Hundreds of sick, dying birds are washing up on Bay Area beaches: Here's Why

FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KGO) -- Wildlife experts are raising concerns about the growing number of sick and dead seabirds popping up along the Bay Area coastline.

ABC7 Eyewitness News got a behind-the-scenes tour of the only facility in Northern California that's able to treat these birds.

At the International Bird Rescue in Fairfield, things have been busier than normal. Over the past few months, the rescue has been treating hundreds of gravely ill birds, including these little murres.

"They are starving to death," said JD Bergeron.

Bergeron is the rescue's CEO. He says there's been a massive uptick in sick and dying murres washing ashore along Bay Area coastlines. Much of it is caused by warming ocean waters disrupting the birds' food supply.

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"It is the hottest ocean temperatures on many of the days on record," Bergeron said.

The problem has gotten so bad that some wildlife agencies say they've been overwhelmed by the number of calls they've received by concerned members of the public. To make matters more complicated, the International Bird Rescue is the only organization in Northern California able to treat the sick birds.

"I think what's happening is there's just been so many, everyone's overwhelmed. We are the ones who will take them all," said Bergeron.

Bergeron says that, given the super El Niño event expected over the winter months, the issue could get worse before it gets better.

Despite the difficult times that are expected in the months ahead, it's not all bad news. Because the rescue has such a high rehabilitation rate, some birds are expected to be released back into the wild soon.

International Bird Rescue says if you encounter a sick bird near the beach, contact a nearby lifeguard or animal control as quickly as possible to give the animal a real chance to recover.

"Interventions can be very successful. Especially the little ones, the baby birds, respond really well to care," Bergeron said.