Why Dead Birds Are Washing Up On LA Beaches

VENICE, CA — Dozens of dead cormorants were found along the shore in Venice and Santa Monica and a parasitic organism could be to blame.

“Every year since we first noticed the problem, we've been having these little outbreaks amongst Brandt's Cormorants, but we've never had this many birds affected before,” a veterinarian and researcher from the International Bird Rescue Rebecca Duerr told LAist.

At least 35 of these webbed-foot sea birds were found dead on Thursday alone, LAist reports.

And since 2018, Duerr has noticed even more have died along the beach, often found tremoring, dazed and having seizures before they die. Researchers say they have found a single-celled parasitic organism that causes cysts and swelling in the bird's brains.

Residents reported seeing the birds lined along the ocean shore and were worried about the deaths.

Heal the Bay encourages people to call the International Bird Rescue after-hours hotline to report the dead bird sightings at 866.WILD.911 or visit the website for more information.