Shorebirds Experience their New Home

September 30, 2025

As the Aquarium opened the new Our Living Coastline touch pool this summer, the animal care team was also working on remodeling the nearby Shorebird Sanctuary. This habitat features birds such as the American avocet, pied-billed grebe, and white-faced ibis as well as fishes and native plants.

Designed to resemble a local wetland, the habitat features several microecosystems and shelters five species of shorebirds plus a diving duck species called the bufflehead. With the remodel, the exhibit also has new signage that includes information on wetland ecosystems, bird rehabilitation, the Aquarium’s efforts to restore the Los Cerritos Wetlands, and more.

Guests can learn how they can join the Aquarium in helping to restore the Los Cerritos Wetlands, which shorebirds and other animals depend on. To participate in this effort, please visit the Los Cerritos Wetlands Habitat Restoration event page. The signage also touches on the Aquarium’s role in providing a home to rescued birds and other animals that cannot survive on their own in the wild.

In addition to this, the Aquarium also works with partner organizations to respond to disasters affecting birds in the wild, including shorebird species. Some of the Aquarium’s work on this has involved bird rescue, rehabilitation, and release back into nature. Emergency response events that the Aquarium has participated in include helping during oil spills and with mass bird strandings; you can learn more about those efforts through our Bird and Mammal Conservation page.

Wetlands are important ecosystems along the coastline. They provide migratory birds a place to rest, food, and nesting grounds. For young fish, wetlands are a vital nursery where they can grow into adults. These important ecosystems also filter pollutants from water and control flooding.

It is estimated that California has lost more than ninety-five percent of its wetlands—more than any other state. With only 13,000 acres of wetlands remaining in Southern California, wintering sites for migratory birds traveling the Pacific Flyway have declined markedly. It is our hope that our Shorebird Sanctuary will highlight the beauty of the flora and fauna of these critical ecosystems while inspiring others to join us in helping local wetlands.