The Saga of WEGU 1814
Hit by a car and left on Highway 1 at Morro Bay Blvd., Western Gull 1814 would not have survived if not for a good samaritan who stopped, collected the bird, and brought them to the PWC clinic. And if not for almost two months in care, WEGU 1814 would not have achieved the PWC goal of release back to the wild.
The intake exam revealed the bird was “not standing, for obvious reasons,” the PWC veterinarian reported. Those reasons? Fractures to both tibiotarsal bones – in avian anatomy, equivalent to the human tibia/shin bone. On the right, the fracture was “mildly comminuted” (broken in multiple pieces), with a small amount of bone protruding through the skin.
The care included orthopedic surgery to repair the fractures, medications, subcutaneous fluids, tube-feedings, physical rehabilitation, and time to heal.
“In a busy summer season,” says Rehabilitation Technician Sophie Swan, it’s hard to remember a specific patient or their I.D. number, but “1814 is an exception, as many interns and volunteers would agree” — memorable in part because of the bird’s fierceness, “despite their injuries” and in part because of the amount of care required.
As always, interactions with humans are kept to a minimum in wildlife rehabilitation, to cause as little stress to the patient as possible. But because WEGU 1814 couldn’t stand, walk, or initially feed themself, these interactions were necessary.
Progress was incremental but steady. By Day 6 in care, the gull exhibited pain perception in both feet, though was still unable to stand. “Over time,” says Swan, “1814 began standing intermittently in their enclosure, at which point we started…physical therapy” in a warm water pool, which “was very effective in improving both leg mobility and feather condition. Once they showed consistent signs of standing, their progress accelerated, and both staff and the bird seemed relieved to interact less.”
After the pins had been surgically removed and all therapies completed, Swan continues, “1814 advanced to Flight 1” – a large aviary with a pool – “where they began flying almost immediately. Flight is vital for release readiness, and the opportunity to practice natural behavior clearly improved [the bird’s] well-being.”
The stress of interactions with humans was now greatly decreased. However, the gull now encountered what may have been a new source of annoyance. “By that stage of the summer, many fledgling gulls were also housed in Flight 1. Having had no recent contact with adult gulls, they frequently begged from 1814, mistaking them for a parent.”
After almost two months in care, the gull had now “become adept at walking and running” and was flying so well that they proved a challenge to capture. Thus, WEGU 1814 passed the veterinarian’s release evaluation with flying colors.
During the release, “1814 appeared to appreciate the sight of the ocean,” says Swan, “pausing to observe the shoreline… But when a persistent young gull approached, begging noisily just as the ones in Flight 1 had done, 1814 quickly flew off.” One imagines this gull was aiming for a quiet place free of both humans and pesky juvenile gulls.
