Elly Albers is the director of this non-profit rehabilitation center, and she is most well known for her undaunted rescue efforts on behalf of Bonaire’s flamingo chicks.

Immediate first-aid response and initial care.

Elly and her staff of volunteers sprang into action to do their utmost to help the bird as quickly as possible.  Doing her own intake evaluation, she confirmed the Masked Booby was underweight, its guano (feces) was checked for parasites, blood was drawn and red blood cells were checked for anemia, which could occur if the bird was not able to consume sufficient food.  The evaluation also checked for wounds, fractures, as well as the condition of the feathers, as if the bird had recently molted, it might not have had sufficient waterproofing for it to dive for fish.

Once all was checked, the Masked Booby was given an oral rehydration solution to counteract dehydration, and feeding commenced three times a day with a special liquid protein food, higher in protein than the normal fish diet, with necessary vitamins as well.  This schedule continued for three days via a feeding tube, which would be inserted directly into the bird’s crop.

 On its fourth day of vacation, the guest of honor’s tube feeding was reduced to twice a day, while a third meal of fish was provided to wean the bird back onto solid food.

After another week, the Masked Booby was responding well, could eat as much fish as it desired, and was beginning to show interest in flying again by flapping its wings and also cleaning itself in the small in-suite pool.

Phase 2 care begins–preparing the Masked Booby for release.

Ten days after its arrival at the rehab center, this Masked Booby was doing well, and so the next phase of its care–preparing it for release–was initiated.

Waterproofing the Masked Booby.

The first step in preparation for the release of any seabird is to ensure they are adequately waterproofed.  If not, the bird will become water-logged and could quite possibly drown.

To begin the waterproofing, the bird was first washed in very warm water (41 degrees Celsius/106 degrees Fahrenheit) with a 1% detergent solution, in this case, Dawn Dishwashing Liquid.  After a good sudsing, the bird then has to be rinsed well, also in very warm water, and then placed in a clean cage.

Now the bird will begin to preen its feathers to make them waterproof.  Preening involves grooming all the feathers, “zipping up” any stray feathers, and then taking oil from a gland at the base of the tail which produces an oily, waxy substance.  This is then spread onto each feather so they are evenly coated and protected.

Checking waterproofing in the pool.

After the Masked Booby had had an opportunity to properly preen and waterproof itself, a test was in order before release.  So, the booby was placed in a covered pool, so it could not fly away prematurely.  If it sat low in the water, it needed more waterproofing, and, in this case, the Masked Booby had a bit more preening to do.  After a few days, it was sitting much higher in the water and was dry when taken out of the pool.

And so the Masked Booby was ready.

Phase 3 is planned: the release!

Friday,  December 3, 2021.

The date was set, exactly three weeks to the day after the Masked Booby made its appearance on Bonaire.  It was time for the vacation to end, and for the booby to get back to its “real world” of plying the ocean’s waves for fish.

But, there was one big question that remained unanswered…..

Could the Masked Booby fly?

There was only one way to find out, and that was to attempt a release and see what happened.

And now, for the story’s ending, watch the video!

About the Masked Booby.

Traversing the tropical oceans, the Masked Booby is rarely observed onshore here on Bonaire.  Most sightings are observed while at sea when sailing between the ABC islands (Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire).

These magnificent seabirds are snowy white with a blackish “mask” of skin at the base of the bill, as well as more extensive black in the flight feathers.

The name “booby” derives from the Spanish bobo (for “fool”), possibly because of their ungainly courtship dances.

Like other boobies, they nest in large colonies and forage at sea, making spectacular plunges into the ocean to capture fish and squid.

About Bonaire Wild Bird Rehab.

Elly Albers is the driving force behind Bonaire Wild Bird Rehab, which provides care for Bonaire’s sick, wounded, and orphaned wild birds.  Although working beforehand to rehabilitate oiled seabirds, the organization became an official non-profit foundation on June 1, 2018.

The mission of the foundation is to enable the wild birds who require care to be able to survive once again on their own.  The center strives to return all residents to their natural environment as soon as they are able.