Injured Pelican Knocks on NOAA Fisheries Office Door Looking for Help

September 18, 2026

A pelican in Florida came knocking for help, quite literally, using its beak.

NOAA Fisheries Service

The unusual encounter happened at the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Panama City, Florida, when employees heard a distinct tapping sound coming from the door.

When they went to investigate, they found a pelican waiting on the stoop with fishing line wrapped around its wing, a deeply embedded fishhook, and cactus spines stuck in its left foot.

Fortunately, the bird had come to the right place.

According to NOAA, the pelican had a double-barbed treble hook deeply embedded in its right wing, along with several feet of monofilament fishing line wrapped around it.

Luckily, the staff included expert animal handlers who quickly stepped in to help.

They carefully snipped the hook's barb, removed the hook, and unwound the fishing line from the bird's wing. They also removed the cactus spines from its foot.

The entire operation took about 10 minutes, and biologists said the pelican remained surprisingly calm throughout the process.

"It must have known it was in good hands!" the organization shared on Facebook.

NOAA Fisheries Service

Once the fishing line and hook were removed and the bird received a clean bill of health, the pelican was ready to return to the wild.

It took to the sky, finally free from the painful fishing gear that had been weighing it down.

Whether the pelican intentionally sought out help or simply happened to find the right doorstep, one thing is certain: It couldn't have picked a better place to knock.