MISSION To inspire people to act toward balance with the natural world by rescuing waterbirds in crisis. VISION We dream of a world in which every person, every day, takes action to protect the natural home of wildlife and ourselves. ORGANIZATION STORY In 1971 after 800,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the San Francisco Bay, concerned individuals led by a registered nurse named Alice Berkner jumped into action, bringing International Bird Rescue to life. We have always had to pave a road where there is none. Staff and volunteers work with tenacity alongside clients, partners, and the public to find solutions. Today, we research best practices at our wildlife crisis response hospitals in California and Alaska and share them worldwide. Video: How It All Began Bird Rescue is a proud founding partner in the State of California’s Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), which is hosted at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis, as well as the Global Oiled Wildlife Response System (GOWRS), a consortium of leading experts trying to solve the challenges of oiled wildlife outside of currently covered geographies.