Little auks, the smallest of the Atlantic auks, regularly wash ashore during autumn and winter storms in a phenomenon known as wrecks, where exhausted birds are blown far inland and unable to take off from land.
Inland wreck birds experience exhaustion, dehydration, and hypothermia if not rescued promptly. They are unable to drink fresh water effectively and cannot take flight from flat ground, making self-rescue impossible. While individual wreck events may affect hundreds of birds, the welfare response requires rapid public reporting and collection by trained rehabilitators.