Scientists fear seabird die-off as El Niño looms: ‘We don’t know how bad this is will get’

According to The Guardian, marine ornithologists are reporting a significant die-off of seabirds along California's coast as a marine heat wave persists offshore. As water temperatures climb, fish are retreating to deeper, cooler waters, leaving seabirds unable to find adequate food. Marine ornithologist Tammy Russell described finding dead seabird carcasses scattered along San Diego beaches — some mixed with kelp, others hidden under rocks. Scientists warn they don't yet know how severe the crisis will become. The die-off underscores the cascading effects of warming ocean waters, which don't just affect individual species but disrupt entire food webs that seabirds depend on for survival.

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