Though relatively small in scope, the oil spill that occurred west of the entrance to the San Francisco Bay last week requires a significant response from those rescuing wildlife, says Jonna Mazet, a veterinarian and the director of the UC Davis-based Oiled Wildlife Care Network. "We're out there looking for the birds on beaches from San Francisco to Monterey. We've taken in birds all along the coast," using the network's paid and volunteer searchers who scan for oil-coated birds both on the beach and from boats, Mazet said. The network is a cooperative system of specialized wildlife health centers operating at 21 sites along the California coast that coordinates the rescue of wildlife, evaluates treatment needs and removes toxic substances from the wildlife. The program is supported by the California Department of Fish and Game's Office of Spill Prevention and Response, and administered by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Wildlife Health Center. Mazet said she expects the searching for oiled birds -- most of which have been common murres and the endangered brown pelican -- will conclude early this week. As of late Monday, 74 live birds and 97 dead birds had been collected. Rehabilitation of the birds so they may be returned to their habitat will occur during the next 10 to 14 days, Mazet said. The birds first exposed to the spill end up with burns and require the most rehabilitation, she said. The network is using the Marine Wildlife Veterinary Care Research Center at UC Santa Cruz to care for the rescued birds. The current spill is the fourth time the network has used the Santa Cruz facility, Mazet said. "We've developed an efficient system. We know all the beaches we need to cover."