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The two young brown pelicans currently are safely tucked in at the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Center in Hampton Bays, but both are a little worse for the wear after getting too cold when they were hanging out in Montauk near the fishing docks.
Banded on July 19 in North Carolina, the two were spotted several weeks ago by fishermen and locals in Montauk who kept waiting for them to fly south, said Amanda Daley manager of the wildlife center.
Daley said before the snow set in on Tuesday, Dec. 3, the two were feeding fine and flying around the Montauk, but once the snow fell both began to flounder and have issues.
Fishermen reported their plight to the center and a volunteer was able to capture one of the birds, but couldn't get the second one. A day later, two fishermen were able to catch the second bird and bring it to the center.
Both were checked out by a local veterinarian who deemed them healthy enough to come to the center, but once onsite technicians found one of the birds had a respiratory infection and the other was suffering from frostbite on his foot and bill.
The bird with the respiratory infection is being kept indoors and treated with antibiotics. The feisty, second bird is being held in a tarped saltwater pen where he can fly.
The good news, Daley said, is that another wildlife rehab has been found in Florida that can take the pelicans and nurse them back to health and then release them in their native environment where there is plenty of saltwater and miles of blue sky to fly.
The birds may be flown, via a Delta cargo plane, as early as Friday, Dec. 13, Daley said.
That's good news for the birds who are a little stressed and not happy at being held in captivity, she added.
"We are lucky to have such great volunteers and people in the community who care enough to help them," she said.
Local fishermen and other volunteers have been bringing by whole fish, an important part of their diets, to keep them fed and cash donations have also helped.
"We operate solely on donations, so it's wonderful when people help the animals in need," Daley said.
Anyone interested in donating can contact the center at 631-728-4200.
To report an injured or ailing creature call the center's 24-hour hotline at 631-728-WILD (9453).
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