AN OILED SEA-BIRD AND ITS CARE 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     On December 14, 1975, a sea bird, covered in heavy, black oil was 
     
     found on the North Shore of Prince Edward Island. It was identi- 
     
     fied as a Common Murre, a bird not usually found on the Island; 
     
     and had, presumably, been blown off course in a recent storm. 
     
     This bird normally ranges from the Arctic to Nova Scotia, and is 
     
     the nearest thing to a penguin found in this area. It is about 
     
     the size of a Mallard duck, but walks in an upright position, 
     
     with much the same curious flat-footed waddle exhibited by 
     
     penguins. At rest it flops down on its chest like a duck. It is 
     
     a handsome little fellow with jet black head, back and wings, 
     
     and a snowy white throat and underbelly. It has white cheek 
     
     patches, with black circles around gleaming black eyes, and a thin 
     
     line runs from the eyes through the white cheek patches. The 
     
     beak is long, thin and pointed, and the tail is short and when 
     
     outspread, fan shaped. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Cleaning the oil from the bird presented some problem, and washing 
     
     with a mild liquid detergent proved to be the only practical 
     
     method. Needless to say, our Common Murre did not appreciate this 
     
     and a great battle ensued during which the quite amazing strength 
     
     of the birds short sturdy wings was apparent. One person simply 
     
     did not have enough hands to control flapping wings, flailing 
     
     feet, and stabbing beak and still swish the soapy water through 
     
     the feathers. It required many washings and as this was exhaust- 
     
     ing and distressing for the bird, it was done over a period of 
     
    

    
     two or three days. Each time the bird was thoroughly rinsed and 
     
     then put to relax in a small cage under a hair dryer, set on low, 
     
     and positioned well above the cage so that no direct heat was 
     
     concentrated onto the bird. This part of the operation the bird 
     
     seemed to enjoy and he would fluff up his feathers and waddle 
     
    

    
     into the warmth. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Unfortunately, and as had been expected, so much washing removed 
     
     the natural oils from the feathers, and it was suspected that now 
     
     the bird might become waterlogged and sink if placed in deep 
     
     water. This proved to be so, and although there was still some 
     
     oil adhering to the feathers, no further washing was attempted. 
     
     To induce the bird to begin preening again, so that he could 
     
     remove the remaining oil and at the same time start the dis— 
     
     tribution of natural oil through the feathers, a little warmed 
     
     lanolin was smeared lightly over the plumage. This did seem to 
     
     encourage some preening. 
     
    
   
   
    
     During this time, while the Murre was still quite frightened, it 
     
     would repeatedly eject a loose watery excrement some two or three 
     
     feet whenever approached. This appears to have been some sort of 
     
     defence mechanism, since as the bird became more confident, it 
     
     seldom happened; and now the droppings are deposited in the usual 
     
     messy fashion of all birds. 
     
    
   
   
    
     One day the bird was found pointing its beak upwards, gaping and 
     
     breathing very heavily. The first thought was that the bird was 
     
     sick, and pneumonia was feared. Antibiotics were administered 
     
     simply by putting a few drops inside a fish. Later information 
     
     suggested that this may be the birds method of perspiring. This 
     
     is most likely the correct explanation, as the same behaviour has 
     
    
   
   
    
     been observed occassionally since, and the bird shows no other 
     
     Signs of sickness. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Feeding at first was difficult. Pieces of scallop were refused, 
     
     but mackerel cut in long very thin strips was accepted, though 
     
     with some reluctance and a deal of trouble in getting it down. 
     
     However, smelts were accepted readily. It became apparent that 
     
     the streamlined shape of the whole smelt, taken head first is the 
     
     nearest thing to natural feeding. Now, a damaged fish, or one 
     
     with a broken skin will be refused, as will one that is not ice 
     
     cold. If a fish is mistakenly taken tail first (a rare occurence)