Injured seabirds being found in Southern Arizona after storm

This week’s tropical-storm related rains swept up numerous seabirds into the Tucson area, wildlife rescue officials said.

The Tucson Wildlife Center said Friday it has fielded numerous calls about sightings of seabirds called storm-petrels.

The bird is dark in color and about the size and shape of a small swallow. It has a curved bill and webbed feet. A distinctive feature is a tube-like nostril atop its bill that allows the bird to drink salt water and then dispose of the salt.

“Hundreds have been sighted south of Tucson, blown in from the hurricane,” said Lisa Bates, cofounder of the wildlife center, about stormy weather related to what was once Hurricane Newton. Remnants of the storm passed through Southern Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday dropping upward of 5 inches of rain in some areas.

Bates said these are ocean birds from the Sea of Cortez and won’t survive in the desert or in fresh water.

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According to a post in the American Birding Association blog, some of the varieties of wayward seabirds spotted around here had never been recorded as being seen here before this week.

The center said anyone who finds a storm-petrel or any other seabird to put it in a cardboard box lined with a soft T-shirt or cloth and bring it to the wildlife center.

Officials said many of the birds will need immediate medical attention and hopefully some can be returned to the ocean.

The birds should not be given food or water. Some of the larger birds have sharp, hooked beaks; they also can bite and should be handled carefully, center officials said.

Anyone who has found a bird can call the wildlife center around the clock at 290-9453 (WILD) for directions to the center on East Speedway.