A rare masked brown booby, a pelagic bird seldom seen on land, was rescued in an exhausted state from the Muzhappilangad beach park in Kannur, Kerala, on Wednesday.

The juvenile bird was discovered on Tuesday evening by employees of Uralangal society who were carrying out renovation works at the park. They informed Bijilesh Kodiyeri, a member of the Malabar Awareness and Rescue Centre (MARC) for Wildlife, who rescued the bird.

The bird was later brought to the Kannur veterinary hospital for treatment.

Roshnath Ramesh, secretary of MARC, said “The masked booby is a pelagic bird, meaning it lives in the open ocean and rarely comes to land. These birds are not usually blown in by full-fledged storms, but by strong monsoon winds that push them toward the shore. Once grounded, they become exhausted and rest in one spot.”

Other sea birds, including terns and frigates, had also been rescued from Payyambalam recently, he added.

The veterinarians treating the bird said that it may have in a stressed state. However, it looked healthy on examination and could be released.