Baby bird rescued from drowning in tank of water

Scuba divers returning from a day on the water in Mexico returned to the dive shop and approached the tank where they rinse their scuba gear in fresh water. They were surprised to find that a young bird had somehow fallen into the tank and could not get out. This bird was exhausted and unable to fly. One of the divers reached into the tank and lifted it out gently. The bird struggled and flapped, obviously scared of the human. It did relax when it was finally picked up, but it tried to fly to freedom once it was carried out of the dive shop. The bird was too exhausted and likely too young to get liftoff and it collapsed on the sand a few feet away. The diver picked it up again and put it in a nearby tree, up and away from predators and people. The bird was content to sit on the branch with his wings out slightly, in order to dry off. He allowed a brief approach and the video shows his labored breathing and rapid heartbeat as he recuperates. This poor little fellow had been through quite an ordeal. A bird such as this one does not have waterproof feathers and wings, like a duck or a loon. When they fall into water, their feathers get waterlogged and heavy and they can't float as high on the surface. They are unable to take off in this condition and they flap helplessly until they eventually drown. In this case, everybody was relieved to see that this little guy was going to be okay after a little rest. Usually, non aquatic birds will avoid water tanks. This was the first time that this had happened, but it was clear that the tank would need to be drained when unattended for this reason.