By Jorjanna Price
Photos provided by Austin Wildlife Rescue

Since July, wildlife rescue groups have been treating coastal birds injured when Hurricane Beryl barreled into the upper Gulf Coast and caused catastrophic damage to property and natural areas.

Birds were displaced from their nests and rookery sites by high winds. Beach-nesting sites were submerged. Audubon Texas estimates that all of the Black Skimmer ground nests in Galveston Bay were likely lost for the 2024 breeding season.

Hundreds of birds that were found and delivered to rescue centers have been undergoing medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Austin Wildlife Rescue initially received dozens of coastal birds—all babies—rescued in the Houston area: 30 Mississippi kites and 30 egrets. Soon after, more evacuees arrived: 16 yellow-crowned herons, some of whom required immediate medical attention due to leg and foot injuries.

In Corpus Christi, another group of Mississippi Kites was admitted to the Port Corpus Christi Center for Wildlife Rescue at the Texas State Aquarium.

In Houston, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Wildlife Center took in more than 200 baby Mississippi Kites. As the birds improve, they are admitted to the center’s Outdoor Flight complex to regain their strength.

At all the rescue centers, multiple daily hand-feedings are conducted to help birds restore health. Also feet and wings are examined. Workers at Austin Wildlife Rescue reported some birds required leg splints for fractures and others needed special “slipper” splints to straighten crooked toes.

The goal of all the wildlife rehabbers is to enable the surviving birds to be flying and feeding themselves in time for fall migration.