Marine heat wave caused seabird deaths off California. El Nino could worsen die-off

Marine heat wave caused seabird deaths off California, as record ocean temperatures push prey deeper and away from shorelines. In San Diego, marine ornithologist Tammy Russell described finding seabird carcasses across beaches within minutes of arriving, following months of elevated conditions. Scientists said many birds, including California brown pelicans, loons and grebes, starved after warmer surface water shrank the cold, nutrient-rich band where krill, anchovies and sardines thrive near shore. The article reports U.S. NOAA confirmed El Niño formed in June and is expected to intensify, raising concerns that the die-off could worsen. NOAA says marine heat waves persist off parts of the West Coast only rarely at this scale, and Scripps measurements at 10 coastal stations show record-breaking temperatures for 40 days or more at several locations. Scripps and glider observations found anomalies comparable to the 2023 El Niño, with the 2026 event potentially extending further.