Emergency Prep · Wildlife
Rescuing Beach Birds
Safe Help for Pelicans, Gulls, and Herons
A heron aims for your eyes; a pelican bites hard; a gull you chase drowns. 10 modules on the heron's spear and controlling the bill first, torn pelican pouches and fishing line, red-tide poisoning, the towel trick for gulls, swaddling a long neck, warming cold-stunned birds slowly, why you never pull a fish hook, why oiled birds aren't washed at home, Vibrio and botulism safety, and finding a marine rescue with saltwater pools.
About this course
Beach birds are big, fast, and frightened, and the mistakes people make with them are specific: reaching for a heron's body while its spear is free, chasing a gull into the surf, pulling a fish hook, washing an oiled bird in the sink. This course is built around those mistakes. You'll learn the golden rule of wading birds (control the bill, control the bird) and the two-person approach, what fishing line does to a pelican's pouch and how to secure that heavy bill, how to recognize domoic-acid poisoning after a red tide, how to lure and towel a gull on dry sand, the three-step swaddle for a long neck, why a cold-stunned bird is warmed over hours and never in warm water, why you cut the line and leave the hook, what to do and not do with an oiled bird, and the marine bacteria that make heavy gloves non-negotiable. It ends with the right phone call: a specialized seabird rescue with saltwater pools and live fish, not a general shelter.
What you'll learn
- The heron's spear: control the bill first, and the two-person approach
- Pelican pouch lacerations, fishing line, and securing a heavy bill for transport
- Red tide and domoic acid: seizures, head pressing, and the vet-only treatment
- The chase-free towel trick for gulls, and the three-step swaddle for long necks
- Cold-stunning and slow re-warming, cutting line and leaving the hook, and oiled-bird triage
- Vibrio, botulism and glove rules, and finding a specialized seabird rescue
Who this is for
Beachgoers, anglers and pier regulars, coastal homeowners, lifeguards and marina staff, and rescue volunteers who want to approach a heron without losing an eye.
Course outline (10 modules)
Quiz & Certificate
Knowledge quiz
After completing all lessons, take a short quiz to test your understanding.
Go to quiz →Completion certificate
Pass the quiz and earn a shareable certificate of completion.
View certificate →Frequently asked questions
Ready to get started?
$9.99 · Lifetime access · 10 lessons