Firefighters Free Tangled Kingfisher and Seagull in Canada, US

Ottawa Fire Services responded to a call on August 5, 2026 after a citizen reported a belted kingfisher caught in fishing line in a tree over water on Vances Side Road in Dunrobin. Crews used a pole saw and water‑rescue equipment to cut the line, wrapped the bird in a blanket and handed it to the caller for transport to a wildlife care centre.

Two days later, Santa Cruz Central Fire Department rescued a seagull tangled in a wire high above Black's Beach. Firefighters deployed an aerial ladder truck, cut the line around the bird's leg and handed the bird to Native Animal Rescue, which took it to a rehabilitation centre. Both birds were reported to be recovering well.