Scientists fear seabird die-off as El Niño looms: ‘We don’t know how bad this is will get’
Key takeaways
- Some were mixed in with washed up kelp.
- The surveys that have been carried out by various organizations for decades help build a baseline of information on beached sea life to detect threats and their impact.
- Read more“We’ve been seeing cormorants walk to shore and then just die within the hour.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Marine ornithologist Tammy Russell looks at a dead seabird near a beachgoer during a survey along Blacks Beach in San Diego. Photograph: Gregory Bull/APView image in fullscreen Marine ornithologist Tammy Russell looks at a dead seabird near a beachgoer during a survey along Blacks Beach in San Diego. Photograph: Gregory Bull/APSan Diego Scientists fear seabird die-off as El Niño looms: ‘We don’t know how bad this is will get’Many seabirds are starving to death as a marine heat wave lingers off California and fish seek deeper, cooler watersAssociated PressWed 1 Jul 2026 20.37 BSTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleWithin minutes of walking on a San Diego beach, marine ornithologist Tammy Russell found the feathered carcasses – one after another.
Some were mixed in with washed up kelp. Others were under rocks.
Each month, scientists and volunteers conduct surveys of dead seabirds and find what Russell describes as a grim assessment of the impact of a massive marine heat wave that has lingered for months off parts of the California coast.