Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care and Education Center

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, a delivery driver asked curiously: ‘Why do we always see an oiled bird here being cleaned?’ A regular visitor, a neighbor, overheard the conversation and joked, 'Maybe they’re training it for some secret oil-spill cleanup team!' Everyone laughed, but the vet just smiled knowingly. The mystery of the oiled birds remained unsolved, adding a touch of whimsy to the center’s daily routine.

2. A volunteer whispered to her friend one day: ‘Did you notice how every morning that seagull looks right through our fence as if it’s searching for something?’ Another volunteer overheard them and laughed: ‘I bet he’s just jealous because his wings can’t open a jar of sunflower seeds!’ They all chuckled, realizing that maybe the bird wasn’t so much lost as it was resourcefully adapting to its environment.

3. A curious visitor noticed something peculiar one afternoon. As they approached the entrance, they overheard a volunteer saying to another, 'Have you seen our newest resident? He’s quite the character!' Curious, the visitor decided to peek inside. There, perched on a branch, was a majestic bird with an oil-slicked feather pattern that looked like it had just stepped out of a Salvador Dalí painting. A nearby volunteer explained, ‘Oh, that’s Oscar—our latest artistic acquisition. He likes to preen in front of visitors.’ The visitor chuckled and asked if Oscar ever gets tired of posing. With a smile, the volunteer replied, “Not yet—he’s still working on his masterpiece.”

4. A sign outside read: 'Warning: Birds May Be Greasy.' Curious visitors began asking if it meant what they thought it did. Inside, everyone was covered in oil—birds, staff, even the receptionist’s glasses had a thin layer of grease. A delivery driver asked nervously, ‘Is that bird oily?’ The vet replied calmly, ‘No, that’s just our usual Tuesday.’