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And populations of once-numerous birds such as American white pelicans, double-breasted cormorants and eared grebes have declined.

Both rescue centers are also treating other seabirds ill from domoic acid, including the western grebes, brandt’s cormorants and red-throated loons, but brown pelicans have most frequently been sick.

According to this revision, flamingos and their close relatives, grebes, belong to a group known as Mirandornithes, which branched off from other birds early on.

The Coast Guard said three live birds — a cormorant, a loon and a grebe — were found sullied with oil and were being treated.

Officials are caring for a common loon and a western grebe that were recovered with oil on their bodies.