Big Bird, Big Rescue

Volunteers Come Together to Rescue White Pelican at the Oxbow

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - What began as concern over a struggling bird turned into an inspiring example of what can happen when conservation organizations and volunteers work together for wildlife.

On Sunday, an American White Pelican found itself in trouble after becoming tangled in fishing line while resting on a lake at the Oxbow.

Within hours, volunteers from several local conservation organizations, along with area birders and paddlers, joined forces in a rescue effort that ended with the bird swimming and eventually attempting to fly back to freedom.

This wasn’t exactly a small backyard bird rescue. American White Pelicans can stretch nearly nine feet from wingtip to wingtip, with a beak that can reach 15 inches long. Saving one took patience, teamwork, and a lot of determination.

The rescue brought together volunteers from Red Wolf Sanctuary, Western Wildlife Corridor, OXBOW, Inc., members of the Cincinnati Birders community, and numerous local volunteers who answered a call for help through social media.

Observers at the Oxbow first noticed that the pelican appeared to be in distress. Fishing line had become tightly wrapped around one of its wings, restricting its movement. Although the bird could still fully extend its wings and flap them, it needed help before the entanglement caused serious injury.

Capturing the pelican, however, proved to be no easy task. This visiting pelican turned out to be an exceptionally fast swimmer.

Three kayakers spent more than 90 minutes attempting to reach the pelican. Each time they got close, the bird would swim into shallow water where it was difficult to approach safely.

Rather than giving up, rescuers reached out through Facebook, hoping additional volunteers could help.

The response was immediate.

Within less than two hours, five kayakers and a jon boat assembled for a second attempt. By then, the pelican had grown tired, allowing the team to carefully surround it and gently lift it into the boat.

Once safely aboard, the bird seemed to settle down, almost as if it understood the people around it were there to help.

The fishing line was wrapped tightly around the end of one wing, but thankfully the rescue came just in time. Volunteers carefully removed the line and discovered there were no injuries. Even better, all of the large bird's feathers remained intact, giving it an excellent chance of making a full recovery.

When the pelican was returned to the water, it lingered for a few moments before swimming past the surrounding kayaks. And just like that, one of nature’s largest travelers was back where it belonged — on the water, on the move, and one step closer to the sky.

The rescue highlighted the importance of the Oxbow, a unique floodplain where the Great Miami River joins the Ohio River near Lawrenceburg. Located where Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky meet, the Oxbow serves as one of the region's most important stopping points for migratory birds.

Every year, countless migratory birds use its shallow lakes, wetlands, and marshes to rest and feed before continuing their journeys. Without places like the Oxbow, many would struggle to complete those long seasonal flights.

Sunday's rescue serves as an important reminder that even something like a piece of carelessly discarded fishing line can pose a serious threat to wildlife.

It was a big rescue for a big bird — and proof that when people show up for wildlife, amazing things can take flight.