Summary of an Oiled Bird Response

An oiled bird response involves 6 basic steps: recovery and transportation, processing and intake, stabilization, cleaning, prerelease conditioning, and release. Oiled birds are often emaciated and dehydrated when they are captured. These deficiencies and any problems associated with oil exposure must be addressed before birds can be washed to remove the oil from contaminated feathers. Restoring waterproofing is paramount to recovery. For this to occur, normal feather structure must be restored.