Seaside’s Permanent Residents
The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is home to nearly 100 permanently disabled birds which can not be released back into the wild. These birds are on display in the Sanctuary for visitors to view.
You can participate in our Annual Adoption Program by symbolically adopting one of our Avian Ambassadors! All proceeds go towards our mission of rescue, rehab, and release, as well as providing the best possible care to our permanent residents. Browse the different adoption levels to select the one that is right for you, and select which bird you would like to sponsor. If you can’t pick, don’t worry- you can always adopt more than one bird! If you have any questions regarding the Ambassador Adoption Program, please contact us at shop@seasideseabirdsanctuary.org for more information.
Birds of Prey
Roosevelt
Roosevelt is a Bald Eagle who came to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary with a fractured wing due to an old gunshot wound. As a result, Roosevelt can’t fly well enough to be released back into the wild despite surgical intervention thanks to the team at Busch Gardens.
Rufous
Rufous is a rufous morph Eastern Screech Owl that came to Seaside in January of 2016. He was admitted into our avian hospital due to head trauma and loss of vision in both eyes. Though Rufous did regain vision in his left eye, he is permanently blind in his right eye, preventing him from ever being released back into the wild. Rufous is Seaside’s longest ‘employed’ traveling Avian Ambassador, and is now retired from offsite events, instead hosting educational presentations at the Sanctuary. His best-attended event is Reading with Rufous, which takes place on the last Saturday of each month.
Tennille
Tennille is a grey morph Eastern Screech Owl that has lived at the Sanctuary since our opening in 2016. She had a right wing fracture that did not heal properly which limits her flight capabilities. She is one of our traveling Avian Ambassadors, so be sure to look for her out and about!
Miss Kitty
Miss Kitty is a Great Horned Owl who has a partial amputation of the left wing, a result of necrotic tissue damage caused by a severe infection. Miss Kitty has been living in captivity since 2007 and has been a permanent resident at the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary ever since it opened in 2016. She is one of the oldest residents at the sanctuary!
Grace
Grace is a Great Horned Owl who came to Seaside in February of 2017. Grace has a partially amputated left wing due to injuries likely caused by a vehicle strike. Grace is on static display, meaning she does not travel offsite, so you’ll have to visit the sanctuary to meet her in person!
Cypress
Cypress is an American Barn Owl who was transferred to Seaside in December of 2018 from Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife in Odessa. Cypress was struck by a vehicle and sustained a severe fracture to her left wing that did not heal well enough for her to be released. She is one of our most popular Avian Ambassadors- be sure to look out for her- it is not unusual to find her sleeping on the job at various events!
“Owl” Pacino
“Owl” Pacino is a Barred Owl who came to the Sanctuary in 2020. She was struck by a car and had a wing fracture that did not heal well enough for her to be released. She is also blind in her right eye due to an infection. Affectionately nicknamed “Chino,” she is one of our favorite Avian Ambassadors, so be sure to look for her out and about!
Pallas
Pallas is a Red-tailed Hawk that was rescued in Utah after being struck by a vehicle, resulting in a broken left wing. Unfortunately, Pallas’ wing did not heal correctly, resulting in a deformation which will forever hinder his flight. Pallas joined the Seaside family in April of 2018 after being transferred to us from Nature’s Educators in Colorado. Pallas is on static display, so you’ll have to visit us in person to meet him!
Cybil
Cybil is a Red-shouldered Hawk that was admitted to our avian hospital in April of 2020 with a fracture of the right wrist that had already started healing. Despite our best efforts, it was not able to heal well enough for her to be released. She is one of the largest red-shouldered hawks we have ever seen here at Seaside! She travels to many of our events to teach the public about her species, so be sure to look out for her at any event we attend!
Kevin
Kevin is an American Kestrel who came to Seaside as a young fledgling when his nest was cut down. He is non-releasable due to a shoulder injury that did not heal properly, making him unable to fly well enough to survive in the wild. Kevin is a fan favorite, and you can see him at many of the events we attend!
Johnny V.
Johnny V. is a Black Vulture that was transferred to Seaside from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland in August 2018. Johnny V. sustained multiple fractures in his left wing that healed in the wild, leaving him unable to fly. Johnny is on static display, so you’ll have to visit us in person to meet him and enjoy his adorable antics!
Lars
Lars is a Turkey Vulture who arrived at the Sanctuary in 2020 after being found with a previously healed radius and ulna fracture leaving him unable to fly. He is one of our Avian Ambassadors and is currently in training for offsite events! He is a younger bird, being less than a year old when his initial injury occurred.
Ruby
Ruby is a Turkey Vulture that has been at the Sanctuary since 2016 and is unable to be released due to a previously healed shoulder fracture. Ruby is in competition with Miss Kitty for the title of oldest sanctuary resident, and though she would not be able to fly well enough in the wild to forage for food, she gets around her enclosure pretty well, and often shows her roommates who’s boss! She does not travel offsite, so you’ll have to visit her in person to get to know her.
Phantom
Phantom is a Peregrine Falcon who has been a resident at the Sanctuary since 2022. Phantom had a fracture in her right wrist that prevents her from being able to hunt safely. She is one of our newest ambassadors, and often travels to our offsite events! We are currently fundraising for an enclosure for her to be on display to the public – if you are interested in donating to this initiative, please send us an email at shop@seasideseabirdsanctuary.org.
Odin
Odin is a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk who came to us from Clearwater in June of 2023. He was emaciated with an eye injury. Unfortunately, he is unable to see with the injured eye, and as such cannot be released into the wild. He is a beautiful bird with very unique coloration due to his leucism. He travels to many of our offiste events, so be sure to look out for him at our booths! His favorite food is Beef Liver and Chicken Hearts- if you have extra, please consider donating to help us continue to spoil him!
Arnold
Arnold is a dark morph Short-tailed Hawk that came to us in August of 2022 with a severe radius and ulna fracture. Unfortunately, during the rehabilitation process, he re-broke the fracture and began suffering from mobility issues and pain due to the break. In April of 2023, he had a partial wing amputation that relieved his pain and mobility issues, and he now enjoys free room service daily and aspires to be a famous podcaster – he is very vocal and would love to demonstrate for you when you visit!.
Pelicans
Red
Red is a Brown Pelican who has been at the sanctuary since 2016. Like many of our Brown Pelicans, Red has a wing injury that did not heal well enough to allow release. Many of these wing injuries are due to improperly discarded fishing tackle, so encouraging responsible fishermanship is one of Red’s passions. Red was in a commercial in 2018 for a clothing company! Red does not travel offsite, so you’ll have to visit in person to meet him and his friends! Red’s favorite food is fish (actually, he and all the pelicans only eat fish), which can rack up a hefty bill- so please feel free to buy him dinner by donating to us, or by bringing by any fish you may have that they might enjoy!.
Nigel
Nigel is an American White Pelican that came to us with a wing injury. Because he is unable to fly, he would not be able to migrate properly. White Pelicans migrate from Florida up to the Great Lakes region and into Canada, and their eyesight and wing strength is key in their ability to make the long trip. Nigel does not travel offsite for events, so you’ll have to visit the sanctuary in person to meet him and his many friends!.
Ollie
Ollie is another of our American White Pelicans. He was transferred to us from ARK, a rehabilitation facility in Michigan, where he was found as a very young bird stranded on the lakeshore. Due to his young age when he was brought into captivity, he never learned appropriate behaviors of white pelicans, and is too habituated to humans to be released.
Shorebirds
Ollie
Ollie is an American Oystercatcher who has a fracture in his right wing that healed in the wild and could not be repaired, making it impossible for him to fly. Oystercatchers have some of the most vibrant colors of the shorebirds here in Florida, and eat almost exclusively shellfish in the wild. If you are interested in sponsoring Ollie’s expensive taste, please consider supporting him through our Ambassador Adoption Program!
Buddy
Buddy is a Laughing Gull who was found suffering from a severe fracture in his right wing. The break could not be fixed, and part of his wing was amputated. Buddy was transferred to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in September of 2016, where he will now live out the rest of his life.
Thatcher
Thatcher is a dark morph Laughing Gull who has a wing deformity, preventing him from being released to the wild. You can find him in our shorebird enclosure, where he lives with our other Laughing Gulls, including Buddy, Ellis, Meredith, Lexie, Derek, Mark, and Amelia. None of our Laughing Gulls travel off campus for events at this time, so you’ll have to visit them in person to get to know them.
Huey, Dewey, and Louie
Huey is a Double Crested Cormorant who has an amputated right wing. Dewey has a deformed left wing, and Louie has a luxated right shoulder. Due to their disabilities, they are not able to fly well enough to be released. They are very food motivated, and their favorite food is fish. Cormorants are most commonly admitted to our hospital due to fishing line and hook injuries- the best way to prevent this is properly disposing of fishing gear! Please consider supporting them through our Ambassador Adoption Program!
Henry
Henry is a Herring Gull whose right wing had been partially amputated due to a near fatal injury. He lives with some of our Brown Pelicans and our other Herring Gull, Momo. Herring Gulls are the second-largest gull native to Florida, and are not as interactive with humans as Laughing Gulls are. Henry does not travel offsite, so you’ll have to visit in person to meet him!
Ringo
Ringo is a Ring-Billed Gull who came to us with a wing injury that required a partial amputation. Because of this, he is unable to be released back into the wild, and instead spends his days with the other shorebirds enjoying a varied diet and lots of visitors. When you visit him, you will be able to tell him apart from the Laughing Gulls by the distinct black ring on his otherwise yellow bill.
Wading Birds
Brad
Brad is a Sandhill Crane that has a partially amputated left wing due to a severe infection secondary to a broken wing. Brad has been a permanent resident of the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary ever since it opened in 2016. Brad enjoys a steady diet of sandhill crane chow and cracked corn, with the occasional treat of mealworms, mice, and superworms.
Janet
Janet is a Sandhill Crane that is missing 3/4 of her lower mandible (beak). Due to this disability, Janet would be unable to forage on her own in the wild, and requires a specially designed feeder at the Sanctuary in order to eat on her own. She and Brad share an enclosure and enjoy spending time together, often preening and resting with one another.
Meatball
Meatball is a Roseate Spoonbill and one of the newest residents at the Sanctuary! He arrived as a patient in April of 2023 with an already healing fracture of the left wing, rendering him unable to fly. While in recovery, it was found that his favorite food is meatballs, which we add in to shorebird and wading bird diets to supplement the protein they would normally get from shellfish. He is currently an Avian Ambassador in training! His enclosure is under construction next to Brad and Janet’s enclosure. If you are interested in supporting him, please check out our Ambassador Adoption Program!
Parrots
Bacardi and Calypso
Bacardi and Calypso are Nanday Conures. Bacardi came to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary on October 1, 2018 after being dropped off in our overnight drop-off. Calypso was admitted following an injury from a vehicle strike. Our focus is native wild birds, so we don’t normally admit non-native or domestic species. Though Bacardi had no injuries, he could not be released due to him being a non-native bird, and the same is true of Calypso.
Tito
Tito is a Nanday Conure who came to the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in 2020. Tito could not be released back into the wild due to his being a non-native bird. Because Tito was so young when he was dropped off, he became imprinted on people, and is unable to be housed in the same enclosure as Bacardi and Calypso. You can visit Tito in our gift shop during its open hours!
Songbirds
“Curious” George
George is a Blue Jay who came to the Sanctuary in August of 2019. George has a deformity in his left foot, which would make survival difficult for him in the wild. This is an issue that is commonly seen in our songbird patients, often caused by nutritional issues or debris in the nest. George is in the first enclosure when you enter the sanctuary, so be sure to visit him and his ‘welcoming committee’ when you arrive!
Hobbles J. Blueberry, Esq.
Hobbles came to the Sanctuary in 2022 due to a deformity in his left foot. This would prevent his ability to survive in the wild. Hobbles has become very used to interacting with his keepers, often landing on us to demand treats. His favorites are peanuts and mealworms! He enjoys messing with his keepers’ jewelry too!
Rebel
Rebel is a Blue Jay who came to us in 2022 with damage to his left wing. Unfortunately, this injury did not heal properly, and he is not able to fly well enough to be released. He often mimics the sounds he hears, including ring tones!
Secret Agent Paco
Paco is a Spot-Breasted Oriole who came to us in 2020 from US Fish and Wildlife. He was confiscated from the illegal pet trade, and worked with FWC for some time conducting undercover ‘stings’ in the illegal songbird trade. He is now retired and lives with our Blue Jays, enjoying mealworms and nectar alongside his regular diet. If you are interested in supplementing his retirement fund, please consider our Ambassador Adoption Program!
