Video: Grounded Seabirds Find Help in Lima

Ringed Storm-Petrels are mysterious birds. Scientists don't know much about them. However, they do know that fledgling storm-petrels get stranded in large numbers every year in the sprawling coastal city of Lima, Peru.

The grounded seabirds—on their way to the open ocean for the first time—are attracted to the city's bright lights, become disoriented, and ultimately drop to the ground.

Yovana Murillo and Betto Delgado are wildlife veterinarians who are working to educate citizens of Lima on what to do when they find these injured, exhausted birds. Their Ringed Storm-Petrel Project has so far rescued nearly 500 grounded seabirds. After rehabilitating these birds, they return them to the wild.

In this video, Dr. Murillo examines one of the tiny seabirds that was grounded in Lima:

Seabirds like these tend to be "out of sight, out of mind" for most people, in spite of the fact that this group of birds is among the most endangered on Earth. Learn more about seabirds like the Laysan Albatross and Black-capped Petrel, and how we're working with partners to conserve them.