Avian Influenza in Sea Lions and other mammals, it would probably not be a good idea for the untrained and/or poorly-equipped to approach or handle sick or dead birds in such a large-scale event.