Hundreds of sea #birds found dead along the coast of #Mendocino, #California, #USA

Photo By Sarah Grimes

Starting on Wednesday, May 22, hundreds of Common Murres, an ocean-going bird native to the Pacific Coast from the Channel Islands to the tip of the Aleutians in Alaska, have been reported washed up dead or dying on beaches along a 10-mile stretch of coastline in Mendocino County between Noyo Bay and Seaside Beach.

Local wildlife observers say it’s too early to tell what is causing the die-off.

The Common Murre looks a little like a penguin, but is more closely related to terns or gulls. It spends most of its time in the water. Murres can and do fly, but like penguins, they maneuver best in the water. Normally, the likelihood of a casual beachgoer seeing one ashore is slim.

Courtesy of advocate-news.com

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