Small Pelagic seabirds: Picture Fulmarine petrels, prions, shearwaters, of bird storm petrels & diving petrels For iden fica on and species info refer to: www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
Introduc on Ecology and life history This group of pelagic birds represent the Normal adult weight range: varies greatly between species, ranging true seabirds spending most of their lives on from 35g storm petrels to 5kg giant petrels (included in Large Pelagic the open ocean, only coming onto land to factsheet). See www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz for species weight ranges. nest. The group is commonly known as Moult: Most of the birds in these families have a simple, gradual "tube-nosed" as their nares (nostrils) form a moult over 2-5 months, usually during the non-breeding season, pair of tubes on the top surface of the upper with some species con nuing moult into the start of the breeding bill. The families in this group consist of season. There is some evidence that diving petrels may undergo a fulmarine petrels, prions, shearwaters, synchronous moult of wing and tail feathers storm petrels and diving petrels. New Breeding: Birds that breed in New Zealand waters usually do so Zealand waters have the highest biodiversity during the southern hemisphere’s spring and summer (Sep to Mar of this group of birds and 12 out of the 60 generally). species in New Zealand are endemic. Some Diet: Fish, crustaceans, squid, insects species migrate to the northern hemisphere Fulmarine and storm petrels: water surface scavengers while others, like the broad-billed prion, Prions: plankton filter feeders remain locally year-round in waters near Shearwaters: on the wing or shallow dives their breeding grounds. Diving petrels: diving
Personal protec ve equipment (PPE): Appropriate PPE must be worn when capturing and handling oiled wildlife to prevent exposure to oil (disposable nitrile gloves, safety glasses/goggles, protec on for clothing e.g. Tyvec suit). Old towels or blue incon nence pads are useful to handle oiled birds as they can be discarded once soiled. Capture Handling Consider the safety of both humans and birds. Wear normal examina on gloves if not oiled to prevent Oiled birds may s ll have the ability to fly depending on feather damage. Small birds can be held in the palm of the amount and loca on of oil on the body. Long- one hand and head restrained with the thumb and first handled fishing nets are useful for capture. If the bird is finger. on land and unable to fly then towels are useful for Larger birds are best restrained in a capture by throwing it over the bird then gathering it up towel to prevent flapping and damaging ensuring the wings are restrained in the towel and the of wings. Cover the head with the towel head is covered. If the bird is on land then ensure that to reduce stress. someone is standing between the bird and the water to Bi ng can be prevented by holding the bill with the first prevent them from entering it. This group of birds will finger on top and the thumb underneath ensuring that o en regurgitate stomach oil as a defense mechanism. the nostrils are clear to allow breathing. Alterna vely, Take care not to get oil on feathers. the head can be held from behind.
Transport to WARNING – NEVER place your eyes close to holes in transport boxes. facility Herons, gannets & cormorants will lunge at eyes causing serious injury or blindness.
Transport box: made of plas c, NOT wood or cardboard, as oil contamina on can be cleaned and box reused. Best op on is a Corflute box (pictured). Available from A&E Karsten LTD (ph +64 9 266 2781, [email protected]) Size of the box should suit the size of the bird. Alterna ve op on is a plas c PetPak. Only ONE bird per box. Flooring: Correct flooring in the transport box is important. It should (i) be so and non-abrasive in order to prevent development of bumblefoot during transport, (ii) be non-slip so that the bird can steady itself and (iii) prevent build up of faecal ma er that can cause urate burns. Blue-tube rubber ma ng covered with blue incon nence pads or a suspended ne ng floor are the best op ons. Folded newspaper is inappropriate as it becomes too slippery when contaminated by faeces. Shredded paper, straw, hay and seagrass should be avoided as it increases the risk of Aspergillosis
Vehicle transport: van or ute, with canopy and a separate air space from people to prevent inhala on of oil fumes. Ideally temperature controlled (hea ng on cold days, cooling on hot days).
Small pelagic seabirds HUSBANDRY REQUIREMENTS Housing Keep indoors and temperature controlled at 25-27°C because oiled animals cannot thermoregulate.
pre-cleaning Enclosure: Plas c vented bulk bins or box pallets are the best for easy cleaning. (oiled) (available from www.plas c.co.nz and other plas c packaging companies). Some species may be housed in groups while other species need to be on their own. It is highly recommended to seek informa on regarding behavioural characteris cs of each species at www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz. If using steel or plas c hospital cages: • cages must be high enough for the bird to stand and stretch its neck and wings. • Keep only one bird per cage.
Flooring: Best op on is fine (0.5cm) non-kno ed co on ne ng using PVC pipe as a frame and suspended at least 15cm from the cage floor. Alterna ve is blue tubing (available at hardware stores). These flooring types prevent uric acid and faecal buildup which can cause feather damage and bumblefoot. If using steel or plas c hospital cages then mul ple layers of towels can be used on top of blue ma ng, but soiled towels must be changed regularly.
Covering: Mesh or shade cloth on top of bulk bins/box pallets and secured with clips or weights. Cover the front of hospital cages with a towel to reduce stress. Housing Enclosure: post-cleaning Outdoor aviary with shade cloth covering the roof and walls. (no oil) Flooring Blue tube ma ng on floor to prevent uric acid and faecal buildup and bumblefoot. NOTE: grey tube flooring is harder than the blue version which increases risk of bumblefoot. Burrows Hides made of plas c - upturned plas c box with semi-circle cut out. Protect the sharp edge of doorway with a hose-pipe split lengthways and taped in place. PVC tubing can be used as shelters for the smaller species. Provide one hide per bird. Social or Solitary • Some species are highly social and can be housed in groups e.g. all prion species, some petrel and shearwater species. Do not overcrowd and allow at least 1.5m2 per bird. If there is only one bird from a social species then place mirrors in enclosure. • Other species are generally solitary and only come together during the breeding season e.g. most storm petrel species, some petrel and shearwater species. It is highly recommended to seek informa on regarding behavioural characteris cs of each species at www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz. Pool • Seabirds in the rehabilita on phase need access to water in their enclosure to aid waterproofing. • Suitable pool types: built-in, large plas c containers or children’s swimming pool or shell. • Non-slip ramps to allow easy access and exit of water. • Minimum water depth for small pelagic birds is 30cm. • Preferably use seawater, but freshwater can be used. If using freshwater then provide birds with a salt supplement in order to maintain salt glands (see “Supplements” sec on). • Heat water during winter months if ambient air temperature is below ~10-15°C. • Con nuous flow of water is required to prevent buildup of fish oil and faeces on the surface of the water which inhibits the waterproofing process. This is most easily achieved by placing a hose above the pool allowing the running water to break the surface of the pool water and le ng it overflow. Good drainage around the pool is required. • Surface skimmer is useful for removing oil, food and faeces floa ng on the surface. Transport As per handling instruc ons. Cover head to reduce visual s muli and stress. within facility If oiled, then wear appropriate PPE and encase in disposable material such blue incon nence pads. If clean, then encased in towel. Wear gloves to prevent feather damage. Iden fica on Leg band (temporary iden fica on to be removed before release) Small pelagic seabirds NUTRITION, SUPPLEMENTS and FLUIDS At admission Triage assessment: physical examina on by trained personnel (preferably a veterinarian) Record cloacal temperature. Give fluids at ini al stabilisa on rates below. Dosing If large numbers of birds require dosing then calculate dose based on the weight of the heaviest bird. Group animals into age and/or size class for dosing calcula ons. Fluid rate Ini al stabilisa on: 80ml/kg body weight/day divided into two doses PO Once hydrated: 60ml/kg body weight/day divided into two doses PO Fluid types For long term maintenance use either isotonic saline (0.9%) or Vytrate®/Lectade® Amount Feed 10% of body weight (BW) TWICE a day (i.e. 20% of body weight total each day) Food type If weak, emaciated and dehydrated: Give oral electrolyte fluids at ‘ini al stabilisa on’ rate listed above for 24 hours to rehydrate gut. Use either: Equal parts (50:50) Hartmann’s solu on and 2.5% dextrose in 0.45% saline 5% dextrose in 0.9% saline or Vytrate®/Lectade®
Once gut is hydrated, then start with small amounts of fish slurry. If able to take solids: human grade small whole salmon or large salmon cut into pieces. Food Fish slurry with insec vore mix: Place human grade salmon in heavy duty blender and blend. Add just prepara on enough isotonic (0.9% NaCl) fluid to blender to achieve a smooth consistency. Sieve slurry using a metal sieve to remove any chunks that may clog the feeding tube. Add a few scoops of insec vore mix. Note that the amount of insec vore mix to add may need to be adjusted based on the bird’s weight gain or loss. Discard a er 24 in the refrigerator. Whole fish: Ideally defrost covered in refrigerator to retain nutri onal quality. However, if large amounts of food are required then fish can be defrosted under cold running water immediately before feeding so long as vitamin supplements are given. To cut large whole salmon into pieces, cut on an angle (pic). Supplements ① Mazuri seabird vitamins: 1 tablet per 225g fish. (Available at Carlyle Vet Clinic, Napier 06 835 1096). ② Itraconazole (Sporonox): 5mg/kg BW PO once daily via so crop tube to prevent Aspergillosis. ③ Salt (sodium chloride) to recondi on salt gland: Only required if birds have been housed long-term with freshwater pools. Start at least 2 week before release. Give orally either as 3% saline solu on at maintenance fluid rates or 100mg/kg BW PO once daily. Gradually increase dose over four days: Day 1 give ¼ dose, Day 2 give ½ dose, Day give ¾ dose, Day 4 give full dose, then con nue at full dose.
Delivery & Warm fluids and slurry to 38-40°C. Deliver fluid and fish slurry with so crop tube, preferably silicone. device Force feed (FF) whole or pieces of fish head first. Some birds will learn to take fish by hand, others will need the head restrained and bill opened to place fish into the back of the mouth. Once the fish is far enough to the back of the throat the bird should swallow it down – release the head at this stage to allow the animal to swallow. Avoid ge ng fish juices on the skin and feathers at the corner of the mouth as this disrupts waterproofing and causes derma s. If fish juice/oil gets onto skin or feathers DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WIPE OFF. Rinse area with a large syringe of water and allow bird to preen. HEALTH SCREENING Venepuncture sites: The medial metatarsal vein is the easiest to access.
Anaemia Kidney func on Birds exposed to oil can quickly become anaemic Uric acid (UA) levels in birds are a measure of kidney (decreased red blood cells) due to the toxic affects of oil func on. Elevated UA levels >600 IU/dl indicate that the and starva on. As a minimum, packed cell volume (PCV) kidneys are failing or the animal is severely dehydrated, and serum total protein (TP) should be measured at both of which commonly occur in oiled birds. (1) intake (2) pre-wash (3) post-wash (4) pre-release. Treatment: IV or PO isotonic fluids at twice maintenance Severely anaemic (PCV<15-20%) birds require blood rates (100ml/kg/24 hours) transfusion. Birds should not be released un l their UA levels return Birds should not be: to within the normal range (<600 IU/dl). If UA levels • washed un l PCV ≥30% and TP ≥25g/L remain elevated despite treatment then the bird likely • released un l their PCV and TP levels return to within has irreversible kidney failure and should be euthanised the normal range = PCV 30-55%, TP 40-60g/L. on humane grounds. Small pelagic seabirds
Common Medica ons Problems associated with cap vity ALL secondary complica ons require veterinary a en on Preventa ve treatment of Aspergillosis Isolate any sick birds from the group. An -fungals: (a severe respiratory fungal infec on) is highly 1. Aspergillosis recommended as these birds are extremely suscep ble A serious, life-threatening respiratory fungal infec on. to this life-threatening disease when in cap vity. Clinical signs include noisy or difficulty breathing. Itraconazole available only by veterinary prescrip on. See dose rate on page 1. 2. Pressure sores: Keel lesions, Hock lesions or Pododerma s (bumblefoot) An bio cs: are only required if the animal has an Pelagic seabirds are par cularly vulnerable to pressure open or infected wound or known bacterial infec on sores because they normally rest on water rather than and should only be given if prescribed by a veterinarian on their feet on land. Birds that are unable to stand are a er examina on of the animal. highly likely to develop keel and hock lesions so it Dose rates: Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 125mg/kg PO BID essen al to place appropriate padding, such as a rolled Enrofloxacin 5-10mg/kg PO BID up towel in a U- shape to help prop their body up. The condi on is best prevented with good husbandry Pain relief: is only required if the animal has a painful and appropriate floor coverings. Depending on severity condi on (e.g. open wound) and should only be given if the bird may require surgery. Treatment involves prescribed by a veterinarian a er examina on of the specific wound care and bandaging. animal. Dose rates: Meloxicam (for mild to moderate so ssue pain) 3. Trauma c injuries 0.5-1 mg/kg BID Trauma c injuries such as bone fractures can occur in Butorphanol (for moderate to severe bone pain) cap vity due to excessive force used during handling or 5mg/kg IM ideally every 2-3hours but can be issues in the enclosure (eg. gaps where legs or wings can get stuck). given twice a day 4. Feather damage Ac vated charcoal: not recommended Usually occurs from inappropriate handling or enclosure. Birds cannot be released if feather damage Washing effects waterproofing. If it is the wrong me of year for Birds must be stable and strong enough to withstand a natural moult, please seek advice from Wildbase on the stress of washing. This may mean that a bird will how to induce moult. remain oiled for several days un l it has been stabilised. Release criteria Requirements for washing are very specific, such as Birds should only be released if they fulfill ALL the water temperature, water so ness and brand of following criteria: detergent. Refer to the “Washing” factsheet for detailed 1. Waterproof (based on objec ve scoring system) informa on. 2. Weight within normal range for that species (see www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz) Waterproofing AND Body Condi on Score at lease 3/5 To regain waterproofing, birds must be given access to a pool with haulouts so that they can preen and dry off between swims. Degree of waterproofing should be assessed using the Waterproofing Assessment sheets (hyperlink).
Authors: S. Finlayson, B. White, L. Chilvers, G. Frankfurter, G. Finlayson. Thanks to veterinary technicians and veterinary residents in the Wildbase
Hospital and to others for their input, feedback and photos. Disclaimer: This fact sheet is managed by Wildbase Oil Response (WOR) for informa on purposes only. Informa on contained in it is drawn from a 3. PCV 30-55%, TP 40-60g/L variety of sources external to WOR. Although reasonable care was taken in 4. UA <600 IU/dl its prepara on, WOR does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or currency of the informa on or its usefulness in achieving 5. Secondary complica ons resolved and checked by any purpose. To the fullest extent permi ed by law, WOR will not be liable veterinarian for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred in or arising by reason of any Other things to consider: person relying on informa on in this fact sheet. Persons should accordingly make and rely on their own assessments and enquiries to verify the accuracy • Is their release habitat free from oil? of the informa on provided. • Use boat to release on to water >10km from coast. Pictures: Unless otherwise credited, all pictures are copyright of Wildbase.