Vagrant White-billed Diver rescued after tangling in fishing line

Birders watching a White-billed Diver in Los Angeles called wildlife rescuers when they saw fishing line tangled around the rare visitor.

An Ancient Murrelet, another rare vagrant to California, had been drawing birders to San Pedro pier. While twitchers admired the rare alcid on 19 January, Graham Montgomery found the White-billed Diver nearby.

It took a marine mammal rescuer working alongside a lifeboat to catch the White-billed Diver and take it into care (Graham Montgomery).

The diver breeds in the Arctic and is a scarce winter vagrant south of Washington, but the thrill of the discovery was soon mired by the bird clearly being entangled in discarded fishing line.

International Bird Rescue, a non-profit organisation, took the juvenile diver to its Los Angeles Wildlife Centre after it was caught by a marine mammal rescuer with the help of a lifeguard boat. The species is listed as Near Threatened globally.

While recovering alongside a Great Northern Diver, the White-billed Diver was fitted with a ring (International Bird Rescue).

The rehabilitation facility said that the bird had been feeding well and recovered from its injuries to both wings and the front of its head. It was being kept on a pool with a Great Northern Diver, which also fell victim to loose fishing line.

JD Bergeron, CEO of International Bird Rescue, said: "We are incredibly grateful to members of the public who alerted rescuers to this injured and entangled bird.

"Without the quick reporting and rescue, birds in crisis often succumb to these human-caused injuries."

The White-billed Diver was released just outside Los Angeles Harbour on 30 January. 

Bergeron added: "We're glad to be part of its return to the wild."