PACIFIC SEABIRDS Volume 23 Number 1 Spring 1996 Dedicated To The Study And Conservation Of Pacific Seabirds And Their Environment The Pacific Seabird Group (PSG) was formed in 1972 out of a need for better communication among Pacific seabird researchers. The Group coordinates and stimulates the field activities of members involved in research and informs its members and the general public of conservation issues relating to Pacific seabirds and the ma- rine environment. Group meetings are held annually and the PSG publication. Pacific Seabirds (formerly the PSG Bulletin) is issued biannually. Current activities include involvement in seabird sanctuaries, coastal sur- veys seabird/fisheries interactions, and legislation. Policy statements are issued on conservation issues of criti- cal importance. Although PSG's primary area of interest is the west coast of North America and adjacent areas of the Pacific Ocean, it is hoped that seabird enthusiasts in other parts of the world will join and participate m PSG PSG is a member of the U. S. Section of the International Council for Bird Preservation. Annual dues for membership are $20 (individual and family); $13 (student, undergraduate and graduate); and $600 (Life Mem- bership, payable in six $100 installments). Dues are payable to the Treasurer (see Membership page for details and application). Pacific Seabirds Pacific Seabirds (ISSN pending) is published twice a year, in the spring and fall, and contains news of interest to PSG members including regional seabird research, conservation news, and abstracts of papers presented at the annual meeting. Pacific Seabirds is an outlet for the results of scientific research, as well as articles and shorter items on seabird conservation, seabird research activities, and other topics related to the objectives of PSG. All materials and should be submitted to the Editor, while conservation-related material should be sub- mitted to the Vice-Chair for Conservation. Back issues of the Bulletin or Pacific Seabirds may be ordered from the treasurer: please remit $2.50 each for issues of Vols.1-8 (1974-1981) and $5.00 each for issues of Vol. 9 and later (see Membership page for details and order form). Permanent Address Pacific Seabird Group Box 179/4505 University Way NE Seattle, WA 98105 Donations The Pacific Seabird Group is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of California. Con- Jbutions < I t, Paciffc Seabird Group qualify for tax deductions under IRC Section 501(c)(3). PACIFIC SEABIRDS A Publication of the Pacific Seabird Group Dedicated to the study and conservation of Pacific seabirds and their environment Volume 23 1996 Number 1 Forum 2 Conservation, Science And The Pacific Seabird Group Improving The Reliability Of Marbled Murrelet Surveys In Low Abundance Areas Articles . * - 5 A Suggestion To Replace The Term "Staging Area" With 'Gathering Ground"... PSG News . . - 6 PSG Served With Subpoena - Japan Seabird Report 1 997 Meeting Announcement, For Portland, Oregon Martha Springer Retires As Editor Charles Guiguet Receives Lifetime Achievement Award Regional Reports 1 1 Regional Summaries Of Completed, On-Going And Planned Activities Book Reviews 20 Ecology And Conservation Of The Marbled Murrelet Seabirds On Islands: Threats, Case Studies And Action Plans Abstracts - * 22 Abstracts Of Papers Presented At The Twenty Third Annual Meeting In Victoria, British Columbia Bulletin Board 58 Report Of The Secretary 62 Report Of The Treasurer 64 Publications 68 Symposia Of The Pacific Seabird Group Are Available Committee Coordinators 70 Life Members * 71 Membership Application/Order Form : 72 Executive Council 73 Pacific Seabirds ® Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 1 FORUM Conservation, Science And The Pacific Seabird Group When the Pacific Seabird Group was es- tablished, its founders coined the mission statement that still accompanies the logo on our letterhead and In Pacific Seabirds: "Dedicated to the Study and Conservation of Pacific Seabirds and Their Environ- ment." It is worth considering how these goals make PSG a unique organization, and also a powerful force for the ad- vancement of both causes. As we all know, there are many well- established ornithological societies with journals serving as respected outlets for the published results of solid, peer- reviewed science. Many volumes of these journals have for decades, and still do, contain important original research on many aspects of seabird biology. By bringing together the membership of PSG, there has resulted a long and signifi- cant series of published symposia and technical papers, clearly on a par with the "mainstream" journals. (Pacific Seabirds is also increasingly seeking and including purely scientific papers in the classic sense.) But PSG was not formed to com- pete with these other societies, but rather to provide more focus and opportunity for those interested in seabirds to communi- cate, collaborate, and cooperate in a somewhat more narrowly-defined area of avian science. This trend towards more the restrictively defined orientation of specialized groups is clearly a growing trend in ornithology, as evidenced by the formation of, for example, the Raptor Research Foundation, and a proliferation of even more specialized groups. If you need to be convinced of this, read the Meeting Announcements section of any issue of the Ornithological Newsletter. Yet, throughout the decades, the work of conserving natural resources has typi- cally been the province of a wide variety of "environmental" groups. For the most part, these organizations consist of con- cerned individuals, often the "general public," who somehow receive guidance from the academic community with re- gard to what species or ecosystems merit concern and protection. At the risk of offending the "pure" scientists among us, this scenario too often conjures up, for me, the image of Moses descending from on high with the Holy Tablets. Yet, to be fair, it is undeniable that conservation must be based on good science, and someone has to do that work. There are, however, a sizable number of scientists, both within PSG and orni- thological academia, who argue that "impartiality" must be maintained above all (i.e., don't get involved in conservation issues). By advocating a cause, they sug- gest, the door cracks open for suspicion of bias or conflict of interest. The image that haunts me with this argument is one of Nero fiddling while Rome bums. If we are capable and confident of the rigor of our science, why not should we, ostensi- bly the best informed, lead the effort to protect the life forms we study and are so important as components of complex ma- rine ecosystems. The need is undeniable. Most scientific societies grapple with this issue on some level or another. Many deal with the problem by passing conser- vation resolutions at annual meetings. Again, such actions are nevertheless often relevant, and are sometimes used by regulating agencies to buttress their stands on controversial issues. Important developments in recent years seem to be changing this still somewhat isolationist attitude within the scientific community. First, whole new organizations such as the Society for Con- servation Biology and the Society for Ecological Restoration are growing and gaining strength, with membership num- bers now exceeding some of the "old- line" societies. The very premise of these groups revolves around the concept that good science and conservation advocacy are not mutually exclusive, but do indeed go hand-in-hand. Also, the establishment of the Ornithological Council and the American Bird Conservancy (PSG be- longs to both) recognizes the necessity of rapid information transfer, the power of conservation alliances, and the reality of the political system. More power to them. The point of this discussion is that PSG deserves to, and should, take great pride in being a pioneer organization in the successful melding of good science and influential conservation efforts. Al- though PSG cannot and should not neces- sarily support individual political candi- dates or urge our members to vote one way or the other on specific issues, we do not hesitate to provide agencies or legis- lators with science-based recommenda- tions of great relevance to conservation. Read any PSG Conservation Committee report, or observe the success of the Mar- bled Murrelet Committee as prime exam- ples. Y ou, as a PSG member, can contribute to this success. Ask any Committee Tech- nical Coordinator or PSG officer how you can help. You will share the rewards and make a real difference. William T. Everett PSG Chair Endangered Species Recovery Council, Post Office Box 1085, La Jolla, California 92038 USA. Telephone: (619) 589- 0870, Facsimile: (619) 589-6983, e-mail: esrc@cts.com Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 2 FORUM Improving The Reliability Of Marbled Murrelet Surveys In Low Abundance Areas Each field season a great deal of time and money are spent surveying for Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus ) at inland sites in the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Seabird Group's (PSG) survey protocol (Ralph et al. 1994) is generally accepted as the best method to plan and conduct these surveys. Guidelines in this protocol help insure that murrelet observ- ers and the surveys they perform have a level of uniformity and quality which is higher than that for most other species. Failure to detect murrelets in potential timber harvest areas could have negative consequences for this threatened species. Murrelet survey results also can influence biologists' and manager's perceptions of habitat associations and inland distribu- tion, which can have far-reaching and long-lasting effects on a variety of man- agement activities. Given the considerable effort that goes into planning and executing surveys, and the potentially major implications that survey results can have, we believe that aspects relating to observer reliability deserve more attention. Our intention is not to denigrate observers; surveying for murrelets, especially in low abundance areas, can be quite challenging. Survey conditions often include poor lighting, dense vegetation, extremely early wake- ups, and a dawn chorus consisting of the calls and songs of a variety of other bird species. Marbled Murrelets themselves further complicate matters with their cre- puscular activity, cryptic plumage, 100 mph flight speeds, and secretive behavior near the nest. Add to this the possibility that observers may have attended a single murrelet training session, or be inexperi- enced field ornithologists, and the possi- bility of either false negative or false positive detections becomes apparent. Here we offer some suggestions for assessing and improving the reliability of survey results in areas of low murrelet abundance or absence, such as far- in land sites. Observers working in these areas may not have the benefit of reinforcing their murrelet search-image with periodic detections. Ironically, surveys in these low abundance areas therefore require a greater skill level than do surveys at higher abundance sites. Some of our sug- gestions are drawn from the experience of the birdwatching community, who accept the concept that observers, even the best qualified and most experienced, can make mistakes, and that not all reports of un- common or extralimital birds are reliable. Persons interested in rare bird records have been known to go to great lengths to assess their reliability. We suggest that biologists adopt a similar critical ap- proach to the evaluation of murrelet de- tections when they occur at unexpected locations. We emphasize evaluation of possible false positive detections; evalua- tion of possible false negative detections is problematic. For low abundance areas, improved observer training and qualifications are necessary. Observers should be fully competent with the aural and visual iden- tification of all other bird species which may be encountered during surveys. Not knowing the other species will result in observers attempting to look and listen through the other bird activity, rather than processing everything and picking out any Marbled Murrelets. Unfortunately, re- quiring all observers to be expert field ornithologists is unrealistic given the time required (i.e., years) to attain these skills and the large number of observers needed each field season. An alternate approach is to require observers to be fully compe- tent with the identification of those spe- cies which can be confused with mur- relets. We also support the suggestion by Ralph et al. (1994) that observers working in low abundance areas should periodi- cally revisit areas of high abundance in order to refamiliarize themselves with murrelet identification. Other improve- ments in training such as more training and evaluation time at sites with different levels of murrelet activity (K. Nelson, pers. comm.) also should be considered. The experience and credibility of ob- servers reporting unusual detections should be appraised (Contreras 1994). In addition to PSG evaluation results, factors to be considered should include observer scores during general bird identification field tests, other relevant education, training, and experience, and the opinions of past trainers and evaluators. Post- detection interviews with observers should also be conducted and docu- mented. While determining observer credibility can be a difficult and uncom- fortable process, the stakes are high enough to warrant scrutiny. Observer moral can suffer if evaluations are not conducted with some degree of sensitiv- ity. It should also be noted that numerous years of surveying for murrelets in areas with very few or no detections may not substantially improve observer skill, compared to experience with land bird point counts or murrelet surveys in high detection areas. Detailed documentation (e.g., Dittmann and Lasley 1 992), in addition to that called for in the PSG protocol, should be submitted and archived. Documenta- tion should include a written narrative of exactly what was seen or heard and why it was not a similar species, conditions at the time of the observation, and informa- tion on the observer. A list of all species detected can be illuminating when follow- up visits record confusing species that were missed on the original detection day. Sketches can be useful. Copies of origi- nal field notes, which are written immedi- ately after the survey but before discus- sions with others, should also be included. If tape recorders are used, cassette tapes should also be submitted. Adequate documentation on file also provides later workers with an opportunity to review these detections. Observers should document detections in such a way that persons reading their report in the future, with no direct knowledge of the observer, can be convinced that they actually de- tected a murrelet. Our evaluation of one well documented far-inland detection revealed that the observer saw what ap- peared to be a murrelet in basic plumage j Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 3 FORUM in late July. While possible, we consider this unlikely enough to warrant further scrutiny of this detection. Biologists and managers should con- sider convening committees of knowl- edgeable individuals to evaluate (i.e., ac- cept, reject, or designate as "possible") noteworthy Marbled Murrelet detections. This process could be similar to that em- ployed by the various Bird Record Com- mittees around the country (Roberson 1990, Patten et al. 1995). Things to con- sider would include what was seen or heard, conditions at the time, observer background, and the context of the obser- vation. Every effort should be made to keep agency and personal politics out of this process. One example of what should be avoided in evaluating detections is the premise that a record should be accepted because it may help protect murrelet habitat. This philosophy has no bearing on whether a given detection is reliable or not. Furthermore, it can result in false expectations being placed on areas that have no conservation value for murrelets. This could harm not only the murrelet, but the credibility of wildlife profession- als. We believe that a conservative man- agement approach should be taken with areas of unconfirmed or potential murrelet use. However, this consideration should not be part of the process of evaluating detections. Further reliability in murrelet survey results may be attained by conducting prompt and thorough follow-up surveys at sites with questionable or unexpected detections. Follow-up visits should only be conducted by highly skilled field or- nithologists. Potentially biased observers should not be used. Follow-up efforts should be rigorous; given the huge dollar value of the timber and the declining status of the species, weekly surveys (or more) over the course of several full sea- sons should not be considered excessive. Consideration should also be given to expanding the survey area to encompass other likely stands. When planning sur- vey projects, budgets should allow for these additional follow-up surveys. We agree with S. Courtney and others (pers. comm.) that failure to detect murrelets on follow-up visits does not provide une- quivocal evidence that murrelets were not actually present. When follow-up efforts fail to detect murrelets, proper evaluation of the original detection becomes even more important. References Contreras, A. 1994. Observer repu- tation and rare-bird records. Birding 26:200-202. Dittmann, D.L. and G.W. Lasley. 1992. How to document rare birds. Birding 24:145-159. Patten, M.A., S.E. Finnegan, and P.E. Lehman. 1995. Seventeenth report of the California Bird Records Committee: 1991 records. Western Birds 26:113- 143. Ralph, C.J., S.K. Nelson, M.M. Shaughnessy, S.L. Miller, and T.E. Hamer. 1 994. Methods for surveying for Marbled Murrelets in forests: a protocol for land management and research. Pa- cific Seabird Group, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, Areata, CA. Roberson, D. 1 990. North American bird records committees. Birding 22276- 285. John E. Hunter , USDA Forest Service, Six Rivers National Forest, 1330 Bay- shore Way, Eureka, CA 95501. Ron Le Valley, Mad River Biologists, P.O. Box 3020, McKinleyville, CA 95519. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 4 ARTICLE A Suggestion To Replace The Term "Staging Area" With "Gathering Ground" When Applied To Gatherings Of Seabirds Close To Their Colonies The term "staging area" has been applied to areas at sea where seabirds, especially those that visit their colonies at night, for- gather to socialize during the breeding sea- son (e.g. Sealy 1976, Drost and Lewis 1995). I would like to suggest that the use of this term be discontinued in this context, for two reasons: 1) "staging area" has for long been applied to areas where migrant birds routinely stop to feed during their transit between summer and winter quar- ters. This usage is much more common than its seabird application. It could be applied to areas used by seabirds on migra- tion, although such areas are not usually sufficiently discrete to be so distinguished. 2) the word "staging" bears the connotation of being a stage on the journey from one place to another; a necessary halt between origin and destination. The marine areas adjacent to colonies and used by seabirds for socializing are not equivalent to staging areas of migrants in that they are not necessarily used for rest and feeding and they do not necessarily constitute stepping stones from the feeding area to the colony, except in terms of time. In the case of the Ancient Murrelet {Synthliboramphus cmtiquus) and probably other alcids, they are used mainly for so- cializing and not all of the birds present on a given day will visit the adjacent colony that night, or even that year. Nor will birds visiting the colony on a given night always pause on the sea before landing (Gaston 1992). In order to distinguish socializing areas adjacent to seabird colonies from the stag- ing areas of migrants, it seems desirable to have a separate term. Lockley (1942) used the term "assembly" for the gatherings of Manx Shearwaters ( Puffinus puffinus) off their colonies, and Brooke (1990) used the modified (and perhaps tongue-in-cheek) "expectant assemblages,", as well as the common "raft." However, these terms were applied to the actual flocks of birds, rather than the locality in which they as- sembled. I have named those areas used by An- cient Murrelets in the breeding season for socializing in the early morning and even- ing, "gathering grounds" (Gaston 1992). The term "gathering," with its connotation of positive socialization, emphasises the fact that attendance at such areas has an important function in itself for courtship and display; birds are not simply in a holding area awaiting the onset of dark- ness. The term is self-explanatory and hence unlikely to lead to confusion over meaning. 1 suggest that it be extended to cover all such social gathering areas used by seabirds during the breeding season (e.g. areas used by murres [Uria spp.], and puffins [Fratercula spp.] just offshore of their breeding sites). References Brooke, M. de L. 1990. The Manx Shearwater. T. and A.D. Poyser, London. Drost, C.A., And D.B. Lewis. 1995. Xantus' Murrelet {Synthliboramphus hy- poleucus). In The Birds of North America, No. 164 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia and American Or- nithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. Gaston, A.J. 1992. The Ancient Mur- relet. T. & A.D. Poyser, London. Lockley, R.M. 1942. Shearwaters. J.M. Dent, London Sealy, S.G. 1976. Biology of nesting Ancient Murrelets. Condor 78: 294-306. Anthony J. Gaston , Canadian Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Research Cen- tre, 100 Gamelin Blvd., Hull, Quebec, Canada K1 A 0H3 Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 5 PSG NEWS PSG Served With Subpoena PSG has been served a subpoena in a law suit brought by Scott Timber Company against the federal government. The sub- poena was served on Jan Hodder on April 8, 1996 in her capacity as an officer of PSG. It asks for all documents that PSG has in its possession related to Marbled Murrelets and their habitat. This is a first for PSG. PSG is not a party to the law suit. PSG has only been asked to provide in- formation that PSG may have in its pos- session that might affect the outcome of the litigation. When Pacific Seabirds went to press, PSG was in the process of responding to the subpoena and clarifying with the attorneys for Scott Timber Com- pany which files should be searched. Several members of PSG's Executive Council and the Marbled Murrelet Tech- nical Committee are cooperating in this effort. Scott Timber Company, which oper- ates in Oregon, filed suit against the USA in the U.S. Claims Court in Washington, D.C. This court has jurisdiction for claims of money damages against the USA. Apparently, Scott Timber Com- pany asserts that it lost over $9 million when several of its lease sales to log For- est Service lands were canceled after the Marbled Murrelet was listed as a threat- ened species. This notice is to alert PSG members of this development, and to clarify that PSG has not been sued by Scott Timber Com- pany. PSG will act in a professional and rational manner with regard to the sub- poena. Craig S. Harrison Japan Seabird Conservation Koji Ono and John Fries have been appointed as joint coordinators of the JSSC, replacing acting coordinator Harry Carter. Fries (who is conducting graduate work at the University of California Davis) has recently moved to Japan for the next two years with a visiting re- searcher scholarship from the government of Japan. He will join Ono at Toho Uni- versity in Chiba Prefecture (near Tokyo) and both will be working in the lab of Dr. Hiroshi Hasegawa. Both Ono and Fries can be reached at: Laboratory for Marine Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho Uni- versity (see Committee List for details). Ono can also be reached by email at the Japan Alcid Society (kojiono@gol.com). A special symposium titled “International Seabird Forum 1996" will be held in Haboro-cho, Hokkaido, Japan, on 29-30 June 1996. Sponsors are the city government and Board of Education of Haboro-cho, with additional support from the Japan Environment Agency, Japan Wild Bird Society and several newspapers and television stations. This meeting will increase national and inter- national awareness of Teuri Island and its seabirds, a Japanese national treasure and the world’s largest Rhinoceros Auklet colony. On 29 June, invited speakers will give presentations on Teuri Island’s sea- birds (Yutaka Watanuki, Institute of Ap- plied Zoology, Hokkaido University), interactions between man and seabirds (Haruo Ogi, Research Institute of North Pacific Fisheries, Hokkaido University), seabird conservation in Washington (Lora Leschner, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, past chair of PSG), seabird research in the Canadian arctic (Tony Gaston, Canadian Wildlife Serv- ice), and seabird restoration in Maine (Steve Kress, National Audubon Society). Following talks, participants will take the ferry to Teuri Island. On 30 June, a panel discussion will be held on the island to I address local and other methods of pro- tecting seabirds at Teuri Island, including Nariko Oka (Yamashina Institute for Or- nithology) and Takaki Terasawa (Teuri Island Nature Photographer). Several j other PSG members also will attend, in- ! eluding Koji Ono, John Fries, Kuniko Otsuki, Kim and Will Nelson, and Tom Hamer. Following this symposium from 1-6 : July 1996, a group of researchers organ- j ized by the Japan Alcid Society (including Japanese researchers Koji Ono, Kuniko Otsuki, Yoshihiro Fukuda, Yasuhiro Ka- wasaki, Mihoko Sato, Takeo Akama and North American researchers John Fries, Tom Hamer, Kim and Will Nelson, Lora Leschner, and Tony Gaston) will leave for the Shiretoko Peninsula in northeastern Hokkaido, winter home of the Steller’s Sea Eagle. This expedition will attempt to confirm breeding by the Asiatic Mar- bled Murrelet ( Brachyramphus mar- moratus perdix ) in either old-growth for- ests or alpine areas which occur near the ocean in this area. The Japan Alcid Society will be holding their annual meeting on 13 July 1996 at Toho University in Chiba Pre- fecture. Hiroshi Hasegawa (Toho Univer- sity; active in seabird research and con- servation in Japan, especially related to the Short-tailed Albatross on Torishima for over 20 years) and Tony Gaston (Canadian Wildlife Service) will conduct presentations of their work. Much discussion has occurred about the scope of this committee and whether it should expand to cover other countries in eastern Asia. While the rapid advance in seabird research and conservation in Ja- pan justifies a separate committee to focus on Japan, it is also important to expand efforts in other nearby countries. Mal- colm Coulter has contributed significantly to these discussions. Harry R . Carter, Past Acting Coordina- tor, The Japanese Seabird Conservation Committee Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 6 1997 ANNUAL MEETING IN PORTLAND, OREGON “ PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP PSG NEWS TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL MEETING PORTLAND, OREGON 8-12 JANUARY 1997 The 1997 Annual Meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group will be held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Portland, the Rose City , from 8-12 January 1997. The meeting will include plenary and special paper ses- sions that focus on the health and ecology of the near- shore ecosystem (tentative title). A meeting an- nouncement, with registration materials and a call for papers, will be mailed in early September 1996. Deadlines for abstracts and registration will be 1 Oc- tober and 1 November 1996, respectively. If you have any questions please contact: Daily Schedule Wednesday 8 January Preconference meetings - open to everyone Executive Council Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee Seabird Monitoring Other committees Welcome reception in evening Thursday 9 January Plenary session morning Paper sessions afternoon Evening reception Local Committee Chairs: Dave Renwald , Bureau of Indian Affairs, 91 1 NE 1 1th Ave., Portland, OR 97232 or Martin Nugent , Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, P.O. Box 59, Port- land, OR 97207. Registration Chair: Tara Zimmerman , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 91 1 NE 11th Ave., Portland, OR 97232. Program Chair: S. Kim Nelson , Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331. Friday 10 January Paper sessions morning and afternoon Poster session evening Saturday 11 January Paper sessions morning Committee meetings in afternoon Executive Council Conservation Committee Other committees Business meeting Evening banquet Sunday 12 January Field trips morning and afternoon Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 7 PSG NEWS Martha Springer Retires As Editor Of Pacific Seabirds Pacific Seabird Group DEDICATED TO THE STUDY AND CONSERVATION OF PACIFIC SEABIRDS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT 1708 Marmot Hill Road Fairbanks, Alaska 99709 Dear Martha, On behalf of the Elected Officers, Executive Council, and the whole of the membership of the Pacific Seabird Group, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks for your selfless service as Editor. Although your presence (in Fairbanks) has not been conspicuous to most, your hard work putting together the PSG Bulletin and Pacific Seabirds from 1 992 through 1 995 is obvious for all to peruse and appreciate. In many respects, the job of Editor is one of the most difficult in the organization. Likewise, it is also clearly one of the most important. Less than half our membership typically attend annual meetings, but we all have received and read the product of your patient and dedicated efforts. Pacific Seabirds has grown and vastly improved under your stewardship. You have set the stage and standard for further growth and recognition for our annual publications. We hope you take great pride in your service and the professionalism you have lent to PSG. As with the work of any scientific editor, the legacy of your gift of precious time will last as part of our collective permanent record. Passing the Editorial torch to Steve Speich will, without a doubt, take a while to complete. We hope you remain involved with PSG for a long time on whatever level your commitments will allow. I trust and hope that your experience as Editor was as enriching for you as it was for all of us. With best regards and wishes. Ms. Martha Springer 2 April 1996 William T. Everett, Chair Pacific Seabird Group Pacific Seabirds * Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 8 PSG NEWS Charles Joseph Guiguet: Recipient Of PSG Lifetime Achievement Award Charles J. Guiguet (PSG Lifetime Achievement Award reciepent, right) and Mark J. Rauzon (PSG Chair), Victoria, B.C., 1 1 November 1995. Photo by John N. Fries On 1 1 November 1995 at the joint meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group (PSG) and the Colonial Waterbird Society (CWS) in Victoria, British Columbia (B.C.), Charles Joseph Guiguet was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by PSG. At the pres- entation, Guiguet’ s many achievements were summarized and a 1950 film called “Nature’s Outpost - Triangle Island” was shown which captured Guiguet studying sea- birds in the field. Guiguet was a pioneer vertebrate biologist in B.C. and served as biologist and curator of the Birds and Mammals Division at the B.C. Provincial Museum (BCPM; now the Royal B.C. Museum) from 1948-1980. His efforts to better determine the distribution of birds and mammals in B.C. led him to remote coastal areas where his collections and observations in the 1940s and 1950s led to the discovery and first insights into the vast populations of breeding seabirds in B.C., mostly hidden on isolated, forested islands shrouded in mist. He further con- ducted some of the earliest studies of the Marbled Murrelet, a seabird which nests in old-growth forests threatened by log- ging, and produced a widely-respected series of BCPM handbooks on the “Birds of B.C.” At the end of World War II in 1945, Guiguet (at age 30) returned to Vancou- ver, B.C., after distinguished service in Europe for the Canadian and Royal Air Forces. He returned to zoological studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC) where he had previously been as- sociated with Professor Ian McTaggart- Cowan. In 1948, he was hired as a biolo- gist by the BCPM in Victoria, B.C. Ef- forts to study birds and mammals had waned at the BCPM during the war, and since McTaggart-Cowan’s departure from the BCPM to UBC in 1940. Guiguet was to build the bird and mammal collections and expand the knowledge of the verte- brate fauna of B.C., beyond the then re- cent “Review of the Bird Fauna of British Columbia” by Munro and Cowan (1947). In 1946-1947, 1952 and 1959, he trav- elled to the remote Queen Charlotte Is- lands, at times with his wife Muriel or McTaggart-Cowan, to collect island- endemic birds and mammals for the UBC and BCPM collections. He became well acquainted with naturalist Ronald Stewart at Massett. In 1948-1949, he travelled to the desolate Goose Islands, off the north mainland coast, where he completed his UBC Master’s studies (Guiguet 1953) and worked closely with biologist Pat Martin. In 1949-1950, Guiguet travelled with BCPM biologists G. Clifford Carl, George Hardy, and Frank Beebe to investigate the Scott Island Group, including Triangle Island off the northwestern tip of Van- couver Island (Carl et al. 1951). In these and other coastal areas, often alone and with little support, Guiguet spent much time discovering and investi- gating the extensive populations of sea- birds breeding on remote B.C. islands which we now know hold most of the world’s Ancient Murrelets, Cassin’s Auklets and Rhi- noceros Auklets. His collections and field notes were used extensively in the “Catalogue of British Columbia Sea-bird Colonies” by Drent and Guiguet (1961). While UBC Profes- sor Rudy Drent and his students were conducting detailed studies of seabirds at Mandarte Island and other nearby Gulf Islands, in- formation for the rest of the prov- ince’s vast coasts was available almost entirely from the widely-traveled Guiguet. For many is- lands and species, Guiguet had noted ei- ther the first nesting in the province or provided the first verification and de- scription of nesting since early records by egg collectors at the turn of the century (Guiguet 1950a, 1971; Drent and Guiguet 1961; Campbell et al. 1990). The “Catalogue” was the forerunner of large- scale efforts since the 1 960s to document and monitor seabird colonies in B.C. and along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California. Guiguet’ s notes also have been used extensively by Campbell et al. (1990) and Rodway (1991) in their sum- mations of the known history of seabird colonies in B.C. Guiguet also became enthralled with the little known Marbled Murrelet during collecting trips in the Queen Charlotte Islands and he observed these mysterious birds throughout B.C. coastal waters and flying inland over forested areas. He also collated data from other observers to pro- duce several important articles, including a famous one titled “The Enigma of the Pacific” (Guiguet 1956). In these articles, he provided many clues for future re- searchers to discover inland nesting in old-growth forests, including observations of nests, eggs collected from oviducts, Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 * Spring 1996 • Page 9 PSG NEWS and discoveries of downy young and fledglings at inland localities. In retro- spect, Guiguet reported the first tree nest of a Marbled Murrelet in the world, based on the discovery by Walter Feyer of an adult and broken eggshells in a felled hemlock near Masset in 1953. Guiguet’ s observations and papers were instrumen- tal in the original deductions that Marbled Murrelets nest primarily in old-growth forests (Guiguet 1950b, 1971, Sealy and Carter 1984). This assertion has fueled the recent (since the late 1 980s) onslaught of research on Marbled Murrelets to fully demonstrate this fact and to congeal our concerns about the effects of logging on this species all along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California. From 1954-1983, Guiguet produced a series of 10 BCPM handbooks on the birds of B.C. In addition, he co-authored the extensive and well-known handbook on the “Mammals of B.C.” with McTag- gart-Cowan (Cowan and Guiguet 1956). Together, these handbooks provided a more complete coverage of the natural history and distribution of seabirds (Guiguet 1957, 1972), waterfowl (Guiguet 1958), shorebirds (Guiguet 1955) and other birds (see citations in Campbell et al. 1990), based in his own intimate understanding of wildlife from decades of collecting and observing. Even today, these handbooks are used widely by both birdwatchers and experi- enced researchers, often providing im- portant data on little known aspects of natural history. For many decades, these handbooks filled the gap between Munro and Cowan (1947) and Campbell et al. (1990), other large summaries of infor- mation on birds in B.C. In 1969, Guiguet oversaw the transi- tion of the Birds and Mammals Division of the B.C. Provincial Museum from the cramped quarters in the east wing of the Parliament Buildings to their current structure and site next door. He hired many biologists, including R. Wayne Campbell (later the lead author for the recent amazing compendium on the “Birds of B.C.” [Campbell et al. 1990]), and oversaw the expanded division during the 1970s which conducted many expedi- tions to better understand the bird and mammal fauna of B.C. , including the first complete surveys of seabird colonies in B.C. in 1975-1977. He strongly influ- enced the lives and careers of many col- leagues and budding biologists during his tenure. Guiguet retired in 1 980 and, with wife Muriel and their extended family, leads an active life in Victoria. The Guiguets are well known for their fishing prowess. Charles’ classic wooden boat The Pride of the Fleet , which had a com- mercial license for many years, still plies the waters of Oak Bay as it has for over 45 years. Space constraints prevent a complete description of this remarkable individual’s life and overall contributions to the knowledge of birds and mammals in B.C. Refer to Campbell et al. (1990) for a re- cent citation list for Guiguet’s many pub- lications. Mortimore (1954) provides other important details on Guiguet’s life. This brief summary on his contributions related to seabirds has benefitted from the comments and efforts of R.W. Campbell, M. Lambert, I. McTaggart-Cowan, and E. Taylor. Charles and Muriel Guiguet pro- vided many important details. References Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, J.M. Cooper, G.W. Kaiser, and M.C.E. McNall. 1990. The Birds of British Columbia. Volume 1. Nonpasserines - Introduction, Loons through Waterfowl. Volume II. Nonpas- serines - Diurnal birds of prey through woodpeckers. Royal B.C. Museum, Vic- toria, B.C. Carl, G.C., C.J. Guiguet, and G.A. Hardy. 1951. Biology of the Scott Island Group, British Columbia. Pp. 21-63. In Provincial Museum of Natural History and Anthropology Report for the year 1950, Victoria, B.C. Cowan, I. McT., and C.J. Guiguet. 1956. The Mammals of British Colum- bia. B.C. Provincial Museum Handbook No. 1 1, Victoria, B.C. Drent, R.H., and C.J. Guiguet. 1961. A Catalogue of British Columbia Sea-bird Colonies. B.C. Provincial Museum, Oc- casional Paper No. 12, Victoria, B.C. Guiguet, C.J. 1 950a. Notes on Com- mon Murres nesting in British Columbia. Murrelet 31: 12-13. Guiguet, C.J. 1950b. The Marbled Murrelet. Victoria Naturalist 7; 37-39. Guiguet, C.J. 1953. An ecological study of Goose Island, British Columbia, with special reference to mammals and birds. B.C. Provincial Museum Occa- sional Paper No. 10, Victoria, B.C. Guiguet, C.J. 1955. The birds of British Columbia: (3) The shorebirds. B.C. Provincial Museum Handbook No. 8, Victoria, B.C. Guiguet, C.J. 1956. Enigma of the Pacific. Audubon Magazine 58: 164-167, 174. Guiguet, C.J. 1957. The birds of British Columbia: (5) Gulls, terns, jaegers and skua. B.C. Provincial Museum Handbook No. 13, Victoria, B.C. Guiguet, C.J. 1958. The birds of British Columbia: (6) Waterfowl. B.C. Provincial Museum Handbook No. 15, Victoria, B.C. Guiguet, C.J. 1971. A list of the sea- bird nesting sites in Barkley Sound, Brit- ish Columbia. Syesis 4: 253-259. Guiguet, C.J. 1972. The birds of British Columbia: (9) Diving birds and tube-nosed swimmers. B.C. Provincial Museum Handbook No. 29, Victoria, B.C. Mortimore, G.E. 1954. This week’s profile. Colonist Magazine (31 January 1954; Victoria, B.C.): 1,12, Munro, J.A., and I. McT. Cowan. 1947. A Review of the Bird Fauna of British Columbia. B.C. Provincial Mu- seum, Special Publication No. 2, Victoria, B.C. Rodway, M.S. 1991. Status and con- servation of breeding seabirds in British Columbia. Pp. 43-102. ]n J.P. Croxall (Ed.). Seabird status and conservation: a supplement. ICBP Tech. Publ. No. 11, Cambridge, U.K. Sealy, S.G., and H.R. Carter. 1984. At-sea distribution and nesting habitat of the Marbled Murrelet in British Colum- bia: problems in the conservation of a solitarily nesting seabird. Pp. 737-756. In J.P. Croxall, P.G.H. Evans, and R.W. Schreiber (Eds.). Status and conservation of the world’s seabirds. ICBP Tech. Publ. No. 2, Cambridge, U.K. Harry Carter , National Biological Serv- ice, California Science Center, 6924 Tre- mont Road, Dixon, California 95620 Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 10 REGIONAL REPORTS Canada Pacific Coast phe Wildlife Chair at Simon Fraser Uni- versity (Fred Cooke and Doug Bertram), continues to be very active, with the third field season at Triangle Island already un- derway. Hugh Knechtel is running the camp this year, as well as working on an M.Sc. involving relating chick growth strategies/pattems in Cass in’s Auklets to phenotypic variation in adults (eg. adult body size) and measures of parental quality using 'conventional' quality measures (eg. mass, structural size) and ’novel’ methods (eg. blood parameters, parasite load). He will also be looking at potential covariation between parental provisioning ability and quality per se using cross-fostering. He will also examine molt-breeding overlap of Cassin’s Auklet parents and its conse- quences for chick growth. The usual work on banding of Rhinoceros Auklets and Tufted Puffins will continue and Julia Parish will continue observing murre re- productive success and behaviour. In par- allel with this study, Anne Harfenist of the Canadian Wildlife Service will continue work on the demography of Cassin’s Auk- lets at Frederick Island and the Laskeek Bay Conservation Society will also monitor Cassin’s Auklets at Reef pairs). Gary Kaiser completed the planned eradication of rats from Langara Island last fall and we were ready to declare a victory. However, in February, a follow-up team found evidence of further rat activity in the area of the Ancioent Murrelet colony. A team including Anne, Gary and John El- liot from the C.W.S. office in Delta will return to the island in April, hopefully to complete the job. Elsewhere in Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), the monitoring and control of raccoons contin- ues, with the involvement of Parks Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Service and the B.C. Parks Service. Last September, Anne Harfenist and others visited Helgesen Is- land and shot all but one of the resident raccoons. A party equipped with raccoon dogs was scheduled to visit the island in March, and we hope that they can remove any remaining raccoons. This colony of Rhinoceros Auklets, Cassin’s Auklets and Ancient Murrelets was reduced by about 80% between 1986 and 1993. We hope that a sustained campaign against the rac- coons will halt these declines. Tony Gas- ton, CWS and the Laskeek Bay Conser- vation Society found no evidence of rac- coons on East Limestone island this spring and we are hoping for another raccoon-free season at that much-diminished colony. Activities relating to Marbled Murrelets continue in British Columbia. A long-term collaborative research project on Marbled Murrelets continues in Desolation Sound, B.C. in 1996. Gary Kaiser (CWS), Fred Cooke, Tony Williams, Doug Bertram, Wendy Beauchamp (Simon Fraser Uni- versity/CWS Cooperative Wildlife Re- search Chair) and Kathy Martin (CWS/UBC) are coordinating studies of population demography and genetics, re- productive physiology and marine and nesting habitat use. Two SFU graduate students are also involved: Irene Manley, an M.Sc. student with Alton Harestad, will continue a study of nesting habitat selection and Cecilia Betart- court-Lougheed, co-supervised by Fred Cooke and Doug Bertram, will begin an M.Sc. project on marine habitat use and movement patterns of murrelets. In 1 995, 198 Marbled Murrelets were captured and 8 nests were found in high elevation old-growth. Since 1991, 398 individuals in this population have been banded. Aerial telemetry of radio-tagged birds to locate nests and track movements of individuals will continue in 1996. Gary Kaiser will establish a study site in the Queen Char- lotte Islands and begin an intensive capture and banding project. This will allow future comparisons of a population from an area where habitat is less fragmented by forestry to a population in Desolation Sound where logging has been more intense. Alan Burger, Biology Dept. University of Victoria will continue to study seabird distribution over the continental shelf off southwestern Vancouver in 1996, com- paring densities and species composition with physical and biological oceanic fea- tures. Marine transects to census Marbled Murrelets will continue year-round in Bar- kley Sound, and through the breeding sea- son along the West Coast Trail. Over 2000 Marbled Murrelets have been regularly recorded along this 66 km stretch of open coast in the past two years. Long-term monitoring of inland activities of Marbled Murrelets continues in the Car- manah-Walbran watersheds adjacent to this coast. In a collaborative project with Trudy Chatwin (BC Ministry of Envi- ronment, Lands and Parks) we will use radar, along with the standard Marbled Murrelet protocol to inventory Marbled Murrelets in a range of watersheds in Clayoquot Sound. Gail Davoren (M.Sc.) will be doing her second season of research on Rhinoceros Auklets at and around the Seabird Rocks colony. The project involves comparing feeding rates and meal sizes at the colony with adult activities and distri- bution at sea, in order to assess the effects of variable prey distribution on breeding success and parental time budgets. Mi- chelle Masselink is starting a M.Sc. project on the impacts of Steller’s Jays as potential predators of Marbled Murrelets on south- western Vancouver Island. Atlantic And Arctic Coasts The CWS Seabird Committee met at Quebec City on 11-12 March 1 996 to con- sider several issues related to seabird con- servation in Canada. Although the com- mittee is small and has no decision-making powers it provides advice to senior CWS management. It has achieved a few modest successes, most notably, last year, in pur- suading the government to prevent the de- velopment of a hotel resort on Bird Rocks, an important seabird colony in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Gilles Chapdelaine re- ported on Razorbill conservation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence; public awareness initiatives and the results of banding. The population is currently expanding, but hunting in Newfoundland remains a threat (Razorbills are shot in mistake for murres, which can be legally hunted and continued close monitoring is essential). Further Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 1 1 REGIONAL REPORTS _ banding at colonies in Labrador would be desirable. Recently, a seabird community monitoring project has been undertaken in the Gulf of St. Lawrence: four study sites have been selected, and species of interest will be Double-crested Cormorants, terns, large gulls and Razorbills. Diet, chick- growth and population size will be moni- tored. John Chardine presented the proof of a brochure being produced to educate murre hunters about razorbills, particularly how to distinguish between them and mur- res. He also reported on seabird breeding performance in Newfoundland: reduced breeding success of Black-legged Kitti- wakes in recent years appears to be due to: i) heavy predation of eggs by Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls; ii) loss of syn- chrony between kittiwake hatching and capelin arrival; and iii) changes in the At- lantic ecosystem, resulting in smaller cape- lin that are distributed differently. On the bright side, murres and puffins have been doing well in Newfoundland in recent years. Grant Gilchrist, now employed as a seabird biologist in Yellowknife, NWT, talked about gull research in NWT. Most research in the new territory of Nunavut, where Inuit form a majority, seems likely to be directed at important food species, especially eiders, but some work on gulls will be undertaken to monitor important populations (e.g Sabine’s Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Kumlien’s Gull, Ivory Gull). Grant will also continue studies of Glaucous Gull populations and behaviour at Coats Island, in conjunction with Tony Gaston’s Thick- billed Murre project The Cooperative Wildlife Chair at Si- mon Fraser University now has its counter- part on the east coast in the form of ACW- ERN (Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecol- ogy Research Network). Both the senior chair, Tony Diamond (University of New Brunswick) and the junior chair, Ian Jones, (at Memorial University, New- foundland) have several projects on sea- birds, of which the most important is Ian’s plan to open up a multi-species study on auks at Gannet Islands, Labrador. This will begin in May and will involve Mark Hipfner (ex-Coats Island, who will con- tinue studies of egg formation and chick growth in auks). The initial intention of the programme is to evaluate changes that have occurred since the work done by Tim Birkhead and David Nettleship in the early 1980s. is proposing, and how they may tie in with CWS programs and objec- tives (handout available upon request). Tony Gaston recently evaluated the results of monitoring Thick-billed Murres at colonies in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. This study suggests that the colonies at Prince Leopold Island and Coats Island have increased slightly over the past two decades, while that at Digges Island has remained stable. Information is still very fragmentary, despite a lot of effort. Tony Lock discussed where should we be going with the offshore seabird distribution data- base initiated by Dick Brown in the 1960s. The data has now been made available for use on PCs and can be output in a variety of ways. Tony hopes to expand the use of this valuable resource. Birgit Braune talked about the results of toxic chemical monitoring in seabirds to date. Surveys of several species in the Arctic in 1993 showed that, while DDT levels have fallen since the 1970s (not surprisingly), PCBs have not. Northern California The second annual California Seabird Research Coordination Workshop was held on 24 January 1 996 at the offices of the Gulf of the Farallones National Ma- rine Sanctuary (GFNMS) in San Fran- cisco. The workshop was hosted by the GFNMS and chaired by Bill Sydeman (PRBO) and Jan Roletto (GFNMS). The workshop, initiated in 1 995 in an effort to keep seabird biologists appraised of each other’s research, was attended by twenty- six biologists from throughout the state. Topics of discussion included extensive population monitoring (regional sur- veys); intensive population monitoring (demographics); at-sea and beached bird surveys; threatened, endangered and can- didate species; physical and chemical pollutants; and restoration projects. A summary of the meeting (pertaining to research conducted in northern and cen- tral California) follows below. Extensive Population Monitoring: Re- gional Surveys Coastal Harry Carter (NBS) reported that funding for aerial censuses of seabird colonies conducted by USFWS/NBS has ended and no money exists for analysis photos from previous years. However, Mike Parker and colleagues (USFWS/SFBNWR) will continue aerial surveys of Common Murre and Brandt’s Cormorant colonies in northern and cen- tral California utilizing funds provided by the Apex Houston settlement. Negotia- tions are currently underway to have PRBO provide correction factors (for the , COMU censuses) from Southeast Farallon Island (SEFI), as they have done in previ- ous years. In addition, USFWS/SFBNWR will develop correc- tion factors from nearshore colonies at Point Reyes National Seashore and along the Big Sur coast. Mike Bonnell (UCSC) pointed out the existence of a large data- base from the 1970's containing over 25,000 aerial photographs of colonies from Oregon to Mexico. Censuses of burrow nesting seabirds in central and northern California are cur- rently limited to Ano Nuevo Island and S.E. Farallon Island (PRBO). Don Croll (USCS) observed that these species are often neglected in region-wide surveys. A discussion regarding the cross- calibration of aerial and boat surveys for Marbled Murrelets took place. The con- sensus was that cross-calibration is neces- sary, however funding for this type of work is limited. David Ainley (H.T. Harvey and Associates) suggested that the Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Re- sponse (OSPR - CDFG) provide funding for cross-calibration research. Paul Kelly (OSPR) responded that a collaborative venture would be possible, but they could probably not provide the funding alone. The issue of establishing aerial sur- vey buffer zones in order to prevent dis- turbance to seabird colonies was raised. Sarah Allen (NPS) suggested that PSG develop guidelines for surveys, however most everyone agreed that due to vari- ability in response from colony to colony, a standard could not be set. The impor- tance of not disturbing seabird colonies during any surveying was agreed upon. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 12 REGIONAL REPORTS Mike Bonnell and Paul Kelly pointed out that seabird and marine mammal surveys should be coordinated. Estuarine Research on estuarine species in northern and central California is cur- rently conducted by the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, Golden Gate Na- tional Recreation Area (GGNRA), U.C. Davis, Elkhom Slough, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML), H.T. Har- vey and Associates, PRBO, and various Audubon groups. The major threats to estuarine species continue to be predation and pollution, and more research on the effects of these factors is needed. Inland Aerial surveys of Ring-billed and California Gull colonies in California and Nevada have been conducted by Dave Shuford (PRBO) and Harry Carter. In general, population monitoring of inland seabird colonies suffers from a lack of funding and interest. It was noted that inland colonies have been subject to greater impacts than marine colonies; unfortunately, little information exists on historical populations. Mike Fry (UCD) observed that herons are seriously im- pacted by agricultural contamination. Bill Everett (PSG) noted that a heron man- agement plan has been developed for San Diego and could be applied to other areas. Intensive Population Monitoring: Demographics Southeast Farallon Island Bill Sydeman (PRBO) reported that long-term monitoring of the population and breeding biology of twelve species of seabirds continues on SEFI. He noted that one of the largest gaps in our under- standing of seabird population dynamics is the lack of knowledge regarding adult and juvenile survival. Alcatraz Island Daphne Hatch (NPS) reported that Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants, West- ern Gulls, Pigeon Guillemots, Black Oystercatchers, and Black-crowned Night Herons all breed on Alcatraz Island. Re- productive success of these species is followed as is possible. She noted that each year there are 800,000 visitors to the island, thus management issues are under constant assessment. Point Reyes National Seashore Sarah Allen reported that four ship- wrecks, one of which resulted in an oil spill, occurred within the Seashore boundaries in 1995. In the course of res- cuing the skipper of one of the vessels, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flushed mur- res off of four colonies on the headlands (in June). As a result, one of the colonies experienced complete reproductive failure and productivity of the other three colo- nies was significantly impacted. PRBO was contracted by the Seashore to assess the effects of the wreck on the four murre colonies and will continue to monitor reproductive success at these colonies in 1996. The National Park Service is cur- rently working with the CDFG Commis- sion to establish flight restrictions over the Seashore, however if implemented, these restrictions will not apply to the Coast Guard during rescue operations. Bill Everett brought up the possibility of PSG providing restriction guidelines to the FAA. Northern California Harry Carter noted that Deborah Jaques and Craig Strong (Crescent Coastal Research) are interested in moni- toring burrow and crevice nesting sea- birds on Castle Rock. In general though, there is little seabird research conducted In northern California (with the exception of Marbled Murrelets). At-Sea and Beached Bird Surveys Central California Jan Roletto currently oversees the Beach Watch volunteer program for GFNMS. All accessible beaches from Bodega Head to Ano Nuevo are censused every four weeks. GFNMS also hopes to begin at-sea surveys within the Sanctuary sometime this year. Other agencies con- ducting beached bird surveys include: MLML, PRBO, OSPR, and NBS (as needed). A need to coordinate beached bird programs and databases was ex- pressed. H.T. Harvey and Associates and PRBO will be conducting surveys of ma- rine birds at dump sites for dredge spoils originating from San Francisco Bay. These surveys, funded by the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA, will compare species composition and abundance within and outside of the dump zones. David Ainley and Larry Spear (H.T. Harvey and Assoc.) are currently investi- gating how species characteristics (e.g. flight speed, color, size) affect variability of observation during at-sea surveys. They are continuing their work on the development of techniques to estimate seabird population size from at-sea sur- veys, particularly for species that are dif- ficult to census from land. They are re- fining their technique by cross-calibrating at-sea population estimates of Common Murres and Western Gulls with breeding populations from colonies within the Gulf of the Farallones. Monterey Bay Don Croll (UCSC) and colleagues are currently investigating predator/prey relationships in Monterey Bay, specifi- cally, how predator distribution, abun- dance, and body size relates to prey patch distribution and abundance. He noted that UCSC hosts a Marine Acoustic Workshop each year. Bill Everett commented that oceano- graphic information for Monterey Bay is currently available on the Internet at: http://www.nws.mbay.net/home.htmI. Oceanographic information can also be obtained by performing an Internet search on NEMO (Scripps Institution of Ocean- ography) and REINAS (met stations). MLML continues to monitor Caspian Terns in Elkhom Slough. Threatened, Endangered and Candi- date Species Marbled Murrelet Studies of Marbled Murrelets will continue in 1 996 in Big Basin State Park, Ano Nuevo Bay, and in northern Califor- nia. CDFG and others have identified a need for prey studies to elucidate reasons for low productivity of this species. Tom Hamer has replaced Nancy Naslund as the chair of the PSG Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 13 REGIONAL REPORTS California Least Tern Funding for research on this species is apparently low, however not much in- formation was available at the time of the workshop. Brown Pelican PSG and others have recommended down-listing the Brown Pelican from en- dangered to threatened species status. It was noted that discussions about de- listing the species completely have taken place, and there appears to be political pressure to do so. Frank Gress (UCD) commented that at present, only the breeding colonies on Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands are regularly impacted by human disturbance. Ashy Storm-Petrel Bill Sydeman stated that mark/recapture studies of Ashy Storm- Petrels on SEFI indicate that the popula- tion has decreased by approximately 40% from 6,500 in the early 1970's to a current level of 4,500. Ashy Storm-Petrels are predated upon on SEFI by Western Gulls, Burrowing Owls, Peregrine Falcons, and mice (eggs). A discussion of the difficul- ties associated with producing accurate population size data from mark/recapture studies ensued. David Ainley suggested using at-sea survey data to derive popula- tion estimates for this species. Physical and Chemical Pollutants Chronic Oil Pollution PRBO continues to collect informa- tion on chronic oiling of seabirds. In ad- dition to data collected on SEFI over the past 25 years, a chronic oil database maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard has been released to OSPR, and will also be examined. Contaminants Research conducted by Mike Fry and researchers at MLML has revealed that the reproductive failure of the Cas- pian Tern colony in Elkhom Slough in 1995 was the result of exposure to DDE, PCBs and Toxaphene. Heavy rains dur- ing the winter of 1 995 produced extensive runoff which is believed to have re- mobilized contaminants in the ecosystem. Mike Fry and Scott Newman (UCD) also found elevated levels of PCBs in murres that had washed up on beaches during the summer of 1 995. Mike Fry noted that high levels of DDE were once present in eggs of Ashy Storm-Petrels and recommended investi- gating current levels for this species. Bob Hosea (CDFG - Pesticides Unit) offered the use of his laboratory for contaminants analyses. Bill Sydeman reported that studies undertaken by PRBO/GFNMS on con- taminant levels in fish, marine birds, and mammals of the Gulf of the Farallones are now complete. Common Murres showed the highest levels of PCBs and DDE, Pi- geon Guillemots showed elevated levels of mercury. Overall contaminant levels in Brandt’s Cormorants and Rhinoceros Auklets were low. Rehabilitation Research Scott Newman will be conducting a final season of field work this year for his research (funded by OSPR) on determin- ing baseline blood parameters of marine birds. He is still in need of blood sam- ples from Common Murres, Pigeon Guil- lemots, Pelagic Cormorants, Brandt’s Cormorants, Rhinoceros Auklets and Marbled Murrelets. Gillnets The CDFG gillnet observer program has ended, however gillnets continue to cause mortality in seabirds. Harry Car- ter reported that gillnets currently capture approximately 100 birds per boat per year, levels that may be affecting popula- tions of certain species. Restoration Projects Common Murre Mike Parker (USFWS) reported that USFWS/SFBNWR, in conjunction with Steve Kress (NAS), and Harry Carter (NBS) deployed murre decoys, mirrors and sound equipment on Devil’s Slide Rock in early January as part of a restora- tion project funded by the Apex Houston settlement. Within 48 hours of deploy- ment, four Common Murres (live ones) were observed on the rock, and a copula- tion was observed two weeks later. To date, murres have been present on Devil’s Slide Rock almost daily, and the current high count is 1 7. Behavioral observations are conducted daily, and murre colonies at Point Reyes headlands, SEFI (in conjunc- tion with PRBO), and along the Big Sur coastline will be utilized as reference sites. Rhinoceros Auklet The Ano Nuevo Rhinoceros Auklet restoration project, initiated by PRBO in 1993, is now in its fourth year. Michelle Hester (PRBO) reported that 61% of the nest boxes are utilized by breeding pairs. Productivity of natural burrows is also monitored through the use of a remote video camera system which can document the presence of eggs and chicks. Cassin’s Auklets, Brandt’s Cormorants and a sin- gle pair of Heerman’s Gulls were found to be breeding on the island during the 1995 season. Other Seabird News PSG Monitoring Database Both PRBO and Simon Fraser Uni- versity will receive funding from PSG to enter their respective long-term monitor- ing databases into the PSG monitoring database. 1997 California Seabird Research Coor- dination Workshop The 1997 California Seabird Re- search Coordination Workshop will be hosted by U.C. Davis and chaired by Mike Fry. The October issue of Pacific Seabirds will contain a more thorough summary of seabird research conducted in northern and central California. Elizabeth McLaren Southern California Pat Baird is continuing a four-year study on the foraging ecology and food habits of California least terns in the San Diego area (with four of her students) in a study supported by the U.S.Navy. One of her students, Todd Carpenter, is studying the population dynamics of black footed Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 14 REGIONAL REPORTS Black-footed Albatrosses on Tern Island (Hawaiian Islands) for the U.S.F.W.S. under Mark Webber. Lisa Ballance is continuing her stud- ies on community ecology of seabirds in the tropical Pacific Ocean with Bob Pit- man. They also spent five months in the tropical Indian Ocean last year to compare feeding and community ecology between these two oceanic systems. Charlie Collins is still supervising re- search on California Least Terns in south- ern and northern California, and moni- toring nest success at colonies from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay area. Bill Everett continues to do work on j the ecology of seabirds on the Coronado Islands and on Snowy Plovers on the Channel Islands. He recently saw Craig Harrison on a short trip back East where they attended a meeting of the American Bird Conservancy (formerly Bird Life International formerly International \ Council of Bird Preservation ICBP). He is busy as usual as Chair and is also commuting a lot with family to various places in the West because of different and diverse schedules. Gene Fowler is teaching at Pomona College and was able to get time off to go down to Chile and Argentina to look for new sites of Humboldt Penguin colonies in Chile and Magellanic penguin colonies in Argentina. In a new study, he will be looking at the influence of human distur- bance (especially ecotourism) on levels of penguins' stress hormones for birds living on islands in a saltwater estuary, each island having a different history of human i visitation. (One island is where some mutinous crewmen were hanged by Ferdinand Magellan and where others were beheaded by Sir Francis Drake; and, incidentally also where Magellanic Pen- guins were named). Judith Hand is working with the fundraising committee for PSG, trying to bring the endowment fund to completion. She has e-mailed to members of the EC some good boilerplate-type letters to help solicit funds from corporations, founda- tions, etc. She is eagerly awaiting a new brochure/flyer to include in her letters. Michael Horn is analyzing data from the 1995 breeding season on diets of terns and skimmers in Bolsa Chica (Huntington Beach, CA) and the western Saltworks in San Diego. He will go back this breeding season to collect more data in a study sp onsored by the USFWS. He is very busy supervising four students this year. Two of his students, Jacquelyn Wilson and Wendy Loeffler will be publishing their theses in a few months. Jacquelyn looked at die] activity patterns and diet in Black Skimmers at Bolsa Chica, and Wendy looked at diets and resource par- titioning in terns (Caspian, Elegant, For- esters) and skimmers which nest at Bolsa Chica. Two other students, Kristin Chavez, studying assimilation efficiency of tern chicks (Caspian, Elegant) in the lab to try to determine if this rate limits how often they get fed; and Patricia Cole, looking at provisioning of prey to chicks of Caspian and elegant terns; are both beginning research for their theses this summer. George Hunt is in the process of working up data from the western Aleuti- nas gathered last summer and in 1 992 and 1993. He has two students analyzing prey availability in the area. Graduate student Jen Zamon is finishing up analyses on mixed species foraging flocks in San Juan and Lopez Islands and looking at factors that may influence seasonal and vertical distribution of herring and sand lance. Students Libby Logerwell, looking at rates of movements of fish and their prey, and Sasha Kaitaysky working with John Piatt in lower Cook Inlet, are both finishing up their dissertation work. Kyra Mills is finishing her Master’s de- gree work on Galapagos Penguin forag- ing. Cheryl Baduini is a new student who will be going to Tern Island (Hawaiian Islands) to study chick provi- sioning in wedge-tailed shearwaters. Kathy Keane started her own con- sulting firm is enjoying the combination of research and managing one's own busi- ness. She Is working still at San Elijo Lagoon on a least tern restoration project. Last year two artificial islands were built and used for nesting by the terns. This year, the project is building two more islands in hopes that they wll be used too. She recently studied behavior of brown pelicans on the San Pedro (CA) breakwwater. Libby Logerwell, a graduate student of George Hunt, is comparing the rates of movement of fish and their prey for her dissertation. Paige Martin is still at Channel Is- lands National Park, analyzing population and breeding biology of cormorants on Santa Barabara Island and studying eared owls recently found nesting there. Pat Mock just completed a three-year study on the distribution and abundance of water birds in San Diego Bay, and is starting a programmatic review of Point Mugu's environmental operations, looking at both seabirds and marine mammals. He is finishing up a regional plan of San Diego County, looking at the ecology of multiple species for the Natural Commu- nities Conservation Planning (NCCP) process. He just finished the assessment for base closure and realignment of El Toro and Tustin Air Stations to Camp Pendleton and Mira Mar. He is also publishing like crazy, having just submit- ted five manuscripts to the Proceedings of the California Gnatcatcher Symposium. His second child arrived last July. He is currently on jury duty on a boring trial so that his trip to Knotts Berry Farm in July is looking exciting. Pat is proud to an- nounce that he finally got in final pay- ments for PSG life membership last year! Mark Pierson is still involved in a study of distribution and abundance of shorebirds in Ventura County. He is trying to target which beaches are most Important for shorebirds because the many forces of development are clam- moring to redesign the last remaining "wild" beaches in Southern California which are not on military land. He will be doing a cooporative study with a spe- cialist in soft substrates, sampling for prey species. He is also conducting a study in cooporation with UC Santa Cruz on oil spill prevention and response in a study funded by CDF&G. He and others are flying aerial suveys monthly in the Santa Barbara channel and Santa Maria basin (north of Point Conception) for coastal and marine birds during 8 months of the year, concentrating their effort during the migratory months. The purpose of the study is to provide baseline data for near- shore divers, deep water alcids and other Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 15 REGIONAL REPORTS seabirds, as well as marine mammals in order to update data from 1 5 years ago. Stu Warter is still teaching vertebrate zoology and marine ornithology at Cali- fornia State University Long Beach. His graduate student Mike Autch is working on aggressive interactions in wintering western sandpipers. Walter Wehtje is attending UC Riv- erside in a Ph.D. program under Tom Scott. He is currently working on land birds, looking at their breeding abundance and dispersion on San Nicholas Island. He is especially interested in juvenile dis- persal patterns. He married Morgan Boucke (California Department of Fish and Game) a year ago. Paula White is currently skydiving as well as working. Eric Woehler is at present in Tasma- nia Australia. Pat Baird Washington And Oregon Washington Seabird biologists in Washington State convened on 7 March 1996, for the first annual Washington Ad Hoc Seabird Group meeting. The Ad Hoc Group and meeting were modeled loosely after similar congregations in California and British Columbia. The meeting was hosted by the University of Washington (Julia Parrish) and the Washington De- partment of Fisheries and Wildlife. The morning agenda focused on greetings and self-introductions with each attendee pro- viding their background and information about on-going seabird work. The after- noon session included a general discus- sion of issues related to seabird work in Washington. In total, 40 people attended the meeting, an impressive turnout for the first year. The group came up with three general lists which might be used as a starting framework for future group discussions: 1 ) general reasons to work on seabirds in Washington State (or why seabird infor- mation is valuable); 2) current programs or projects on Washington seabirds; 3) and current priorities and needs including continuing efforts and gaps to be filled. The lists are neither complete nor pri- oritized; however, they do give a sense of the important issues facing seabirds in Washington State, as well as ongoing attempts by many parties to address those needs. At the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided that the group should meet again next year. Ken Warheit volun- teered to take over the meeting logistics. Ken is assembling a list of all parties working on or interested in seabirds in Washington State, their species and areas of interest, and types of data they most need to augment or compliment their work. That list is currently in progress and anyone interested in participating can contact Julia Parrish for handouts, etc. from this year meeting, or Ken Warheit for next year's meeting. Attendees of the meeting and their ar- eas of interest / research is as follows. Julia Parrish, University of Washington (UW), Is working with Common Murres on Tatoosh Island studying behavioral ecology and conservation biology. Doug Meekins, Hamer Environmental, is working with Marbled Murrelets and sur- vey protocols. Bill Ritchie and Eric Cummins, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Diversity Division, will be coordinating conserva- tion oriented Marbled Murrelet forest surveys, with WDFW Regional support, at 12 to 15 sites in western Washington. Bill will also be monitoring nesting be- havior and collecting nest structural data at any new nests that are discovered. John Grettenberger , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Endangered Species Program is working with Marbled Murrelets, and permit actions involving seabird- gillnet interactions. Ken War- heit (WDFW) Oil and Toxics/Spills Divi- sion. Is involved with Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) and sea- birds restoration activities. In particular, his is involved in Nestucca and Tenyo Maru restorations. Ed Melvin, Wash- ington Sea Grant is interested in seabird by-catch in gillnets and is conducting gear modification studies. Monique Wilson, WDFW, is investigating seabird food habits using carcasses from gillnet mor- tality studies. Chris Thompson, WDFW, is conducting at-sea seabird surveys on outer coast. Joe Galusha, Walla Walla College, is studying socio-ecology of Glaucous-winged Gulls on Protection Island. Ulrich Wilson, USFWS is studying Rhinoceros Auklets on Protection, Smith, and Destruction Islands, and is conducting outer coast colony surveys of Common Murres and cormorants. Dave Stokes, (UW). Has been studying penguins in Argentina and is currently Interested in intermixing of tern and gull populations between eastern and western Washington. Trista Patterson (UW) is studying pair- bonding in Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels. Jean Takekawa, USFWS is a recent im- migrant from California, interested in seabird conservation issues. Louise Vincencio, USFWS is inter- ested in population monitoring in estuar- ies including Gray Harbor and Nisqually. She has also been involved in the Nes- tucca Oil Spill Restoration program. Laura Leschner, WDFW, has been con- ducting marine surveys of seabirds for the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Pro- gram (PSAMP). Jeff Momot, USFWS - Environmental Contaminants, continues to be involved with the Nestucca and Tenyo Mam oil spill restoration plan work. David Nyse- wander, Joe Evenson, Warren Michaelis, and Bryan Murphie, WDFW, are conducting censuses on all marine bird species in Puget Sound as part of PSAMP. Their censuses, conducted by boat and aerial surveys, place special j emphasis on the 1) diving ducks (includes primarily sea and bay ducks), 2) diving seabirds (alcids and cormorants), 3) other diving species (grebes and loons), 4) wintering shorebirds, and 5) species of special concern like harlequin duck and marbled murrelet. i Mary Mahaffy, USFWS, has been | working on coastal watershed issues, contaminant monitoring as part of PSAMP, and is involved with the Tenyo Maru oil spill restoration process. Sievert Rohwer, Curator of Birds at Burke Mu- seum of Natural History (UW) reports that Burke has largest collection of North Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 16 REGIONAL REPORTS Pacific seabirds in the world and wants to encourage research use of their collection. Jon Anderson, WDFW, Salmon Man- agement, is involved in Puget Sound non- treaty fisheries and seabird by-catch in gillnets. Ed Bowlby, Research Coordi- nator, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary has been trying to provide plat- forms of opportunity for research in the Sanctuary including their vessel "Tatoosh". Paul Crawford, Natural Resource Manager of Olympic Peninsula National Park is interested in oil spill response and damage assessment. Mary Carlson, Bird Biologist at the Seattle Aquarium is working with captive alcids and is inter- ested in facilitating researcher interactions with the aquarium. Ann Edwards, (UW) is researching community ecology of sea- birds and interactions between seabirds and the marine environment. Denise Dailey, Fisheries Management for the Makah Tribe, is interested in population | studies on seabirds and marine mammals I and is involved with the Tenyo Maru Oil \ Spill restoration program. Suzanne Ro- main, (UW) will be working with Com- mon Murres on Triangle Island. B.C.. Darlene DeGhetto, HOWL Veterinarian is interested in increasing contacts with researchers regarding rehabilitation and release of injured birds. Will Beattie, Northwest Indian Fish- eries Commission is a Section 7 Consult- ant on gillnet impacts and marine surveys to measure seasonal change of Marbled Murrelets. Karen Jensen, (UW), is inter- ested in population biology and conserva- tion of Common Munres, Marbled Mur- relets, and penguins. Richard Rowlett, Field Naturalist, is interested in population surveys and coastal seabird migration in California. Terrence Wahl, Field Naturalist, will be continuing at-sea seabird surveys adding to the 30 years of data he has collected off Westport, WA. Terry and Steven Speich are planning to revise and re-issue the Washington Seabird Colony Catalog. Dee Boersma, (UW) is studying envi- ronmental variation, population dynamics, conservation biology of seabirds. Jeff Skriletz, WDFW, is assisting Terry Wahl on boat surveys of gillnet fishery by-catch. Scott Edward, Curator of Genetic Resources, Burke Museum of Natural History, (UW) has various inter- est in seabirds including population and metapopulation dynamics. Dick Viet, (UW) Is studying foraging behavior of seabirds searching for patchy resources and is interested in population dynamics of oceanic seabirds affected by climate change. John Pierce, WDFW, Wildlife Research Program, is interested in facili- tating high quality science, which can be translated into management policy. David Jennings Audubon Society, is in- volved with fishery issues, gillnet by- catch, Magnuson Act re-authorization, and is concerned about the need for a better understanding of seabird population biology for Washington State resident and migratory seabirds. Dave Manuwal (UW) has studied seabirds since 1969 with particular interest in alcid biology. He is currently working on a Common Murre manuscript with Harry Carter, Jean Takekawa, Ulrich Wilson, Bill Sydeman and Roy Lowe. Alix Foster, Seattle Audubon and UW Law School is interested in seabird by-catch, competi- tion with fisheries, impacts of plastics. Other seabird activities occurring in Washington and not reported on at the Ad Hoc Group meeting include Don Wil- liamson (USFWS), who has been work- ing on NEPA documentation for proposed Spartina control actions to protect estu- arine habitat on Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. Don will be conducting an aerial photo survey of cormorant nesting colo- nies at Cape Disappointment in June. Donald Norman is now on the Board of Directors of Adopt-A-Beach in Seattle, which has coordinated a beached bird survey for many years, and currently has over 7 beaches being monitored by vol- unteers. Data collected in the past is be- ing computerized, by Bonnie Dickson, who can be reached at (206) 624-6013, or at PO Box 21486 Seattle, WA 98111- 3486. Adopt a Beach is always interested in cooperating with any agencies or re- searchers, and would enjoy receiving any updates on the procedures or data being collected by other beach walkers. Adopt a Beach is also involved in monitoring PSP, Spartina removal, and has worked on monitoring bird/ net entanglement. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is continuing a series of Marbled Murrelet forest habitat relationships studies in support of its for- est management programs. These studies address 1.4 million acres of forest trust lands in six planning units within the mur- relet's Washington range. Results will be used to develop an effec- tive long-term murrelet conservation strategy. Each planning unit has 54 survey areas, between 20 and 100 acres, on Washington forest trust lands. These areas are strati- fied by two factors, (1) distance from ma- rine waters and (2) habitat quality, based on stand age and number of platforms per acre. Each area is surveyed four to ten times a year for two consecutive years, according to the PSG forest survey proto- col. The murrelet habitat in each survey area is characterized from three to four 25.2 meter radius vegetation plots. Physi- cal variables collected include location, elevation, aspect, and slope. Biological variables collected include understory vegetation; canopy cover; tree species, age, height, and diameter; number and type of platforms; moss and lichen cover- age; and mistletoe broom abundance, among others. Habitat relationships studies were initi- ated in 1994 in the North Coast and South Coast planning units. In 1995, studies were completed in these planning units. Also in 1995, studies were initiated in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Columbia River planning units. In 1996, work will be finished in these two planning units. New work is scheduled to begin in the North Puget Sound and South Puget Sound planning units in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Danielle M. Prenzlow and Lenny S. Young Washington Department of Natu- ral Resources Resource Planning and As- set Management Division P.O. Box 47014, Olympia, WA 98501-47014. (360) 902-1600, FAX: 902-1789 e-mail: dpll490@wadnr.gov Oregon Jan Hodder and students at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology will be con- tinuing their study of the nesting success of Pelagic Cormorants at the OIMB col- Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23 > Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 17 REGIONAL REPORTS ony in Sunset Bay at Cape Arago. This is the 25th consecutive year this colony has been studied. Dr. Patrick Jodice work- ing through the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Center of the National Bio- logical Service (NBS) and the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Oregon State University (OSU), I will be continuing my radio-telemetry work with Marbled Murrelets along the Oregon Coast. He will begin capturing birds in early May and will concentrate efforts from Coos Bay to Lincoln City. Birds will be tracked inland and at sea. He also will be conducting inland surveys, as he did in 1995, to collect data to be used in deter- mining the feasibility of using inland sur- veys to detect changes in numbers of de- tections at a site over time. S. Kim Nel- son, Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Re- search Unit at OSU, will be continuing research on Marbled Murrelet habitat as- sociations on state lands in Oregon in 1996. Plans for this year are similar to 1995 and include using tree climbing to locate nests in mature and old-growth forests on the Tillamook and Elliott State Forests. Objectives are to: characterize murrelet nesting habitat on state lands by describing nest and non-nest plots, moni- tor active nests for success and failure, and describe the characteristics of suc- cessful nests. Roy Lowe and David Pitkin, USFWS, will be continuing annual sea- bird monitoring projects in Oregon in 1996. Activities include aerial photo- graphic censuses of Common Murre and Brandt’s and Double-crested cormorant colonies. They will also continue moni- toring nesting attempts by Pelagic Cormo- rants at 17 colonies near Newport. A beached bird mortality study on 7.1 km of beach located between Seal Rock and Alsea Bay in Lincoln County will con- tinue from June through September. This is the 10th consecutive year of this study. An aerial survey of Brown Pelicans along the Oregon and Washing- ton coasts is planned for mid-September if funding permits. Fall-spring monitoring of Aleutian Canada Goose use of Oregon coastal rocks and islands is also continu- ing. An investigation initiated by Ted Buerger, Roy Lowe, and David Pitkin, USFWS, in 1995 to assess the possible role of environmental contaminants in the yearly die-off of juvenile and adult com- mon murres along the Oregon coast con- tinues. A reference sample of 20 live murres 10 adults and 10 juveniles was collected in July 1995, and blood samples were obtained from 16 of these birds im- mediately following collection. Ten of these murres were sent to the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC), Madi- son, Wisconsin, for necropsy and tissue collection. The remaining 10 birds were necropsied at the time of collection and tissues retained for residue analyses. Twenty dead or moribund murres sub- sequently were collected during the typi- cal die-off period and submitted to the NWHC. Tissue samples from all murres have been submitted to the appropriate laboratories. Brain, kidney, and liver are being analyzed for organochlorines (including total PCBs), cadmium, and trace elements, respectively. The findings of the necropsies performed by the NWHC are unremarkable; the most note- worthy observation is that 17 of 20 dead or moribund murres were emaciated. Reports on the reference murres necrop- sied at the time of collection and the analyses of blood samples are in prepara- tion. Given the negative findings to date, detailed analysis of tissue residue data may help elucidate possible causes of the annual common murre die-off. Review and analysis of necropsy, tissue residue, and blood parameter data is continuing. Jeremy Buck, USFWS, is continuing to serve as lead biologist on a study of organochlorines in Double-crested Cor- morants nesting on Lewis and Clark Na- tional Wildlife Refuge on the lower Co- lumbia River. Fish and wildlife within the Columbia River are exposed to a vari- ety of environmental contaminants through municipal and industrial permit- ted discharges, urban and industrial non- point pollution, accidental spills of oil and hazardous materials, and agricultural run- off. Elevated levels of some organochlo- rine pesticides (including DDT and DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), diox- ins, and furans have been found in nu- merous fish and fish-eating species in- habiting the river. Since 1990, the USFWS has been collecting eggs of Dou- ble-crested Cormorants nesting on islands on Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge. In 1993, eggs were also collected from a reference colony on Hunters Island off the southern coast of Oregon. Thirty-two eggs were collected from 1990 to 1991 and 40 eggs were collected from 1993 to 1995 for analysis of or- ganochlorine contaminant residues and to measure the enzyme-inducing capability of egg tissue using the H4IIE rat hepa- toma cell bioassay. Preliminary results showed DDE and total PCB concentra- tions were low and relatively similar among the colonies. However, the con- centration of the most potent dioxin con- gener was higher in eggs form the Lewis and Clark colonies than from the refer- ence colony. In addition, the cell bioas- say indicated that concentration of dioxin- like compounds in the Lewis and Clark colonies would relate to a 23% egg mor- tality rate when compared to cormorants nesting in the Great Lakes. Further com- parisons of organochlorine contaminants, with emphasis on specific PCB, dioxin, and furan congers, will be conducted when all analytical and bioassay results are received in 1996. Robert Pitman, with the assistance of Roy Lowe and David Pitkin, is continu- ing a long term study of the reproductive biology of Leach’s Storm-Petrels on Sad- dle Rock, Oregon. Banding of storm- petrels was initiated here in 1979 and has continued annually. To date a total of 7,475 birds has been banded, including 3,773 adults and 3,702 chicks. There have also been 214 recaptures. Robert Loeffel and Don & Sara Brown are continuing their long-term, year-round beached bird mortality study on 7.4 km of beach just south of Newport in Lincoln County. This study is now in the 19th consecutive year. Asa C. Thoresen has completed a book manu- script on Auks of the World that includes over 600 references on auks. The book is not published but interested individuals can receive a copy on disk (Macintosh) by writing Asa at 885 Eckman Ct., McMinnville, OR 97128 or E-mail thore- sen a@spes sart. com . Roy W. Lowe Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 18 Non-Pacific United States In the Massachusetts-Connecticut- New York area, Jeffrey Spendelow con- tinues coordinating the Cooperative Long-term Roseate Tern Metapopulation Project, a comprehensive population dy- ' namics and ecological study. Since his last report, Jeff and co-investigators have published papers on a variety of topics including (1) colony-site differences in responses of adults to trapping, (2) varia- tions in growth of chicks, (3) a new method for sexing adults, (4) estimating colorband loss rates, and (5) estimating annual survival and movement rates of | adults. These workers hope that methods and models developed for the last publi- cation will be used widely in future stud- ! ies of other species. Beginning in 1996, ! they plan to quantify consequences of the female-biased sex ratio among breeders, to develop models for examining age- and sex-specific parameters, and to integrate results of foraging and feeding studies of known-age adults with population dy- namics data. By the end of 1996, they also hope to update their preliminary analyses of postfledging survival, natal- site fidelity, dispersal, and recruitment. | To request a product list for the Meta- population Project, send an e-mail to “Jeff_Spendelow@NBS.gov”. ! .REGIONAL REPORTS At the University of Nevada, Reno, Margaret Rubega will conduct year two of a multi-year interdisciplinary study of salt tolerance in hatchling American Avo- cets and Black-necked Stilts. The work is aimed at understanding all the compo- nents of salt tolerance in shorebirds breeding in saline wetlands, and wetlands salinized by water diversions and irrigated agriculture. Chris Elphick just finished his final field season on the effects of winter-flooding in California rice fields on birds. The study involves experimen- tal tests of the effects of different man- agement treatments on bird communities, comparisons of shorebird and egret be- havior among habitats, and analyses of the effects of surrounding landscape fea- tures on bird abundance. At the Beltsville Agricultural Re- search Center in Maryland, Eric Hoberg’s research focuses on historical and ecological determinants of biodiver- sity of parasite faunas of marine birds, mainly in the holarctic. Studies of holarctic and world fauna include: (1) host-parasite cospeciation among alcids and their parasites; (2) biodiversity of the acanthocephalan fauna of marine birds in the North Pacific basin; (3) and the sys- tematics, phylogeny, historical bio- geography, and coevolution of tapeworms among Sphenisciformes, Procellariifor- mes, Pelecaniformes, and Charadriifor- mes. In Wyoming, several studies of American White Pelicans have recently been published: Diem, K. L., and B. H. Pugesek. 1994. American White Pelicans at the Molly Islands, in Yellowstone National Park: twenty-two years of boom-and-bust breeding, 1966-87. Colon. Waterbirds 17:130-145. Findholt, S. L., and S. H. Anderson. 1995. Foraging areas and feeding habitat selection of American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos ) nesting at Pathfinder Reservoir. Colon. Waterbirds 18:47-57. Findholt, S. L., and S. H. Anderson. 1995. Diet and prey use patterns of the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) nesting at Pathfinder Reservoir, Wyoming. Colonial Water- birds 18:58-68. Also in Wyoming, Andy Hart, Sheryl Hill, and Jim Lovvorn are beginning a project that integrates field measurements of production, stable isotope studies, and simulation models of foodweb networks to understand effects of salinity on food- webs leading to birds in High Plains lakes. Paul Kaseloo is beginning studies of how “waste” heat from exercising muscles and specific dynamic action is used by diving ducks to reduce costs of thermoregulation while foraging in cold water. Jim Lovvorn continues work with Matthias Borstad and Geoff Liggins in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of British Columbia on the biomechanics of swimming in a wide variety of diving birds. Jim Lovvorn Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 19 BOOK REVIEWS Marbled Murrelet Con- servation Assessment Ecology and Conservation of the Mar- bled Murrelet. C. John Ralph, George L. Hunt, Jr, Martin G. Raphael, and John F. Piatt, eds. 1995. General Technical Report PSW-GTR-152. Pacific Southwest Re- search Station, Forest Service, U. S. De- partment of Agriculture, Albany, Califor- nia. viii + 420 pp., many text figures. Free copies have been distributed on request by the Pacific Southwest Research Sta- tion, P. O. Box 245, Berkeley, California 94701-0245. This large volume of 37 chapters is a product of more than 40 authors and pro- vides a broad perspective up into 1994 on the biology and prospects for conserva- tion of Marbled Murrelet ( Brachyramphus marmoratus ) in North America. In less than 30 years human interest in this spe- cies has dramatically changed. As re- cently as the early 1970s the Marbled Murrelet remained in many respects one of the least studied of all North American breeding birds, but, as a result of publicity in recent years, the species now com- mands attention throughout the continent and beyond. Although naturalists had long suspected that these birds were nesting in old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, confirmation by actually finding a nest in a tree did not come until 1974. Even 20 years later, despite sub- stantial efforts in the interim by highly qualified biologists, knowledge of the these murrelets, though greatly expanded, remains less complete than would be de- sirable. A valuable feature of this volume is assessment of previous investigations in relation to desirable directions for future studies. As a diving seabird that can nest many meters off the ground in a large tree many kilometers from the ocean, the Marbled Murrelet has a combination of ecological specializations that are exceptional in comparison with other birds of the world. If special efforts towards conservation are to be directed to species on the basis of unusual features in their biology, then the Marbled Murrelet should be a prime can- didate for attention. Understanding this species continues to require exceptional effort on the part of both forest biologists and marine biologists, and in this book with its major sections on the terrestrial and marine environments points out the important connections. Although much publicity about murrelets has concerned the reduction in forests suitable for nest- ing, this volume illustrates that human activity in the marine environment, such as oil spills and gill-netting, can also ad- versely affect murrelets. The book indi- cates the importance of learning much more about the causes and effects of fluctuations in abundance of food for these birds. This well edited volume remains close to its subject of the Marbled Murrelet, and one will not find digressions on the heated controversies about the lumbering of old growth forests or the future of the North- ern Spotted Owl. Readers seeking a more comprehensive view of related conserva- tion issues in the region from northern California to Alaska will need to consult additional sources. The book contains 21 pages of references listed in double col- umns, but these citations include many unpublished items that will not be readily accessible to most readers. Although hun- dreds of references are listed, many do not specifically concern Marbled Mur- relets but are pertinent either for illustrat- ing interpretative methods that can be applied to murrelet biology or for com- parison with other seabird species. This book will be essential for biolo- gists and others concerned with Marbled Murrelets and other alcids. Specialists with primary interests in other groups of seabirds also may find the book useful. Libraries with extensive holdings in or- nithology, marine biology, forestry, or conservation should have a copy. The authors and editors are to be congratu- lated for this useful contribution. George A. Clark , Jr., Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Uni- versity of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269- 3043. Birdlife Conference Seabirds, Islands, Threats, Studies and Plans Seabirds on Islands: Threats, Case Studies and Action Plans. Nettleship, D. N., J. Burger and M. Gochfield, eds. 1994. Birdlife Conservation Series Num- ber 1. Birdlife International, Cambridge, UK. Pp. 318. ISBN 1-56098-525-7. $32 USD. This book contains the Proceedings of the Seabird Specialist Workshop held in No- vember 1990 at the 20. World Conference j of the ICBP (the old International Council for Bird Preservation, now renamed Birdlife International) in New Zealand, just proceeding the 20th International Ornithological Congress. The book con- sists of an introduction, a conclusions chapter and 19 papers. Three of these deal ; with threats, 1 1 with major seabird prob- lems, and five with action plans, progress, j and solutions. Among the threats, I.C.T. Nisbet gives an excellent summary of the effects of petroleum products; of chlorinated hydro- j carbons, mainly as industrial wastes; of j plastic particles and other artifacts; and | also of biological agents such as harmful '§ microbial blooms, though these latter are poorly studied and understood. Indirect, mostly negative effects are caused by increase of such competitors and preda- tors as gulls and skuas. He calls attention j to the potenially substantial effects of the | predicted global climatic changes. The seabird — fishery interaction areas are as old as marine fishery itself. The potential dangers to marine birds and/or the fishermen’s catch are masterly treated by D.C. Duffy and D.C. Schneider. This Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 20 BOOK REVIEWS is a serious review paper (with extensive use of the literature) that every seabird student should read. J. Burger and M. Gochfield summarize and evaluate the threats posed by humans and their intro- duced commensals on nesting seabirds. These latter, the alien predators (rats, mice, cats, mongoose, pigs, etc.) are con- sidered as the major threat. Humans are seen as keystone predators influencing the numbers of other predators. They are a major cause of seabird losses by disturb- ing, and changing the nesting environ- ment in seabird habitats. The papers about special cases deal with island problems in various parts of the world, from the high arctic Svalbard Archipelago to Ascension Island on the Equator, and to the Chatham Islands way down in the South Pacific. We mention two more from the Pacific area. W. Hsu and D. S. Melville's concise account is especially welcome as it brings us up to date from Melville's earlier report (1984, in Croxall et al. ICBP Techn. Publ. 2.). it gives both the good and bad news about seabird conservation in China and at the China Sea, further tabulates and maps the data of all seabirds, among these, the recently discovered breeding grounds of Lams saundersi and the Chinese breed- ing grounds of L. relictus . F. Velarde and D. W. Anderson give a complete, albeit concise, monographic account of the geography, geology and biogeogra- phy of the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of Cali- fornia) and the peninsula of Baja Cali- fornia that encloses this unique Gulf of the Pacific Ocean. It harbors 14 species of pelagic seabirds, several of which are regional relicts, or have 60 to 100 % of their world population confined to these desert islands. Here again, recent devel- opments are both good and bad. Major problems are overfishing of the sardines, increased tourism and introduction of alien predators; conservation and man- agement efforts are laudable but en- forcement and education of the public are most important in the developing conservation plans. We can learn much from the last group of papers, dealing with action plans and their implementations on Christmas island (Indian Ocean), the Seychelles, the Galapagos, the Cape Verde islands. The last paper, about the outstanding success of seabird protec- tion and education of the local people on the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada's North Atlantic, leaves us with an optimistic note. This, in spite of D. C. Duffy’s concluding pages, who's message is "save what is left of the world’s dwindling seabird populations." Reading Duffy’s concrete suggestions is a must for all seabird re- searchers, because study and conserva- tion are inevitably linked together amidst the increasing multitude of hu- mans that swarms to, and threatens sea- birds around the islands and coasts of the world. Miklos D.F. Udvardy, Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento 95819 . New Literature Love, J.A. 1994. Penguins. Whittet Books, London. 128 pp. ISBN 1 -873580-16-9. Olsen, K.M. & Larsson, H. 1995. Terns of Europe and North America. Christo- pher Helm, London. 176 pp. ISBN 0-7136-4056-1. £24.99. Reilly, P. 1994. Penguins of the world. Color plates, blackwhite photos. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 16 pp. ISBN 0-19-553547-2. Paperback. $16.95 USD. Williams, T.D. 1995. The Penguins Spheniscidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 295 pp. ISBN 0-854667-X. Hardback. $35.00 USD. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 * Spring 1996 • Page 21 ABSTRACTS Twenty-Third Annual Meeting Of The Pacific Seabird Group - A Joint Conference With The Colonial Waterbird Society - Victoria, British Columbia, 8-12 November 1995 RESOURCE PARTITIONING BE- TWEEN GLOSSY AND WHITE IBISES IN A RICE FIELD SYSTEM OF SOUTH-CENTRAL CUBA Martin Acosta, Lourdes Mugica, Carlos Mancina, Depto. de Biologia Animal y Humana, Univ. de La Habana, Cuba Univ., and Xavier Ruiz*, Depto. de Bi- ologia Animal. Univ. de Barcelona, Spain. Population density, foraging micro- habitat and diet composition were ana- lyzed for the American White Ibis (. Eudocimus albus) and the Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus ) while feeding in the ricefield system of "Sur del Jibaro" (Sancti Spiritus, Cuba) from May to De- cember. Population density for E. albus ranged from 2.2 ind/ha in May to 23.2 ind/ha in October, and for P. falcinellus from 1.4 ind/ha in August to 217 ind/ha in October. Both ibises shared the same main foraging microhabitats, except in October when, coinciding with their high- est population densities, they segregated their foraging grounds. In this month the White Ibis tended to forage mainly in recently muddied up fields where, owing to the action of the machinery, many crabs and aquatic insects are available; while Glossy Ibises tended to concentrate in flooded fields with mature ears shed- ding their grains. A general account of diet shows that both species also segre- gate on diet composition: the White Ibis feeds on crabs (59%), aquatic insects (20%) and fishes (18%), whereas the Glossy Ibis feeds on rice grains (53%), aquatic insects (25%) and crabs (21%). A quantitative assessment on granivorous feeding habits of the Glossy Ibis is re- ported for the first time. DISPERSAL PATTERNS AND GE- NETIC STRUCTURING OF SEABIRD COLONIES Christine A. Adkins, Dept. Zoology, Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 Canada. Dispersal and recruitment are key proc- esses in population dynamics of colonial organisms, yet are difficult to study di- rectly in free-ranging animals. Increas- ingly, genetic methods are being used to infer dispersal patterns. While these ave- nues are promising, it is essential to un- derstand the restrictions and biases inher- ent in any new scientific method. Here I present results of a case study of dispersal and recruitment in Thick-billed Murres ( Uria lomvia). Spatially explicit, individ- ual-based simulation models are used to explore the population-genetic conse- quences, in terms of degree of ’clustering' of genotypes, of different dispersal be- haviors. Natal dispersal is modeled using two parameters, representing: a) degree of philopatry, and b) distribution of dispersal distances. Both isolation-by-distance and island patterns of gene flow are consid- ered. To address methodological aspects, simulated colonies are sampled in ways analogous to those used in recent field studies, and Gst statistics, commonly used to quantify population genetic structure, estimated. Preliminary results suggest poor correspondence between dispersal parameters and Gst estimates from field data. Gst sampling errors are large com- pared with errors due to uncertainty in dispersal parameters, and distributions of Gst estimates depend heavily on sampling design. Standardized sampling method- ologies may aid interpretation and com- parisons of empirical results. LONG-TERM POPULATION CHANGE OF MARINE BIRDS IN PRINCE WIL- LIAM SOUND, ALASKA Beverly A. Agler *, Steven J. Kendall, David B. Irons, Steven P. Klosiewski, and Karen K. Laing, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Small boat surveys of Prince William Sound were conducted during July of 1972, 1984-85 (shoreline only), 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1993. Data from these surveys indicate that populations of sev- eral species of marine birds and mammals that prey on fish have declined in Prince William Sound over time, but species that feed on benthic invertebrates have not declined. Marbled Murrelets, Pigeon Guillemots, Arctic Terns, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Glaucous- winged Gulls, Tufted Puffins, and Harbor Seals feed on schooling forage fish and have declined by >50%. Benthic invertebrate harvesters, such as Harlequin Ducks, Goldeneyes, Black Oystercatchers, and Sea Otters, have not declined within Prince William Sound, although the populations of some species were affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. These declines in piscivorous species suggest that changes in the forage fish community distribution, abundance, or composition have occurred over the last 20 years. SEASONAL AND SPATIAL VARIA- TION IN THE DIET OF CASSIN’S AUKLET REVEALS OCCURRENCE PATTERNS OF COASTAL EUPHAUSI- IDS OFF CALIFORNIA David G. Ainley *, H.T. Harvey & Associ- ates, P.O. Box 1180, Alviso CA 95002, Larry B. Spear, Point Reyes Bird Obser- vatory, Stinson Beach CA 94970, and Sarah G . Allen, National Park Service, Point Reyes Station CA 94956. We investigated spatial and temporal variation in the diet of a planktivore, the Cassin's Auklet Ptychoramphus aleuticus, in the Gulf of the Farallones, California, a population that has decreased in size con- sistent with the general decline of zooplankton in the California Current. Stomach samples were collected annually Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 22 ABSTRACTS during the non-upwelling~, post spring transition- (to upwelling-), and the midst of the upwelling-periods, 1985-88. Auk- lets fed on the small, energetically infe- rior, oceanic euphausiid, Euphausia paci- fied, during non-upwelling periods, but following the spring transition, they switched first to small, juvenile fish (mostly Sebastes spp.) until these had grown too large for capture. Thereafter, auklets fed on the larger, energetically more valuable euphausiid, Thysanoessa spinifera, which had become seasonally available. The pattern was repeated annu- ally, with some within-year variability among ancillary prey. Foraging locality, however, varied only slightly. Results indicate the value of studies of certain, easily accessible predators, which can temporally and spatially integrate preva- lence of prey species to thereby better understand the important processes that structure marine food webs. MODELING MARINE HABITATS OF SEABIRDS WITH A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM Sarah G. Allen*, Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes, California, 94956, and David G. Ainley, H.T. Harvey and Associates, P.O. Box 1 1 80, Alviso, Cali- fornia, 95002. Policy makers, resource managers, and scientists universally recognize that most monitoring programs are unable to ade- quately detect change in many species of the marine environment. To this end, we designed predictive models of seabird distribution and abundance using a geo- graphic information system (GIS). Mod- els were based on the results of logistic and multiple regression analyses of envi- ronmental data collected at sea during May- June, 1985-1991. GIS digital data layers contained in the models included depth, sea-surface temperature, distance from the nearest species-specific colony, distance from the shelf-break, and dis- tance from land. We tested model accu- racy with a "error matrix" using data col- lected in 1992. Overall, the models per- formed well for abundant species such as Common Murre and Cassin’s Auklet but poorly for species that occur in low abun- dance. We applied the results of the pre- dictive models to coastal issues such as the location of shipping lanes and the placement of dredge spoil disposal sites. Spatial analysis can generate insights into species habitat associations which are not possible to discern from the usual statisti- cal analyses. HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF NEST- ING SPECTACLED EIDERS ON THE NORTH SLOPE OF ALASKA Betty A. Anderson *, Charles B. Johnson , Brian A . Cooper, Robert H. Day, and Al- ice A . Stickney, ABR, Inc., P.O. Box 80410, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, 99708-0410. Since 1992, we have studied nesting Spectacled Eiders and their habitats at several locations on the North Slope of Alaska, including the Colville River Delta and North Slope oilfields. In the Kuparuk Oilfield, we found 69% of all nests (n=45) in basin wetland complexes (drained-lake, basins), a complex habitat that includes waterbodies with stands of emergents, and intricate shorelines with numerous islands and peninsulas. Other habitats used for nesting were the margins of Carex ponds, Arctophila fulva ponds, shallow ponds without emergents, and deep open lakes. In all habitats, nests usu- ally were located near the water (mean = 5 m to the closest waterbody). On the Colville River Delta, although we did find some (25% of 24 nests) Spectacled Eider nesting in basin wetland complexes, nests were found more often near shallow ponds with polygonized margins (42%). Other habitats used for nesting on the Colville River delta included Carex and Arctophila ponds, and deep open lakes with polygonized margins. As in the oil- fields, most nests were located close to water (mean =■ 1 m). We also will discuss nesting habitats of King Eiders in the re- gion. FEEDING ECOLOGY OF SEABIRD FLOCKS IN THE TROPICAL PACIFIC: COMPETITION AND ENERGETIC CONSTRAINT OPERATING AT OP- POSITE ENDS OF A PRODUCTIVITY GRADIENT Lisa T. Ballance *, and Robert L. Pitman , SW Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA. We investigated the ecology of seabirds that feed in flocks in association with sub- surface predators in the tropical Pacific. Our data were collected throughout a 10 year time period and a 40 million km2 area. Multivariate analyses revealed that these flocks can be classified into three flock types based on species composition. Flock types were significantly different with respect to size and species diversity and each flock type showed a distinct distribution that was significantly corre- lated with surface water productivity. We hypothesize that this guild of seabirds is largely structured by two factors which operate at opposite ends of a productivity gradient. As productivity increases, com- petitive ability becomes more important and competitively superior species will exclude others from feeding flocks. As productivity decreases, flight proficiency becomes more important and those spe- cies with relatively high flight costs will be excluded from feeding flocks. Our hypotheses were supported in that species differed in body size and therefore, com- petitive ability, as well as energetic cost of flight according to the predictions. WATER LEVELS, HYDROPATTERNS, AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF GREAT EGRETS AND WHITE IBISES IN THE WATER CONSERVATION AREAS OF THE EVERGLADES, FLORIDA G. T. Bancroft*, Archbold Biological Station, P. O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, FI. 33862, and R. J '. Sawicki, National Audubon Society, 115 Indian Mound Trail, Tavernier, FI, 33070. Aerial surveys were used to quantify the distribution of Great Egrets and White Ibises within the 3,600 km 2 Water Con- servation Areas. Classification analysis was used to characterize the hydrologic condition during each survey into one of four categories: wet, intermediate, dry, and extra dry. The spatial distribution of Great Egrets and White Ibises shifted in response to changing hydropattems sug- gesting that water depth was the primary factor influencing distribution. Compari- son of estimated water depth with Great Egret and White Ibis distribution showed that birds avoided marshes with deep wa- ter and those with little or no water, and selected marshes with intermediate water Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 23 ABSTRACTS depths. A computer model was developed to test whether Great Egret and White Ibis distributions could be predicted solely upon water depth. Comparisons of the expected distributions with the observed distributions suggest that water depth was a good predictor of Great Egret distribu- tion but was not a good predictor of White Ibis distribution. White Ibis were more clumped across the available water depths. Factors other than water depth seem to influence where White Ibis were found foraging. DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR OF SURF SCOTER IN THE SAINT LAW- RENCE RIVER ESTUARY IN SUM- MER AND FALL Jean Bedard , Societe Duvet Nord, P.O. Box 305, Riviere du Loup, Quebec GSR 3Y9, Jean-Pierre L. Savard*, Canadian Wildlife Services, 1141 route de l'Eglise, P.O. Box 10100, Sainte- Foy, Quebec G1V 4H5, and Andre Nadeau , Societe Duvet Nord, P.O. Box 305, Riviere du Loup, Quebec, GSR 3Y9. We quantified Surf Scoter distribution and behaviour at staging and moulting sites in the Saint Lawrence estuary from mid-August to mid-October. Surf Scoters were unevenly distributed and occurred in groups of 50 to 3,000 birds. Important areas for scoters included the tidal and subtidal flats around Patte de Lievre Is- land near Forestville, between the archipel of Kamouraska and Les Pelerins near Saint-Andre de Kamouraska, and around the archipel of Les Rasades near Cap a L'aigle. Daily time budget of scoters var- ied between areas and date. Overall, sco- ters spent 41% of their time feeding. Tide had seemingly more impact on time budgets than did time of the day. Feeding tended to concentrate on rising and falling tide, whereas swimming and resting were more prevalent at high tides although patterns were highly variable. Flock dis- persion varied between areas, with indi- viduals in tighter flocks at Patte de Lievre Island than Cap a L'aigle and most dis- persed a Saint-Andre. Diving times were similar at Patte de Lievre Island and Cap a L'aigle but averaged longer at Saint-Andre. Synchronized diving was most frequent at Patte de Lievre Island Flock size and foraging substrate differ- ences between sites may account for some of the differences. FISH CROW INVASION OF A COLO- NIAL WATERBIRD ROOST Theodore H. Below*, National Audubon Society, Rookery Bay Sanctuary, 3697 North Road, Naples, FL 33942. For the past eighteen years the sundown fly-in at a colonial waterbird night roost in Rookery Bau Sanctuary, has been monitored bi-weekly. In nineteen eighty five a few Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus ) started coming in and roosting for the night. Since that time they have come in continually and increased their population to a mean of 875. There are definite sea- sonal fluctuations ranging from the means of 342 in May to 1469 in January. Nine species of colonial waterbirds roost on the 0.75ha. Red Mangrove {Rhizophora man- gle) island in the middle of Rookery Bay, Collier County, Florida (26°0FN 81°44W), six of the species nest. The numbers of colonial waterbirds using the island range from the means of 1054 in May to 2622 in August. Although the crows roost in large numbers, no dis- cernible effect has been recorded on the birds using the island and the numbers of all of the colonial waterbirds have in- creased slowly over the years. ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION AND HABITAT CREATION FOR COLO- NIAL WATERBIRDS IN HAMILTON HARBOUR, ONTARIO Hans Blokpoel *, Canadian Wildlife Service, Nepean, ON, Canada, K1A 0H3, Mark Taylor, Geomatics International Inc., Burlington, ON, Canada, L7N 3M6, David Moore , Dept. Biol. Science, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6, Ralph Morris, Dept. Biol. Sciences, Brock Univ., St. Catharines, ON, Canada, L2S 3A1, James Quinn, Dept. Biology, McMaster Univ., Hamilton, , ON, Can- ada, L8S 4K1 , and Chip Weseloh, Cana- dian Wildlife Service, Burlington, ON, Canada, L7R 4A6. Colonial waterbirds have colonized 3 artificial mainland sites and 3 islands (2 artificial, 1 natural) in Hamilton Harbour in western Lake Ontario. Since 1985, Double-crested Cormorants, Black- crowned Night-Herons, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Caspian and Common Terns have nested regularly, with occa- sional nesting by Snowy Egrets and Great Black-backed Gulls. Hamilton Harbour has become one of the most important nesting areas on the Great Lakes. Eco- logical succession and inter-species com- petition for nesting habitat is monitored for both ground-nesting and tree-nesting species. Most birds now nest on the East- port Development Area, where harbour facilities are under construction. Three wildlife islands are being constructed to provide new nesting habitat for the colo- nial waterbirds that are being displaced from Eastport. Rapid colonization of these 3 Islands is expected but a management plan is needed to maintain the habitat, monitor its use and coordinate gull and cormorant control if needed. REPRODUCTION OF BLACK- CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS RE- LATED TO PREDATION AND CON- TAMINANTS Lawrence J. Blus,* National Biological Service, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Northwest Research Sta- tion, 3080 SE Clearwater Drive, Corval- lis, OR 97333, Barnett A. Rattner and Mark J. Melancon , National Biological Service, Patuxent Environmental Science Center, Laurel, MD 20708, and Charles J. Henny, National Biological Service, 3080 SE Clearwater Drive, Corvallis, OR 97333. Reproductive characteristics were stud- ied at five colonies of Black-crowned Night-Herons {Nycticorax nycticorax ) in south central Washington (4) and north central Oregon (1) in 1991. Predation (primarily avian) was a major factor that adversely affected reproductive success in three colonies and was relatively unim- portant in two colonies. The mean number of young surviving to 14 days of age in each colony ranged from 0.47 to 1 .94 per nesting female (includes recycling ef- forts). Unadjusted nest success at each colony ranged from 3 1 to 84% (including recycling efforts). Clutch size and inci- dence of recycling also varied markedly by colony. Residues of DDE, total PCBs, and related compounds were relatively low in most eggs, and mean eggshell thinning by colony ranged from 7 to 1 !%• Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 24 ABSTRACTS Cytochrome P-450 enzyme (EROD, PROD, and BROD) induction in livers of pipped embryos by colony ranged from low to average in comparison with other colonies throughout the U.S. Residues of dioxins (TCDD) and furans (TCDF) in eggs were generally low and apparently had little influence on reproductive suc- cess at any of the colonies. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WINTERING AREA AND BREEDING SITE IN THE GREATER FLAMINGO Vincent Boy*, Frank Cezilly , and Alan R. Johnson , Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, Le Sambuc, 13200 Arles, France. In the western palearctic, greater fla- mingos nest In a few localities, although they largely disperse during the non- breeding season. During the last ten years, only two breeding sites have been regu- larly occupied, the Camargue in southern France and Fuente de Piedra in southern Spain. We analyzed resightings of birds ringed in the Camargue during the winter period and during the following breeding season. The probability to nest in Spain or in France was largely affected by the presence of the bird in the same area during the previous winter. We discuss the effects of sex, age and cohort on the selection of breeding site in flamingos. ADOPTION IN RING-BILLED GULLS: CAN FOSTER PARENTS BENEFIT? Kevin M. Brown , Dept, of Biology, York Univ., North York, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3. From 1990-94, we investigated the proximate and ultimate causes of adoption in ring-billed gulls. Of the 54 chicks that abandoned their natal broods, 38 were permanently adopted and 1 6 were runners (remained in recipient broods <3 days). Chicks that departed their natal brood were growing at a lower rate than chicks that survived to fledge in their home brood (P<0.05), and third-hatched chicks were more likely to depart than their older siblings (0.1>P>0.05). In cases where the relative ages of chicks were known, adoptees were usually older (24 of 30) than their foster brood mates and so real- ized a survival advantage (19 of 24 fledged) at the expense of their foster sib- lings (15 of 35 fledged). Foreign chicks that were younger than their foster sib- lings realized poor survival (1 of 12 fledged). While parents that were success- ful at having a chick adopted also bene- fitted (+0.4 chicks fledged/pair), recipro- cal altruism was an unlikely explanation because the breeding costs to the actor (- 0.5 chicks/pair) outweighed the benefits to the recipient. However, natal philopatry (10 banded chicks have since returned to this colony as breeders; all male) and nest site tenacity could lead to the formation of kin groups. DNA fingerprinting will show whether or not adopting pairs realize in- clusive fitness benefits. THE EFFECT OF EXPERIENCE ON PARENTAL FEEDING INVESTMENT BY MALE AND FEMALE WESTERN GULLS BREEDING ON ALCATRAZ ISLAND Margaret E. Brown, Department of Bio- logical Sciences, Purdue Univ., West La- fayette, IN 47907-1392. Parental investment in offspring by long-lived species often depends on the number of years of prior breeding experi- ence. Monogamous species that have bi- parental care can also show variation in investment patterns between males and females. In this study I document parental feeding investment based on experience and sex and its ultimate effect on seasonal reproductive success in Western Gulls, a monogamous, long-lived seabird. Com- mon prey types provided to young in- cluded low skill-low quality (chicken and garbage) or high skill-high quality prey (fish). I detected no effect of parental ex- perience on feeding behavior; however, sex of parent had a strong influence. There was no difference in the percent of feedings given by males and females, although females provided a higher per- centage of high-quality food loads. Only when the percent of feedings by females was high did females provide fish at a level that declined to that of the male. Although males provided fewer high quality prey items, they did provide larger low-quality food loads. Females also transferred more of their available food load to chicks, while males had a higher frequency of complete food withholding. Differential nutritional requirements by male and female parents during the breeding season may underlie these dif- ferences in the pattern of parental invest- ment. FORAGING HABITATS USED BY WOOD STORKS BREEDING IN THE COASTAL ZONE OF GEORGIA, U.S.A. A.L. Bryan, Jr., Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802 U.S.A. Wood Storks were followed from three different colonies in the coastal zone of Georgia to foraging sites throughout the 1995 breeding season to examine dis- tances and durations of foraging travel, and foraging habitats selected. Most for- aging sites were relatively close ('x = 9.8 + 9.5 km, n=42 ) to their colonies requir- ing short travel times ('x = 29.5 + 27.0 min, n=42). Distances and flight times for one colony were shorter than for the other two colonies, apparently a result of an adjacent impoundment managed for storks. Freshwater (52.4%) and saltwater (47.6%) foraging sites were utilized al- most equally, but saltwater sites were used more extensively in the latter half of the season. Seventy percent of the forag- ing sites had storks or other wading birds already present when the followed bird arrived. The number of storks and other wading birds already present increased four-fold in the latter half of the season. Storks shifted from using more distant, freshwater foraging habitats with few of foraging waders to closer brack- ish/saltwater sites with abundant foraging waders as the breeding season progressed, possibly due to either heavy mid-season rains impacting freshwater sites, or sea- sonal fluctuation in prey numbers in brackish/saltwater marshes. BEHAVIOUR AND INVENTORY OF MARBLED MURRELETS MEASURED WITH RADAR Alan E. Burger , Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., Canada V8W 2Y2. I used high frequency surveillance radar deployed at creek mouths to estimate the numbers of Marbled Murrelets entering and leaving watersheds, and to compare rates of detections with people using the standard audio-visual Pacific Seabird Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 25 ABSTRACTS Group protocol. An accurate watershed census was possible where incoming birds were funneled through narrow inlets (e.g. Redwell/Ursus system in Clayoquot Sound, B.C.), but counts were less reli- able in more open coastline (e.g. Car- manah Valley, B.C.). Detections made at dawn with radar yielded 4-16 times more detections than human observers, and showed a major influx of murrelets well before the peak of audio-visual detec- tions. This audio-visual peak coincided with a period of intensive circling behav- iour seen on the radar, suggesting that the PSG protocol is biased towards murrelets which might be prospecting or courting rather than actively nesting. The radar also revealed considerable activity after sunset, a period not normally sampled in the PSG protocol. The flight speeds of birds leaving the forest for the sea were often much higher (mean >100 km h-1) than birds circling over the forest, which might indicate an antipredator response to higher densities of potential predators on the coast. ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENTS USING BIRDS: HEAVY METALS IN FEATHERS Joanna Burger *, Biology, Rutgers Univ. Piscataway, New Jersey, 08855-1059, and Michael Gochfeld, Environmental and Community Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscata- way, New Jersey, 08855. Increasingly, bioindicators of ecological change are required to make informed regulatory decisions, particularly those relating to clean-up of damaged or con- taminated sites. In some cases restoration of sites is an important societal goal, as well as management goal. Mercury and Lead are two heavy metals that are fre- quent pollutants in Superfund, DOE, and other contaminated sites. Feathers are a useful indicator for heavy metal contami- nation because they metals sequestered there, and levels in feathers correlate with levels in internal tissues. We examine concentrations of lead and mercury in feathers, and compare these levels to those known to cause behavioral or re- productive effects in laboratory experi- ments. Some individuals of some species that are relatively high on the food chain have levels that are within the range of those that cause adverse effects. Birds that had dangerous levels were herons and egrets from Asia that feed on relatively large fish, and terns and skimmers from the New York Bight that feed on medium- sized to small fish. In some years. Roseate Terns, an endangered species, also had levels that were within the range that cause behavioral deficits. TRENDS IN ORGANOCHLORINE CONTAMINANTS IN SEABIRD EGGS FROM ATLANTIC CANADA, 1968- 1992 Neil M. Burgess* Neville Garrity, Cana- dian Wildlife Service, Sackville, New Brunswick, E0A 3 CO, and Birgit M. Braune , Canadian Wildlife Service, Na- tional Wildlife Research Centre, Hull, Quebec, K1A 0H3. Organochlorine contaminants were measured in eggs of three seabird species from 1968 to 1992 to monitor marine environmental quality and assess possible implications for seabird health. Eggs were collected at four-year intervals from east- ern Canadian colonies of Double-crested Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax auritus), Leach's Storm-Petrel ( Oceanodroma leu- corhoa) and Atlantic Puffin ( Fratercula arctica). DDE and PCB levels have de- creased in all species at all colonies since 1972. DDE and PCB levels were higher in the Bay of Fundy and St. Lawrence Estu- ary than off Newfoundland, and were highest in cormorants and lowest in puf- fins. Hexachlorobenzene levels, in con- trast, have not declined steadily since 1972, and are highest in puffins and low- est in cormorants. Temporal, geographic and interspecific trends will be presented for other organochlorines including dield- rin, oxychlordane, hexachlorocyclohex- ane and mirex. Contaminant patterns and trends will be interpreted, considering the historical use of the contaminants and their fate, the seabirds' foraging habits, and the proximity of colonies to different sources. Implications for seabird health and marine environmental quality will be discussed. COOPERATIVE RESEARCH ON MARBLED MURRELETS INLAND AND AT-SEA IN CENTRAL CALI- FORNIA Esther E. Burkett *, Ca. Dept, of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA. 95814. A research cooperative was formed to study murrelets both inland and at sea in central California. Due to its small size and geographic isolation, this southern- most population in the Santa Cruz Moun- tains is vulnerable to extirpation. An in- tensive effort to locate active nests for video monitoring in Big Basin Redwoods State Park was unsuccessful though 51 different trees were monitored. Protocol surveys at five stations in the park re- vealed marked differences in detection levels and occupied behaviors. Corvid levels were higher on point count tran- sects associated with high human use. Data sources from the 1970’s reveal that Common Ravens have increased substan- tially in the region especially in the last few years. Repeated near shore at-sea surveys showed that the Ano Nuevo Bay region had consistently high densities compared to other areas. Densities were highest on near shore transects and HY to AHY ratios were low throughout the sea- son. Some indicators of marine produc- tivity were below normal but corvid abundance could also be a factor affecting nest success. Garbage management and visitor education at parks is imperative for murrelet recovery. The cooperative ap- proach is encouraged to foster working relationships between diverse groups and to make informed management decisions. REMOVAL OF INTRODUCED FOXES: A RESTORATION METHOD FOR SEABIRDS INJURED BY THE T/V EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL G. Vernon Byrd* and Edgar P. Bailey , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Homer, AK, USA, 99603. Black Oystercatcher ( Haematopus bachmani) and Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba) are two species that were injured by the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in 1 989. Removal of intro- duced foxes (Alopex lagopus or Vulpes vulpes) from islands is one method of restoring reduced populations. In 1994 and 1995, the T/V Exxon Valdez Trustee Council funded fox removal on Simeonof and Chemabura islands in the Shumagin group near the western edge of the oil’s Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 26 ABSTRACTS path. Comparisons of oystercatcher and guillemot populations at Simeonof and Chernabura with nearby fox-free islands showed that foxes kept oystercatchers from successfully nesting and also re- duced the nesting density of guillemots. On fox-free islands in the Shumagins, densities of breeding oystercatchers ranged from 0.5 to 2.0 pairs km-1 of beach habitat, so we predicted that Sime- onof should eventually have 20 to 80 pairs of oystercatchers, and Chernabura should have 15 to 60 pairs. Guillemot densities were 2 to 5 times higher on fox-free islands, therefore, future in- creases within this range are expected following fox removal. Most foxes were removed from Simeonof and Chernabura in 1994, and the remaining animals were eradicated by June 1995. Increases in nesting populations of oystercatchers and guillemots were already evident in 1995. EFFECTS OF VARIABLE OCEANO- GRAPHIC CONDITIONS AND AN- THROPOGENIC IMPACTS ON COR- MORANT POPULATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BIGHT Harry R. Carter 1 *, Franklin Gress 2 , Ger- ard J. McChesney \ Darrell L. Whit- worth \ and Thomas W, Keeney \ 'National Biological Service, California Pacific Science Center, 6924 Tremont Road, Dixon, CA 95620; department of Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, Univ. of California, Davis, CA 95617; and Environmental Division, Naval Air Weapons Station, Point Mugu, CA 93042. Between the 1970’s and 1991, breeding populations of Brandt's, Double-crested and Pelagic Cormorants ( Phalacrocorax penicillatus, P. auritus, P. pelagicus) in- creased at the Channel Islands in the Southern California Bight (SCB). In 1992-1993, numbers at several colonies fell during intense El Nino oceanographic conditions. In 1994-1995, numbers partly recovered to 1991 levels. To better inter- pret population changes, we collated data on population size and anthropogenic impacts, including marine pollutants, fisheries and various forms of human disturbance. Recent increases reflect par- tial recovery from former decimation in the 1800’s and 1900’s and in addition Pe- lagic Cormorants may be experiencing natural expansion at the southern end of their breeding range. Variable oceano- graphic conditions and continuing anthro- pogenic impacts between years and within different parts of the SCB complicates and slows this recovery. Long-term ef- forts to monitor cormorant populations and reduce human impacts in the SCB are needed. REVERSED HATCHING ASYN- CHRONY IN ROCKHOPPER PEN- GUINS Colleen Cassady, St. Clair, Department of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, T6G 2E9. Brood reduction in birds is frequently associated with hatching asynchrony, wherein incubation commences before clutch completion, causing last-laid eggs to hatch after earlier eggs. In Rockhopper Penguins, second-laid eggs are typically 25% larger than first-laid eggs and typi- cally hatch sooner, despite a four-day laying interval between eggs. I conducted a field experiment to examine the causes of this unique reversal in hatch asyn- chrony. Three factors, laying order, intra- clutch egg dimorphism, and laying date contributed significantly and additively to incubation length. By contrast, incubation length was not affected by the timing of incubation onset or absolute egg mass, despite mass-specific differences in egg composition. In addition to its effect on incubation length, laying date was corre- lated with incubation temperatures. These two associations may be involved in the reversed and extreme egg size dimor- phism characteristic of crested penguins. A NEW MODEL FOR STUDYING RE- CRUITMENT IN COLONIAL WATER- BIRDS Frank Cezilly*, Alan R. Johnson, Station Biologqiue de la Tour du Valat, Le sam- buc, 13200 Arles, France, and Roger Pradel , CEFE CNRS, Montpellier, France. We introduce the use of a new ap- proach, based on Capture-Mark- Recapture designs, in which the analysis of local recruitment is similar to the analysis of survival in reverse. The model considers two essential components, the probability to have previously belonged to the population of breeders ( seniority probability ) and the probability of recap- ture, independently of survival. The flexi- bility achieved allows to compare re- cruitment among groups within a popula- tion, and to test for the effects of envi- ronmental variables. We illustrate the method with the study of local recruit- ment of natives in the Camargue (southern France) population of the Greater Flamingo ( Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) between 1984 and 1994. Additive effects of age and year were found to af- fect recruitment. Recruitment noticeably increased in the year following an in- crease in mortality rate. Long lasting ef- fects of mortality on recruitment were observed in the three following years. There was no evidence of an effect of sex or cohort (year of birth) on recruitment. However, sex, as well as time and age, affected recapture rates We discuss the various advantages of the model for the study of recruitment in colonial water- birds. PATTERN OF RECOVERIES OF RINGED RAZORBILLS (Alca torda ) IN WESTERN ATLANTIC AND ADULT SURVIVAL RATES Gilles Chapdelaine, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ste-Foy, Quebec, Canada, G1V 4H5. In North America, Razorbill breeds in colonies scattered along the coast of At- lantic Canada and northeastern coast of Maine but with most important concen- tration in Labrador and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Given the small North Ameri- can population (c.a. 15000 pairs) and the large decrease which occurred in the gulf of St. Lawrence during the seventy dec- ade, an intensive effort to band Razorbill on the North Shore of the gulf and with less extend in Labrador had been accom- plished from 1981 until now (more than 4000 banded birds). Using ringing recov- eries of Razorbill from this latest opera- tion and former one on the Atlantic coast we traced their movements and showed how the species could be exposed to dif- ferent risks during the non-breeding sea- son. More than 50 % of the recoveries came from the Thick-billed Murre hunt in Newfoundland suggesting that shooting could be an important mortality factor Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 27 ABSTRACTS mainly for immature birds. There are too few recoveries to attempt an analysis of survival rates of immatures. A study of a colour-ringed birds combined to triangu- lar band that could be read from a dis- tance started up in 1990 suggests a mean annual adult survival of 90% during the last five years. WINTERING BIOLOGY OF WESTERN GREBES IN SAANICH INLET, VAN- COUVER ISLAND James S. {2 Iowa ter, Department of Bio- logical Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6. Little is known of the behaviour of Western Grebes (Aechmophorus occi- dentalis), wintering in coastal waters of British Columbia. Unlike other North American grebes. Western Grebes form large flocks often including several thou- sand birds. Surveys indicate that in mid morning grebes collect into large cohesive flocks which persist until dusk when the flocks begin to disperse. These flocks are primarily "roosting" flocks where most time is spent either resting or preening. Many birds leaving the roosting flock at dusk, travel to other locations, where they begin foraging dives. Grebes followed at this time begin diving more than 1 hour after sunset when light levels at the sur- face measured as little as 0.0457 mE or 3.0X10" 3 % of daylight (full sun). Similar crepuscular foraging behaviour has been documented for the Great Crested Grebe in the Netherlands, where Piersma et al. (1988) have associated this dispersal with increased availability of vertically mi- grating prey. Saanich Inlet is a unique fjord-like body of water that contains a dense population of vertically migrating euphausiids as well as non-migratory am- phipods. Our research will examine the nature of the prey stock that supports wintering grebes and how crepuscular foraging offers a unique solution to ener- getic constraints on the wintering grounds. ASSOCIATION OF NESTING BLACK SKIMMERS AND TERNS; TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? Charles T, Collins , Dept, of Biology, California State Univ., Long Beach, CA 90840. The benefits of coloniality has been widely discussed, as has the benefits of some interspecific associations. Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger ) are regularly found nesting with or among various spe- cies of terns (Sterna) and are thought to gain an advantage in the form of predator defense from the aggressive, preda- tor-mobbing terns. Black Skimmers in California frequently nest in association with larger Caspian {Sterna caspia) and Elegant {Sterna elegans) Terns. Although there may be the previously implied bene- fits there are also some substantial dis- ruption and reproductive failure due to the activities and movements of the dense creche of Elegant Tem chicks. This sug- gests that the costs as well as benefits must be determined for mixed species associations. PRODUCTIVITY OF HARLEQUIN DUCKS BREEDING IN PRINCE WIL- LIAM SOUND, ALASKA David W. Crowley , Alaska Dept, of Fish and Game, Anchorage, Alaska, USA 99518. I used breeding status of females, clutch size, and size and age of broods as indices of productivity of harlequin ducks in eastern Prince William Sound. Eighty percent and 73% of adult females cap- tured at stream mouths were breeding birds in 1991 and 1992, respectively. Non-breeding females were classified as adults (paired) and subadults (unpaired). Paired, non-breeding females weighed significantly more than unpaired, non- breeding females (P = 0.018), adding support to age classifications. Average clutch size was 6.1 (n = 8). Linear density of nests was approximately 0.2 - 1.1 /km for 7 known breeding streams. Using av- erage clutch size, and age and number of ducklings in broods observed during sur- veys (n = 42), I estimated that duckling mortality was approximately 59%. How- ever, I could not account for loss of entire broods. Most mortality occurred during 15-35 days of age. Average brood size at fledging was 2.67. Using estimates of duckling mortality to fledging age and numbers of breeding and adult females in the population, estimated recruitment rate was 0.6 - 1.1 young per breeding female and 0.4 - 0.8 per adult female. Coastline densities of broods during 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1995 were 2.3, 0.9, 1.8, and 1.3 /1 00 km, respectively. Harlequin ducks exhibit breeding characteristics consistent with other sea duck species. Extrinsic factors, such as late spring snow preclud- ing nest initiation, probably influence productivity of harlequins in EPWS. FEEDING HABITAT OF HERONS ON ; THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER i Christine M. Custer , Thomas W, Custer , and Randy K. Hines. National Biological 1 Service, Upper Mississippi Science Cen- ter, P.O. Box 818, La Crosse, WI 54602- 0818 USA. We followed great blue herons (n = 185) by airplane to their feeding sites from 4 breeding colonies on the upper : Mississippi River between 13 April and 23 July 1995. There was little overlap in ; feeding locations between nearby colo- t nies. More herons left the Mississippi River to feed during the care-of-young period {31.2%) than during incubation ’ (17.3%) (c 2 , P = 0.0107). Of those herons staying on the Mississippi River to feed, 84.7% fed in braided channel habitat be- < low a dam or levee, 9% fed along the ? main navigation channel, 3.6% fed in ' open pool habitat above a dam or levee, and 2.7% fed in flooded agricultural » fields. Of those herons feeding off the Mississippi River, 65% went to smaller j creeks and rivers, 30% went to farm 1 ponds and barrow pits, and 5% went to a power plant. Flight time to reach an off- j river feeding site was 16 min 59 sec com- i pared to only 4 min 45 sec to reach an on- < river feeding site. Herons generally < landed on dead or live vegetation mats (40% of time), bare ground (26.5%), 1 logs/snags (23.1%), other substrates j (rocks, treetops, etc., 6%) and then ; walked into the water from there to feed. * Herons landed directly in water only 4.3% t of the time. \ NESTING OF GREAT BLUE HERONS - ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER x IN RELATION TO THE 1 993 FLOOD , Thomas W. Custer * Randy K. Hines , and ' Christine M. Custer , National Biological , Service, Upper Mississippi Science Cen- i ter, P.O. Box 818, La Crosse, Wisconsin j 54602-0818 USA. ( Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 28 ABSTRACTS Great Blue Heron eggs were collected from 10 colonies on the Upper Missis- sippi River (UMR) in 1993. The collec- tion year coincided with a flood in the midwest United States which surpassed all previous United States floods in terms of precipitation amounts, record river levels, flood duration and area of flood- ing. Great Blue Herons nesting in the five southern colonies on the UMR, an area of major flooding, began nesting later, had fewer eggs per clutch, and smaller eggs than those nesting in the five northern colonies, which were less affected by the flood. We suspect that flooding of the feeding habitat influenced these repro- ductive parameters. Data from 1995, a year without major flooding on the UMR, support this hypothesis. In 1995, the tim- ing of nesting, number of eggs per clutch, and egg volume were similar between northern and southern colonies. PARENTAL INVESTMENT BY RHI- NOCEROS AUKLETS AT THE COL- ONY AND AT SEA OFF VANCOUVER ISLAND Gail K. Davoren *, Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2. Colony-based measures of provisioning, chick growth and parental time budgets were combined with oceanographic measures of bird and prey densities for Rhinoceros Auklets at Seabird Rocks, off Vancouver Island. The goal was to de- scribe the response of parental provision- ing efforts to varying levels of prey abun- dance and availability, for the first time in oceanic ornithology. The Rhinoceros Auklet was selected because its diet, breeding biology, diving behaviour and physiology are well known and it was suggested to be the ideal species for monitoring ocean conditions off British Columbia. Parental time budgets, meas- ured by visual scans, showed that auklets spent very little of their time at sea for- aging (5 %). This suggests that prey was readily available, thus time-buffering was not observed. Chick growth rates (4.7 +/- 3.1 g/d) and meal sizes (28.6 +/- 17.6 g) were within normal ranges for Rhinoceros Auklets reported elsewhere. Weak corre- lations were found between bird and prey densities (measured with a 200 kHz echo sounder) in transects around the colony. This suggests that prey densities had reached a threshold level, providing the auklets with a number of high quality prey patches to choose from. Conse- quently, highly efficient parental provi- sioning efforts were observed, resulting in high breeding success. ASHY STORM-PETREL VOCAL BE- HAVIOUR PROVIDES CLUES TO THEIR BIOLOGY Sharon B.C. Dechesne , Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., V8W 2Y2. The Ashy Storm-Petrels ( Oceanodroma homochroa ) have cryptic breeding colo- nies preventing the straight-forward study of their biology. Fortunently, their vocali- sations are highly conspicuous during the breeding season and the birds can be readily drawn to playback. By examining only their vocalisations and vocal behav- iour we can begin to understand more of • this species biology in the context of what has been discovered for other storm- petrels. Among seabirds, storm-petrels possess some of the most complex, os- cine-like vocalisations or songs. For the Ashy Storm-Petrel, I have been able to establish that: both sexes as well as breeding and non-breeding birds vocalise, and birds respond most strongly to play- back of conspecific calls although they still approach the calls of various sympa- tric species of storm-petrel. The structural features of their calls suggest particular phylogenetic affinities with other storm- petrels. DO THE ALCIDS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ACOUSTICAL WINDOWS? Sharon B.C. Dechesne, Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., V8W 2Y2. Alcidae vocal repertoires examined to date vary in size from 4-10 call types, and calls show great diversity in both their structure and function. The theory sur- rounding "acoustical windows" predicts that the structure of calls should optimise accurate and/or long-distance transmis- sion of signals in the habitat that the spe- cies occupies. This window is framed by frequencies and call features that do not transmit well due to competing sounds or structural features of the habitat that cause sound degradation or absorption (e.g. vegetation). During the non-breeding sea- son, all members of the family alcidae occupy an acoustically similar marine environment, and thus the overall acoustic window that is available to them is simi- lar. Body size, however reduces the por- tion of the acoustic window that is avail- able to each species, by limiting the birds to higher or lower pitched calls. During the nesting season, alcids occupy a num- ber of diverse habitats (e.g. rocky cliffs, grassy slopes, forest), each with different acoustical regimes or "windows". Alcids varied social behaviours and contexts of communication may make the presence of other call features preferable, and explain the existence of many calls that are sub- ject to high levels of degradation; further evidence for this can be found by com- paring the vocalisations of species of sympatric species of similar size. COMPARISON OF NESTING FOR- STER’S TERNS (STERNA FORSTER!) AND COMMON TERNS (STERNA II! RUNDO ) IN THE SAME SALT MARSH IN NORTH CAROLINA Charles T. Dennis*, Dept, of Biology, Univ. of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403. On the North Carolina coast Forster's and Common Terns nest on small estu- arine islands. This study compares several nesting parameters of Forster's and Com- mon Terns on several islands in Back Sound, NC during the summer of 1995. Forster's and Common Terns showed sig- nificant differences in time of nest initia- tion, nest placement, nest construction, clutch size, egg size, and nest success. Forster’s terns began nesting three weeks before Common Terns, and while For- ster's Terns nested almost exclusively on wrack. Common Terns used a mix of wrack, sand/shell, and short vegetation. Forster's Tern nests were larger overall, and were placed higher above ground. Average clutch size of Forster’s Terns was 2.81 while that of Common Terns was 1 .92, also Forster's Tern eggs were larger. Forster’s terns showed a higher nesting success than Common Terns which was due to their earlier nesting and higher- placement of nests. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1 996 • Page 29 ABSTRACTS RESTORATION PROPOSALS FOR COMMON MURRES IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA George J. Divoky , Inst, of Arctic Biology, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775. The government’s proposals to restore Common Murres assumed lost to the Apex Houston oil spill in March 1986 include the establishment of a captive breeding program, a rehabilitation program, and the use of decoys and audio playbacks at in- active and active colonies. Lack of funds limits current efforts to the social attrac- tion program. The proposed captive breeding program calls for the establish- ment of a breeding population of 200 permanently injured murres to produce 1 002 young over twenty years. The reha- bilitation program anticipates returning 3000 birds to the wild over the same pe- riod. The expected 4000 released birds would be less than 1 percent of the esti- mated production of young in the wild over the same period (695,000 chicks). Additionally, the captive breeding pro- posal disregards the importance of post- fledging parental care in Uria. The reha- bilitation proposal ignores the high post- release mortality of rehabilitated birds and the lack of evidence that alcids can enter or return to breeding populations follow- ing rehabilitation. Social attraction to at- tract birds to specific rocks could disrupt natural patterns of recruitment and de- crease reproductive success. All of the proposals ignore the ability of murre populations to naturally form new colo- nies or increase the size of current ones when favorable conditions exist. THE TIMING OF THE DECLINE OF COMMON MURRES IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA George Divoky , Inst, of Arctic Biology, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775. Swartzman and Carter (1992) believed mortality from a March 1986 oil spill was responsible for the extirpation of the Devil's Slide Rock Common Murre col- ony and significant reductions at Castle Rocks and Hurricane Point Rocks. Ex- amination of data from before and after the spill raises questions about their con- clusions. Abandonment of the Devil’s Slide colony had earlier been associated with intense fishing in adjacent waters (Takekawa, Harvey and Carter 1990). A single gill-net mortality adjacent to the colony in 1983 involved a minimum of 943 birds. The 1982 population was esti- mated at 2570 birds, but less than 50 were present in 1984 (L. Spear pers. comm.). Over 100 were present in 1987 (D. Wester pers. comm.) but the colony was aban- doned later in the decade. Evidence that an early 1986 mortality had a major im- pact on the Castle Rocks and Hurricane Point Rocks colonies is also lacking. These two colonies, totaling 5800 birds in 1980, collectively decreased 39 percent from 1980 to 1982. However, from 1982 to 1986, when other central California colonies declined from 46 to 96 percent, they declined only 12 percent. A decline of 47 percent from 1 986 to 1 989 may be related to gill-net mortality (Carter and Gilmer 1990). VARIATION IN RATES AND AGE OF RECRUITMENT IN A BLACK GUIL- LEMOT COLONY George J. Divoky , Inst, of Arctic Biology, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 9970 L Recruitment opportunities at a small (< 15 pairs) Black Guillemot colony were increased through the creation of more than 200 nest sites from 1975 to 1981. Banding of all young since 1975 has shown cohorts typically return to their natal colony at three years of age. During colony growth, when nest-site availability was not limiting, age at first breeding averaged 3.6 years with 86 percent of returning cohorts recruited. After colony expansion when nest sites were limiting, age at first breeding was 5.2 years with 35 percent of returnees recruited. Recruit- ment of cohorts is limited by competition for nest sites with immigrants. Immigrants comprised more than 75 percent of re- cruits during population growth and only since 1990, when the population began declining, have native birds constituted more than 50 percent of annual recruit- ment. A recent decrease in survival of breeding birds has not resulted in in- creased recruitment, due in part to an ap- parent concurrent decline in survival of nonbreeders. However, the resulting va- cancies in nest sites have allowed the re- cruitment rate of returning cohorts to in- crease to levels similar to those during colony expansion. Currently, in some subcolonies at least, recruitment may be limited by mate availability. HABITAT USE AND COLONY SITE DYNAMICS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WADING BIRDS Mark G. Dodd*, South Carolina Depart- ment of Natural Resources, Green Pond, SC 29446, and Thomas M. Murphy , South Carolina Department of Natural Re- sources, Green Pond, SC 29446. Statewide aerial and ground censuses of wading bird colonies, conducted during 1988-1994, were assessed to determine the effects of coastal development and prioritize colonies for protection. We ex- amined the relationship between total wetland, tidal wetland, and impoundment area and wading bird nesting in South Carolina. We calculated annual and 5-year turnover rates for wading bird colonies and tested for differences in turnover rates between large (> 100 nests) and small (< 100 nests) colonies and be- tween colonies with a history of activity. Total and tidal wetland hectares were grossly correlated with wading bird nest- ing. Wading birds were found to be nest- ing at an average density of 0.065 nests/hectare of wetland habitat. The av- erage annual turnover rate was low (T=0.1751), and the average probability of activity was high (83.5%). Turnover rates were higher for colonies with < 100 nests, and colonies without 3 years of previous activity. In prioritizing colonies for protection, emphasis must be on large colonies, particularly those with a history of activity. Management activities should concentrate on defining areas with nu- merous small colonies and high turnover rates, and creating protected colonies in high quality nesting habitats. EFFECTS OF WINTER MANAGE- MENT REGIMES ON WATER BIRD USE OF RICE FIELDS Chris S. Elphick, EECB, Univ. of Nevada, Reno, 1000 Valley Road, Reno, NV 89512, USA. As a result of recent legislation to re- duce stubble burning, many rice-farmers in California have begun flooding their fields during winter to enhance rice-straw decomposition. This practice is also ex- Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 30 ABSTRACTS pected to benefit a variety of aquatic bird species. During the winters of 1993/94 and 1994/95, 1 conducted censuses of 47 intentionally-flooded and 26 control rice-fields in the Sacramento Valley. All waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds were identified and counted. I tested the hy- potheses that (1) intentionally-flooded fields would contain higher densities of the study species than control fields, (2) different methods of managing residual straw would influence bird use in the flooded fields, and (3) species would dif- fer in their use of different water depths. All three species groups occurred at higher densities in fields that fanners had flooded, although some individual species (geese, cranes, herons) did not. Straw incorporation methods had no clear im- pact on bird use. Species densities varied with water depth, however, the nature of these effects were modified by local con- ditions. These results provide guidelines that can improve the management of rice-fields for waterbirds in a manner compatible with continued agricultural use. THE EFFECT OF SEA LEVEL RISE ON A MIGRATORY WADER Bruno J. Ens, IBN-DLO, P.O. Box 167, 1790 AD Den Burg, The Netherlands. The intertidal mudflats of the Wadden Sea are of vital importance to ensure the survival of the 7.000.000 waders that mi- grate along the East-Atlantic Flyway. To investigate the possible harm of sea level rise due to global climate change we chose the Oystercatcher (. Haematopus ostralegus) as a model species. The total population size is thought to result from an equilibrium between density- dependent mortality during winter and density-dependent reproduction during summer. The mortality curve is con- structed from knowledge on interference, where especially sub-dominant young individuals suffer a decline in food intake when bird density rises. The chick pro- duction curve is constructed from knowl- edge on competition for territories of high quality and the resulting increase in the occupation of poor territories and number of nonbreeders queuing for high quality territories with rising numbers of potential breeders. It can be calculated how changes in winter habitat surface will af- fect the winter mortality curve, and there- fore, the total population size. It turns out that even under extreme scenarios of sea level rise, the negative effects on the population will be small. However, the current model ignores effects of tem- perature, which are known to affect the population dynamics of the prey. HAS THE INVASION OF LAKE ERIE BY DREISSENID MUSSELS AF- FECTED BREEDING FISH-EATING BIRDS? Peter J. Ewins*, Canadian Wildlife Serv- ice, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada. Colonial waterbirds have been used successfully as bioindicators in many aquatic ecosystems. In the late 1980s Dreissenid mussels were inadvertently introduced to Lake Erie, and now occur throughout the lake, at densities up to 3/4 million m-2. To evaluate effects on breeding colonial waterbirds, we com- pared 1990s data with those from the 1970s and 1980s. Numbers of breeding Herring Gulls and Great Blue Herons have remained fairly stable, whereas Common Terns and Black-crowned Night-Herons declined steeply. Breeding Double-crested Cormorants and Ring- billed Gulls have increased greatly since the mid-1970s. Productivity of Herring Gulls remained high (1-2 young /nest/year) throughout, as diet shifted to more Freshwater Drum (a fish which feeds heavily on Dreissenid mussels). Levels of organochlorine contaminants in Herring Gull eggs declined steeply until the early 1980s, but have fallen relatively little over the past decade. Competition for nesting space with Ring-billed Gulls has caused some Common Tern declines, but probable high sensitivity to contami- nants is another suspected factor. At pres- ent we have no evidence of marked population-level effects in these species which can be attributed to invasion of this lake by Dreissenid mussels. MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF A MAJOR OIL SPILL ON AN INSHORE SEABIRD: BLACK GUILLEMOTS ( Cepphus grylle ) IN SHETLAND Peter J. Ewins*, Canadian Wildlife Serv- ice, Environment Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Downsview, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada, and Martin Heubeck , Dept. Zo- ology, Univ. of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, AB9 2TN. Black Guillemots are common inshore, largely resident diving seabirds in Shet- land, and are highly vulnerable to oil pollution incidents. Since 1983 we have designed and operated an integrated monitoring scheme for this population to track recovery from the Esso Bernicia spill in Yell Sound in 1979, and to quan- tify effects of other oil incidents. The scheme has three components: pre- breeding census of adults attending colo- nies in fixed monitoring sites; monthly and ad hoc beached bird surveys; stan- dardized boat-based transects in inshore waters in winter. We report results from each element, to evaluate the scheme’s sensitivity. Pre-breeding numbers in Yell Sound increased at 9% p.a. from 1983 to 1993, and by 18% p.a. from 1991-1993. Steady population recovery for 7-10 years was evident from the winter boat tran- sects. Changes in numbers at monitoring sites elsewhere were often associated with smaller confirmed oil slicks. For example, declines of 18-37% were noted at four sites close to the winter 1 992-93 Braer oil incident in S. Shetland, followed by in- creases of 6-37% in 1994. HERON POPULATION TRENDS IN EUROPE Mauro Fasola *, Dipartimento Biologia Animale, Universita, 27100 Pavia, Italy, Heinz Hafner , Station Biologique Tour du Valat, 13200 Arles, France Pepa Prosper, Estacion Omitologica Albufera, 46012 El Saler, Spain, and Henk van der Kooij , Groenendaal 8, 4041 XX Kesteren, Neth- erlands. Nesting populations of European herons seem to be mainly regulated by winter survival, affected by climatic conditions on the wintering grounds (Europe for residents, West Africa for migrants). We analysed 1968-1994 time series of popu- lation data for Italy (northwest, with 40 heronries), Camargue (France, 20 heron- ries), Albufera Valencia (Spain, 5), Neth- erlands (10), Dnestr Delta (Ucraina, 5), and we sought relations with a measure of Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 31 ABSTRACTS - the hydrological conditions in West Af- rica (maximum water levels at Lake Debo, Mali). Grey Herons and Cattle Egrets increased everywhere, whereas Black-Crowned Night-Herons, Little Egrets, Squacco and Purple Herons fluc- tuated widely without significant trends, but in each region their populations de- creased from the late ’70 to mid~’80. When all our study regions were tested together (normalized data), the correla- tions nesting herons / hydrology in Africa were significant for Purple Herons (P^O.OOl) and for night-herons (P=0.02); for Squacco Herons the correlation was positive but not significant; all these 3 are migrants. When each region was tested separately, significant correlations with hydrology in Africa emerged in 5 cases out of 15. As expected, Grey Herons and Little Egrets, that winter mainly within the Mediterranean, showed no relation with hydrology in Africa. DO RADIO TELEMETRY POINT OR AREA ESTIMATES MORE ACCU- RATELY DESCRIBE A COLONIAL WATERBIRD’S HABITAT? Scott L. Findholt* and Bruce K . Johnson, Dept. Fish and Wildl., La Grande, OR 97850, USA, Lyman L. McDonald and John W. Kern, WEST, Inc., Cheyenne, WY 82007, USA, and Alan Ager , U.S. Forest Service, Pendleton, OR 97801, USA. Radio telemetry data have traditionally been treated as error-free when incorpo- rating habitat variables with animal posi- tions. However, radio tracking provides only an estimate of the animal's position. We describe a new method to couple habitat variables in a Geographic Infor- mation System (G1S) with radio telemetry area estimates. We used principal compo- nents analysis to determine the probability weights for GIS pixels surrounding point estimates of radio telemetry positions. When habitat variables from a GIS were coupled with LORAN-C radio telemetry positions, estimates of most habitat vari- ables were the same whether we used radio telemetry point or area estimates. Although we used terrestrial habitat types in our computer simulations, our results can be applied to colonial waterbird habitat studies. NOMADIC BREEDING, INTERAN- NUAL DISPERSION, AND RANGE EXPANSION OF WHITE IBISES AS GUIDELINES FOR RESERVE NET- WORK DESIGN Peter C. Frederick , Dept. Wildlife Ecol- ogy and Conservation, P.O. Box 110430, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 3261 1 USA. Unlike many wading birds, White Ibises (Eudocimus albus) are extremely nomadic and opportunistic n esters, and present unique challenges to conservationists. In the southeastern U.S. during the last 60 years, the breeding population has colo- nized at least 6 new states, and the weighted center of breeding has shifted from south Florida, to central Florida, to coastal South Carolina, and finally to Louisiana; the maximum breeding popu- lation may have been reduced by half since the 1970s. Most breeding locations are novel, are used for periods of less than fifteen years, and are rarely used heavily after being abandoned. Colonization ap- pears to depend upon the availability of superabundant food, often sparked by natural disturbance events. Abandonment is typically associated with both natural and human-induced degradation of for- aging habitat. The scale and unpredict- ability of movements dictate that a wet- land reserve system must be geographi- cally diffuse and of large total size; habi- tat requirements dictate that reserves must incorporate both coastal and inland habi- tats. Individual wetland reserves must be large enough to support natural distur- bance events that result in high prey availability. The ecological mechanisms producing such pulses of prey are poorly understood, and are critical to the design of a wetland reserve system for this spe- cies. COMPARISON OF AERIAL AND GROUND TECHNIQUES FOR DIS- COVERY AND CENSUS OF LONG- LEGGED WADING BIRD NESTING COLONIES IN THE FLORIDA EVER- GLADES Peter C. Frederick Dept. Wildlife Ecol- ogy and Conservation, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611 USA, Tim Towles , Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Com- mission, Lake City, FI., Richard Sawicki, and G. Thomas Bancroft , National Audubon Society, 115 Indian Mound Trail, Tavernier, FI. 33070. During 1992 - 1995, we performed systematic aerial and ground searches for wading bird colonies in the central Ever- glades. For each year, we compared counts derived solely from systematic aerial surveys, with estimates that in- cluded information from both aerial and ground searches. The aerial method alone underestimated total numbers of colonies (>10 nests) by a annual average of 61% (range 3 1 - 80%), resulting in an underes- timate of total nest starts of 29% (range among years = 15 - 45%). Light-colored species (Great Egrets, White Ibises, Snowy Egrets, Cattle Egrets) were rela- tively well quantified by aerial surveys alone (x = 85.2% of nests, 78.6% of colo- nies), while colonies of dark-colored spe- cies were much more rarely discovered (x = 17% of nests, 15% of colonies). These errors stem largely from the inability of even experienced aerial observers to dis- cover colonies; inaccuracies in counting nests were not assessed directly by this study. The Everglades habitat we sur- veyed is extremely open and presents a best-case scenario for discovering colo- nies from the air. We strongly recommend that systematic ground searches always be coupled with aerial surveys over large areas. PHYLOGENY AND EVOLUTION OF THE SULIDAE Vicki Friesen*, Heather Jones, Biology Dept., Queen's Univ., Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada, and David Anderson , Biology Dept., Wake Forest Univ., Win- ston-Salem, NC 27109, U.S.A. Although the neo-Darwinian model of speciation is widely accepted, it does not provide satisfactory explanations for many evolutionary phenomena, such as adaptive radiations. Alternative models have been suggested, but are largely un- tested in vertebrates. Molecular data pro- vide two new sources of information for understanding speciation: 1) they enable dates of speciation events to be estimated; and 2) they enable ecological characteris- tics of ancestral species to be inferred. Thus, specific hypotheses can be devel- oped from paleoecological data and tested Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 32 ABSTRACTS with molecular data. We sequenced 450 base pairs of the mitochondrial cyto- chrome b gene from eight of nine extant species of sulids. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that gannets (genus Moms) and boobies (genus Sulci) are distinct. Cape (M. capensis ) and Australasian (M, ser- rator ) gannets, and blue-footed (S. ne- bouxii) and Peruvian (S. variegata) boo- bies were sister-species. Blue-footed, Pe- ruvian, Masked ( S . dactylatra ) and brown (S. leucogaster) Boobies were mono- phyletic, but relationships between the Masked and Brown Boobies were unclear. The Red-footed Booby (S. sula) was the most divergent booby. Tests of specific hypothesis designed to discriminate be- tween alternative models of speciation suggest that the neo-Darwinian model is generally satisfactory for sulids. POLLUTANT EXPOSURE OF COR- MORANTS ON THE PACIFIC COAST. D. Michael Fry *, and Jay A. Davis, Cen- ter for Avian Biology, Department of Avian Sciences, Univ. of California, Davis, CA 95616. The pollutant exposure and risk to cor- morants along the Pacific Coast varies significantly by geographic region. Areas of highest exposure to persistent or- ganochlorines include those areas adja- cent to historic industrial outfalls of DDT and PCBs, and from bleached kraft pulp mill effluents. The major areas of pollut- ant exposure are Southern California, San Francisco Bay, the Columbia River, Puget Sound and the Straits of Georgia in Brit- ish Columbia. DDT and PCB risks are reduced compared to the 1970s, but still remain significant. Recent changes in effluent discharge requirements and bleaching processes have reduced pulp mill effluent chlorinated organics, but these still remain significant risks to mal- formations and reduced productivity of cormorants. Beak and facial malforma- tions in cormorants in SF Bay resembled those of birds from the Great Lakes and British Columbia. Heavy metals, espe- cially Se and Hg in SF Bay remain risks to all aquatic waterbirds. Eggshell thin- ning is still significant in southern Cali- fornia as DDT residues persist in the southern California Bight. This work was supported by USFWS Contract 14-48-0001-93545, and by the US EPA (R8 19658) Center for Ecological Health Research at U. C. Davis. A VIDEO CANDLING DEVICE FOR EVALUATING EGG VIABILITY OF BIRDS IN THE FIELD D. Michael Fry* and Jay A. Davis , Center for Avian Biology, Department of Avian Sciences, Univ. of California, Davis, CA 95616 A video tape recorder and a high inten- sity halogen light source to were fitted into a light tight carrying case with a neo- prene cuff hand access hole for candling eggs in the field. Clutches of cormorant eggs were evaluated for stage of incuba- tion and frequency of early and late dead embryos. Eggs were collected for pollut- ant analysis and liver enzyme assays. Evaluation of 100 eggs per colony en- abled an assessment of egg viability, with one colony in San Francisco Bay having 23% dead eggs in nests at peak incuba- tion. Collection of late dead embryos pro- vided data on beak and facial malforma- tions. Candling eggs in the field provides an assessment of productivity which is difficult to determine without multiple visits to a colony, which may, itself, lead to disturbance, increased egg abandon- ment, predation, or other losses. Video- taping can also provide a permanent rec- ord of activities in a breeding colony, providing data which can be analyzed at a later date. This work was supported by the US EPA (R819658) Center for Ecological Health Research at U.C. Davis. BLACK NODDY NESTING BEHAV- IOR Vanessa Gauger, Zoology Dept., Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822. In a two-year study of color-banded Black Noddies ( Anous minutus ) nesting on Tern Island in the Northwestern Ha- waiian Islands (NWHI), I documented that each year about 40% of pairs success- fully nested twice during the annual nest- ing season. In contrast, no Black Noddy pairs attempted a successive clutch on either Laysan Island (in the NWHI) or on Heron Island (in Australia) during the annual nesting season I studied each of these populations. This reproductive strat- egy is rare in the Laridae: only one other species has been reported to commonly fledge successive broods. I examined re- productive success and the incidence of attempted successive clutches on three levels: among Laridae species, among Black Noddy populations, and among individuals of the Tern Island population. 1 also examined mate and nest fidelity on the species, population, and individual levels. Higher Black Noddy mate and nest fidelity appear to be associated with higher reproductive success during both the previous and the following seasons. Pairs which nested successfully were less likely to divorce than unsuccessful pairs; after divorce the average reproductive success of individuals declined. Pairs which fledged successive broods were also less likely to move to a new nest the next season; after moving to a new nest, pairs fledged significantly fewer succes- sive broods. OVERWINTERING OF BLACK SKIMMERS IN CALIFORNIA; SITE FIDELITY AND INTER-SITE MOVEMENTS Kathleen T. Gazzaniga , Dept, of Biology, California State Univ., Long Beach, CA, 90840. The first recorded nesting of Black Skimmers {Rynchops niger) in California was in 1972 at the Salton Sea: By 1975, skimmers had colonized the coast in San Diego and, by 1985, were nesting at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (Orange, Co.). Beginning in 1992, individualized color bands were utilized to facilitate more de- tailed observations. Observations points were set up in California (Santa Barbara, Point Mugu, Seal Beach, and San Diego) and Baja California, Mexico (San Quintin) and weekly observations made from the months of September to May, 1992-93, 1993-94, and 1994-95. Skim- mers arrived at their wintering sites during the months of September and October, reached high mid-winter population lev- els, and then departed during the months of April and May. A high site fidelity (>50%) to overwintering areas has been documented, although there is also some regular movement between sites within the winter season. Observations as these have not been possible in highly migra- tory populations of Black Skimmers. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 33 ABSTRACTS GLOBAL CONSERVATION STATUS OF GULLS AND TERNS Michael Gochfeld*, Environmental and Community Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscata- way, New Jersey, 08855, and Joanna Burger , Biology, Rutgers Univ. Piscata- way, New Jersey, 08855-1059. Several of the 5 1 species of gulls and 44 species of terns are globally threatened or endangered. Many species are highly lo- calized and their wetland habitats suffer encroachment. Several species are glob- ally rare with under 5000 pairs in few colonies. Lava Gull, the rarest with only 400 pairs, is not endangered as long as the Galapagos can be protected. The virtually unknown Saunder’s Gull has only 7 known breeding sites and <2500 pairs, and all sites are threatened by wetlands development (e.g., prawn & fish culture). Kerguelen Tern is threatened, with 80% of its 2500 pairs on Kerguelen where there is a large cat population. Relict Gull has also declined severely in its known breeding areas. Rare but apparently stable are Yellow-footed and Olrog's Gulls and Damara Tern. Other more numerous spe- cies are declining in the face of direct exploitation (White-eyed Gull, Roseate Tern), predation (Peruvian Tern), habitat loss (River Tern) or are vulnerable to fu- ture habitat disruption (Black-billed Gull and Black-fronted Tern to dams on their braided rivers). Even the abundant Heer- mann's Gull and Red-legged Kittiwakes have fewer than 1 0 known colonies, with most of the population in a single colony (Isla Rasa, St. George). Among the good- news stories, Audouin's Gull has in- creased to over 10,000 pairs in 30 breed- ing colonies. There are also several con- vincing winter sight records of Chinese Crested Tern, a species long-feared ex- tinct, whose breeding grounds have never been found. FACTORS GOVERNING CLUTCH- SIZE IN PURPLE HERONS BREEDING IN THE EBRO DELTA, SPAIN Milagros Gonzalez-Martin, and Xavier Ruiz*, Dept, de Biologia Animal, Univ. de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, 08028- Barcelona, Spain. Clutch-size, population density, colony distribution, and survival of nests, eggs, and chicks during their nidicolous stage were monitored for Purple Herons ( Ardea purpurea ) in the Ebro Delta (NE Spain). Clutch-size values ranged from 2 to 6 eggs/nest, but only clutches of 3,4, and 5 are frequent. The survival of chicks was 100% for clutches of three, and then de- clines by an average of 10% as clutch size increases by one egg. Productivity models built up on these data well explain the range of clutch size values found. Mean clutch-size declined as the number of breeding pairs increased, indicating a den- sity-dependent regulation of this popula- tion. This density-dependence is also shown through the progressive scattering of the colony sites. Neither, nest survival nor egg survival was not significantly different among years, whereas chick survival showed significant differences between years, indicating that one of the years was clearly worse than the others during the chick rearing stage. The func- tional value of clutch size variation is discussed considering all these data. BIAS ASSOCIATED WITH DIET SAMPLES IN GULLS: REGURGI- TATES VS PELLETS AND FOOD RE- MAINS Jacob Gonzdlez-Solis * , Daniel Oro, Vit- torio Pedrocchi , Xavier Ruiz , Dept, de Biologia Animal, Univ. de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, Barcelona-08028, Spain, and Lluis Jover, Dept, de Salut Publica (Bioestadistica), Univ. de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal s/n, Barcelona-08028, Spain. To assess the information quality on diet composition supplied by four differ- ent kinds of samples of ingested food: 1) regurgitates, 2) partially undigested pel- lets, 3) pellets, and 4) food remains, we collected samples corresponding to these four categories, only for adult Audouin's gulls, at two colony sites (the Chafarinas Is and the Ebro Delta) during May and June of 1993 and 1994. The comparison was performed using taxonomic catego- ries only. Parameters such as frequency of occurrence, species richness, spectral trophic diversity, identification level al- lowed, and biomass ponderation are used to compare the reliability and the useful- ness of the information provided by each kind of sample. Our results show that regurgitates and partially digested pellets were largely unbiased relative to other samples, thus suggesting that they are the most suitable samples on which to assess diet composition while analyzing gull’s ingested prey items. INFLUENCE OF FOOD AVAILABIL- ITY ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN TWO MEDITERRANEAN GULLS BREEDING SYMPATRICALLY Jacob Gonzalez-Solis* , Xavier Ruiz , Dept, de Biologia Animal, Univ. de Bar- celona, Av. Diagonal 645, Barcelona- 08028, Spain, and Lluis Jover, Dept, de Salut Publica (Bioestadistica), Univ. de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal s/n, Barcelona- 08028, Spain. Aerial and terrestrial intrusions, preda- tion on eggs and chicks, and kleptopara- sitism, both aerial and on courtship feed- ings, of the Yellow-legged Gull ( Larus cachinnans ) on the Audouin’s Gull {Larus audouinii ) were studied at a colony in the Chafarinas Is. (off the Mediterranean coast of Morocco) during two consecutive breeding seasons. About 450 h of obser- vations were carried out from a hide on groups of 20-100 breeding pairs of differ- ent Audouin's Gull sub-colonies, encom- passing the whole breeding cycle of this latter species. Since Larus cachinnans feeds mainly in association with commer- cial fisheries, to test whether the food availability and the energetic demands influence the frequencies of the different variables analyzed, we compared the oc- currence of interactions between periods with high (normal fishing activities) and low (reduced activity of fisheries) fish availability. Our results show a significant increase in interactions during periods with lower food availability and higher energetic demands by the Yellow-legged Gull. HABITAT SELECTION AT THREE SPATIAL SCALES IN A GULL HY- BRID ZONE Thomas Good*, Department of System- atics and Ecology, Univ. of Kansas, Law- rence, KS 66045, and Julie Ellis, Depart- ment of Systematics and Ecology, Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045. We investigated the ecology of breeding pairs in the Glaucous-winged Gull/Westem Gull hybrid zone on the Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 34 ABSTRACTS coast of Washington. At the local scale, hatching and fledging success were high- est in the area of highest nest density, where natural screens were large and blocked the nearest neighbor. At the neighborhood scale, pairs nesting in dense stands of reeds laid earlier and larger clutches, hatched more chicks, and fledged more chicks than pairs nesting in sand or dunegrass. At the colony scale, pairs nesting on Sand Island laid larger and earlier clutches, hatched and fledged more chicks than pairs breeding on Goose, No Name and Whitcomb Islands. Extensive egg predation by gulls as well as egg, chick and adult predation by Bald Eagles was observed at all colonies, and nest attendance was low at all colonies. Egg predation was mitigated almost ex- clusively by nesting in dense reed habitat, which occurs in the interior of the cen- termost colony. Reproductive success at these colonies is extremely low. Choice of nesting habitat at all scales is critical, and differences among pair types may deter- mine the future of these colonies and this hybrid zone. NEAR SHORE FEEDING BEHAVIOR OF LOONS IN ONSLOW BAY, NORTH CAROLINA Gilbert S. Grant, Dept, of Biological Sci- ences, Univ. of North Carolina, Wil- mington, NC 28403 Large numbers of Common and Red- throated Loons winter in Onslow Bay, North Carolina. Some of these birds for- age on the bottom in the surf zone in wa- ter 0.5-2 m deep on relatively calm days. Prey items captured by Common Loons included 7 mole crabs, 6 crabs (shaped like small blue crabs), and 6 fish (including 2 small flounders). Common Loons were successful (prey seen upon surfacing) 4.6 % of their dives (n = 303 dives) and Red-throated Loons were suc- cessful on 3.1 % of their dives (n = 64 dives). Duration of unsuccessful dives (30.9 + 12.3 sec, n = 289) was not differ- ent from successful dives (28.2 +12.3 sec, n = 14) by Common Loons. Duration of unsuccessful dives (27.0 + 9.3 sec, n = 62) was not different from successful dives (28.8 + 2.5 sec, n = 2) by Red- throated Loons. Visibility and possible abrasive effects of suspended sand on the eyes of loons will be discussed. AN OVERVIEW OF SEABIRDS AND COMMERCIAL FISHERIES INTER- ACTIONS IN WASHINGTON John F. Grettenberger* , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Olympia, Washington 98501, and Tara Zimmerman , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon 97232. While anecdotal accounts of seabird mortality in gillnets in Washington have existed for many years, two events ele- vated the issue to the forefront in 1992. In September, 1992, the Marbled Murrelet was federally listed as a threatened spe- cies. In addition, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) obtained data in 1992 from a National Marine Fisheries Service observer program on the outer Washing- ton coast which documented seabird mortality in these fisheries. An observer program in the 1993 fishing season pro- vided coverage of the Puget Sound salmon fishery, although at a very low sampling rate. It provided valuable infor- mation for structuring further observer programs and documented seabird mor- tality. In 1994, an observer program was conducted in the sockeye salmon fishery, which provided an accurate estimate of seabird mortality. Based on the results of the observer program, several conserva- tion measures were implemented in 1995, including closures of areas with high marbled murrelet densities, a change to daylight fishing hours in the sockeye fish- ery, and establishment of a radio network with advisories on seabird concentrations. Modified gillnets with visible upper pan- els are also being tested. The FWS is con- tinuing to work on this issue with the state, tribes, fishing industry and envi- ronmental groups. AGE-RELATED SIZE DIFFERENCES IN BREEDING ROSEATE TERNS (Sterna dougallii) Jeremy J. Hatch , Department of Biology, Univ. of Massachusetts, Boston, MA 02125, and Ian C. T. Nisbet, I.C.T. Nisbet & Co., 150 Alder Lane, North Falmouth, MA 02556. Roseate terns on Bird Island, Massa- chusetts show moderate variability in mensurable characters (e.g., length of exposed cuimen, CV = 3.6%, range 34.0 to 42.7 mm). Some of this variation is attributable to sex: males are generally larger than females. This paper addresses variation of adult birds related to age and is based on recaptures and resightings (1987 to 1995) of individuals sexed with a molecular marker. Cuimen length of older Roseates is greater than younger breeding birds (ages 2 to 16 years). Such a pattern could result from differential mortality of smaller birds or from continued increase in cuimen length. Resightings of meas- ured individuals provide no evidence for differential mortality by size. Measure- ments repeated in different years indicate increases in cuimen length but consider- able variability. Similar analyses of tail length (possibly an ornament) will be presented. USING IMPLANTED SATELLITE TRANSMITTERS TO TRACK THE MOVEMENTS OF MURRES AND PUFFINS Scott A. Hatch *, Paul M. Meyers, Daniel M. Mulcahy , and David C. Douglas , Na- tional Biological Service, Alaska Science Center, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchor- age, Alaska, USA 99503. To track the movements of breeding Common and Thick-billed Murres and Tufted Puffins, we surgically implanted 35-gram satellite transmitters at three field locations in Alaska (Barren Islands, Cape Lisbume, and Cape Thompson). Implan- tation disrupted most breeding attempts of murres at the Barren Islands. Birds stayed out at sea, primarily foraging south to Kodiak Island at distances of 40-100 km from the release site. Murres from capes Lisbume and Thompson foraged north and west into the Chukchi Sea. Individu- als that retained breeding status in those colonies showed typical foraging ranges of 70-80 km. Locations of birds that ceased to commute averaged about 170 km from the colonies in the first month after release. First-month mortality was high for instrumented puffins (80%) and murres (60%) at the Barren Islands, mod- erate for murres at Cape Lisbume (50%), and low for murres at Cape Thompson (0%). The differences in mortality among study areas may reflect variable feeding conditions, although breeding success of Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 35 ABSTRACTS murres was high (ca, 70-80%) at all three colonies in 1995. DIET AND PRODUCTIVITY OF PI- GEON GUILLEMOTS IN ALASKA D. Lindsey Hayes , U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK 99503, Alexan- der K. Prichard, Gail M. Blundell, and Daniel D. Roby, Alaska Coop. Fish & Wildlife Res. Unit, Univ. of Alaska, Fair- banks, AK 99775. We measured growth rates, nestling provisioning rates, and nesting success in relation to diet of Pigeon Guillemots in two years (1994 and 1995) at three sites in south-central Alaska (two in Prince William Sound [PWS] and one in Kachemak Bay). Sand lance dominated the diet in Kachemak Bay in both years, whereas in PWS, juvenile pollock and/or juvenile herring replaced sand lance as the major forage fish in guillemot diets. Near- shore demersal fishes (blennies, sculpins) varied from 27-61% of the diet. Nestling growth rates were highest when herring predominated in the diet and lowest when pollock predominated, with intermediate growth rates on sand lance diets. These trends are in agreement with published values for energy densities of these forage fishes. While overall nesting success was strongly influenced by site-specific differ- ences in predation rates, nestling growth rates, nest densities, and colony trends appear to be driven by attributes of food supply. We hypothesize that schooling forage fishes, especially sandlance or her- ring, are crucial for maintaining produc- tive colonies of Pigeon Guillemots in south-central Alaska. ADAPTATION OR CONSTRAINT: WHY IS THERE A SEASONAL DE- CLINE IN EGG SIZE IN THE THICK- BILLED MURRE? Mark Hipfner, Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, KIN 6N5. Seasonal declines in egg size are a con- sistent feature of the breeding biology of alcids. Two hypotheses have been pro- posed to account for this pattern. The first suggests that it is an adaptive response to breeding In a seasonal environment; birds breeding late minimize the delay in laying by producing smaller eggs. The second suggests that younger, poorer quality birds are constrained in their ability to form eggs; therefore, these birds lay smaller eggs later in the season. I tested these two hypotheses at a Thick-billed Murre colony at Coats Island, N.W.T., in 1994 and 1995. In both years, a naturally late-laying group of experienced breeders laid their eggs at the same time as young breeders, which was later than experi- enced breeders elsewhere on the colony. However, the eggs of these late- laying experienced birds were larger than those of young birds, and similar in size to those of the early-laying experienced birds. Egg sizes did not decline with lay- ing date for experienced breeders, but they did for young breeders. These results support the hypothesis that the seasonal decline in egg size results from the later- laying of smaller eggs by young birds. THE EFFECT OF NUTRITION ON THE GROWTH OF WING FEATHERS IN NESTLING THICK-BILLED MURRES Mark Hipfner, Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, KIN 6N5, and Anthony J. Gaston, Canadian Wildlife Service, Hull, Quebec, K1A 0H3. Substantial variation exists in the growth rates of nestling Thick-billed Mur- res both within and between colonies and years. We examined the relationship be- tween growth in body mass and growth in length of wing feathers at Thick-billed Murre colonies in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Significant positive correlations existed between 14 d body mass and 14 d wing length within all samples from indi- vidual colonies and years, and also when the means for all colonies and years were plotted together. In partial correlation analyses controlling for initial (2 d) mass, 14 d mass explained a similar proportion of the variation in 14 d wing length at the different colonies. However, the slopes of the regression lines varied substantially, tending to be steeper in samples in which 14 d masses were low. These results sug- gest that wing growth is closely tied to nutrition across the range of natural growth rates seen in this species. At the upper range of growth rates, however, chicks may be nearing intrinsic upper limits to rates of feather growth. Nutri- tional effects on feather growth have also been demonstrated in other auks. Caution needs to be exercised in the use of wing length as a criterion to age nestling alcids. COLONY LOCATION, PRODUCTIV- ITY AND COLONY PERSISTENCE; METAPOPULATIONS AND CONSER- VATION OF GREAT BLUE HERONS Christine L. Hitchcock *, and Robert But- ler, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Canadian Wildlife Service, 5421 Robert- son Road, RR#1 Delta, B. C., Canada V4K 3N2. A management plan to conserve habitat for Great Blue Herons {Ardea herodias ) needs to consider not only the present habitat choices of herons but also the rate of colony abandonment, where new colo- nies may be established, the contribution of each colony to the overall population size, and the productivity of colonies. We present data collected on herons in the Strait of Georgia between 1988 and 1994, and consider it within a metapopulation dynamics modelling framework. Individ- ual heron colonies can be seen as local populations linked together by immigra- tion. Using this framework and data we ask: Which colonies are more important for the persistence of a healthy meta- population? Are some colonies more worth saving than others? Where have new colonies been established? What factors lead to abandonment of colonies? Which habitat features are associated with productive colonies? With less productive colonies? We estimate annual productiv- ity per nest, and turnover of colonies, and explore factors that may be responsible for the considerable variation in the size of heron colonies, from single nests to colonies of several hundred nests. Finally, we discuss our results in the context of conservation and habitat management. IDENTIFYING AVIAN DIET, FEED- ING SOURCE AND ROLE OF EN- DOGENOUS RESERVES THROUGH STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF EGGS Keith A. Hobson *, Canadian Wildlife Service, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4. Eggs can be analyzed for stable-isotope ratios to provide dietary information that may be used to link diet of laying fe- males. Various egg components can pro- vide dietary information based on periods Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 36 ABSTRACTS ranging from about a day (e.g. albumen, shell carbonate) to a week (egg yolk). In addition, some species may mobilize stored proteins and lipids from endoge- nous reserves during egg formation and this may be assessed if birds move be- tween foodwebs with distinct isotopic signatures. The isotopic approach is illus- trated using isotopic investigations of captive birds raised on controlled diets and of wild birds ( Phalacrocorax auritus, Larus argentatus, Sterna caspia ) that mi- grate between marine and terrestrial bi- omes using a variety of stable isotopes (d 13 C, d ]5 N, d 34 S and dD). Whereas d I5 N measurements may provide information primarily of trophic level, d I3 C, d S and dD measurements reveal important infor- mation on source of feeding and origin of endogenous reserves. FORAGING ECOLOGY OF PLANK- TIVOROUS AUKLETS IN AN ALEU- TIAN ISLANDS' PASS George L Hunt, Jr ., Robert W. Russell *, Dept. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of California, Irvine, CA 92717, and Kenneth O. Coyle , Thomas Wein- gariner, Institute of Marine Science, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775. We tested the hypothesis that the spatial distributions of Least, Crested and Para- keet Auklets in a shallow pass through the Delarof Islands reflected physical forcing of prey distributions. We recorded num- bers of foraging birds, currents, using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, and zooplankton distributions, using echo sounders. Zooplankton species composi- tion was sampled using a multiple open- ing/closing net. Prey choice of birds was ascertained by collecting feeding birds. For all three auklet species, we found that the number of foraging birds present was a function of tidal speed. Regardless of tidal direction, Crested Auklets foraged on euphausiids upwelled on the upstream side of the pass, whereas Least Auklets consumed copepods concentrated in near-surface convergences on the down- stream side. Parakeet Auklets foraged over the shallowest portion of the pass, taking fish and invertebrates. Along tran- sects, local convergence strength was pre- dictive of the numbers of Least Auklets present in a region, divergence strength was predictive of Crested Auklet num- bers, and absolute strength of shear pre- dicted Parakeet Auklet numbers. Auklet prey preferences dictated where they for- aged and which physical mechanisms were exploitable for successful foraging. BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND - SIX YEARS AFTER THE EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL David B. Irons *, and Robert M. Suryan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, Alaska, 99503. We have recorded size and productivity (number of chicks fledged per nest) at 24 Black-legged Kittiwake colonies in Prince William Sound (PWS) for 12 years. Dur- ing the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the area around 10 of these colonies was oiled and the area around 14 of these colonies was not oiled. Productivity for colonies in the oiled and unoiled areas has been lower post-spill than pre-spill. Lower post-spill chick growth rates and fewer two-chick broods fledging indicate that there has been less food available to kittiwakes in PWS post-spill than pre-spill. We also have anecdotal data indicating predation may have been higher in some post-spill years than in pre-spill years. Productivity at other kittiwake colonies in the Gulf of Alaska is not correlated with productivity of PWS kittiwakes, which suggests that factors limiting productivity affect PWS kittiwakes differently than kittiwakes in other parts of the Gulf of Alaska. DISTRIBUTION OF WINTERING SEABIRDS ALONG FLORIDA’S GULF COAST Patrick G. R. Jodice*, Dept, of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State Univ., and National Biological Service, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331. Florida’s Gulf Coast represents an im- portant but little studied area for local and migrating wintering seabirds. For exam- ple, some of the largest concentrations of wintering Common Loons in N.A. are found along Florida’s northern Gulf Coast. The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Bureau of Nongame Wildlife, conducted aerial surveys during the winter of 1992/93 to document distri- bution of selected seabirds (Common Loons, Northern Gannets, Double-crested Cormorants, Brown and White Pelicans, Brown and Masked Boobies, and Mag- nificent Frigatebirds). Approximately 2700 km of aerial transects were flown from December through March, resulting in 1,390 observations of 8,319 birds from the selected species. Double-crested Cor- morants were the most abundant species overall, with loons ranking second. Rela- tive abundance of the selected species was greatest in the north-eastern Gulf and least along the exposed Southwest coast. Rela- tive abundance of most species varied among months within areas. Intraspecific relative distribution was similar over time within an area, although distribution of loons did vary significantly in the north- ern Gulf. The feasibility of using aerial surveys to monitor the more abundant species is discussed. USING STATISTICAL POWER TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF MONITORING MARBLED MUR- RELETS Patrick G.R Jodice * ! ,and Michael W. Collopy 2 , ’Dept. Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State Univ., and 12 National Bio- logical Service, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, OR, 97331. A common goal in the conservation of avian species is to monitor populations for biologically and statistically meaningful changes across either space or time. While a well-designed monitoring program can provide valuable information on the ef- fects of recovery or management plans, a poorly-designed program can waste time and money, and even deliver misleading data. A critical component in the devel- opment of a monitoring program is the accurate estimation of variability in the population being studied. We measured variability in daily detections of Marbled Murrelets at old-growth forest sites in the Oregon Coast Range to test the feasibility of using current survey protocol for long- term monitoring. These data were used in a power analysis procedure to estimate the number of surveys necessary to detect a range of trends in Marbled Murrelet de- tections for stated degrees of statistical Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 . Page 37 ABSTRACTS confidence. Our data indicate that, for the sites we studied, the current protocol of 4 surveys/yr for 2 years is rarely adequate to detect a biologically meaningful de- crease in detections. We examine other Marbled Murrelet survey data and discuss possibilities for long-term monitoring. THE EFFECTS OF HUMAN DISTUR- BANCE ON TIME ALLOCATION OF NESTING LEAST TERNS (STERNA ANT1LLARUM BROWN I) Scott M. Johnston, Department of Biol- ogy, Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Ecoregion, Box 50167, Honolulu, HI 96850. From 1990 to 1991, 1 studied the effects of human disturbance on time allocation of California Least Terns (Sterna antil- larum browni) nesting at two colonies at Camp Pendelton, San Diego County, California. Least Terns spent most of their time at the nest engaged in normal incu- bation (mean 82.1% occurrence), fol- lowed by alert incubation (3.6%), sleep- ing (3.3%), and vacant (11.0%). To de- termine the effects of human disturbance on time allocation, I selected two study sites that differed in the amount and type of disturbance. Behavioral differences between sites were significant. Normal incubation, sleeping, and brooding cate- gories made up a significantly larger pro- portion of the tem behavior at the undis- turbed site than at the disturbed site. Birds at the disturbed site were more likely to be vacant from the nest and incubate alertly than at the undisturbed site. Heli- copter flights were the most numerous potential disturbance, and a monitoring group caused the longest duration of a disturbance. Although the effects on chick survival should be evaluated, habituation to disturbance may enable Least Terns to adapt behaviorally to a host of potential disturbances. DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE AND BEHAVIOR OF XANTUS’ MUR- RELETS OFF NORTHERN CALIFOR- NIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON Nina J. Karnovsky*, Dept, of Biology, Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT 59717 David G. Ainley , H. T. Harvey and Associates, P.O. Box 1180, Alviso, CA. 95002 Nadav Nur , and Larry B. Spear, PRBO, 4990 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA. 94970. We studied the pelagic ecology and distribution of the Xantus’ Murrelet (Synth! iboramphus hypoleucus scrippsi ) between 43(N and 35(N, from the coast- line to the offshore limit of its range. We sighted 125 murrelets during continuous strip-transects on 19 cruises from 1986 to 1995. Murrelet distributions showed dis- tinct seasonal patterns relative to oceano- graphic variables and distance from land: During spring/summer, murrelets were inshore with highest densities on the con- tinental slope west of the Farallon Islands in upwelled mixed waters. In the fall/winter murrelets were found in high- est densities further south between Point Sur and Point Buchon in offshore oceanic waters. Murrelet "group-size" ranged from singles to foursomes. Pairs were sighted more frequently than expected (P<0.0001). Pelagic population for the study area was estimated to be 1,500-2,250 for spring/summer and 2,5[PCl]00-3,560 for fall/winter (95% CIs will follow). Obtaining population estimates from at-sea counts and assessing its pelagic distribution and habitat prefer- ences will further our ability to monitor the status of this species and to evaluate its sensitivity to natural or anthropogenic environmental disturbances. COMPARISON OF SUMMER MARINE BIRD POPULATIONS IN 3 AREAS OF ALASKA Steven J. Kendall *, and Beverly A. Agler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. During the summers of 1993 and 1994, we conducted surveys to estimate marine bird populations in Lower Cook Inlet (LCI; June 1993), Prince William Sound (PWS; July 1993) and Southeast (SE; June-July 1994), Alaska. We used small boats to survey randomly-selected tran- sects in 2 strata: shoreline (< 200m of shore) and pelagic (> 200m of shore). We used a ratio estimator to calculate popula- tion estimates. Total marine bird popula- tions (+ 95% Cl) were 798,041 + 195,555 birds in LCI, 371,327 + 58,189 birds in PWS, and 1,924,662 + 568,894 birds in SE. Because of differences in area be- IS tween study sites, it is better to compare T densities (57.9; 41.3; and 54.3 birds/km2 tv for LCI, PWS, and SE, respectively). The h most abundant species group was alcids in te all 3 areas (38% LCI, 51% PWS, and 59% F SE). These were mostly murres in LCI L (56% of alcids) and Brachyramphus mur- o relets in PWS (85%) and SE (61%). In s; LCI the next most abundant groups were tubenoses (35%) and gulls (16%). In PWS C and SE, the next most abundant groups 1 were gulls (29% PWS and 12% SE) and o waterfowl (7% PWS and 16% SE). We c believe these differences are due to habi- t( tat. LCI is different in having more open n ocean areas then PWS and SE, which y have more shoreline, bays, fjords and c islands. b f A . GUILLEMOT INTRASPECIFIC f PHYLOGENY: INFERRING POPULA- fc TION HISTORY FROM PATTERNS OF a GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN CEP- v PHUS MITOCHONDRIAL CONTROL F REGIONS ( Monica G. Kidd*, and Vicki L. Friesen , t Dept, of Biology, Queen's Univ., King- \ ston, ON,K7L 3N6. \ Geographic structure in a gene pool is i the signature of microevolutionary proc- j esses occurring at the population level. c Describing such ’genetic architecture' is ( useful for 1) reconstructing population 1 history and biogeographic events, 2) un- 1 derstanding modes of speciation, and 3) \ making informed decisions on population 1 conservation and management. We as- sayed sequence variation in the mito- chondrial control region ( 1 Kb) for sev- eral birds from each of 8 Cepphus sub- species using direct sequencing and an- laysis of single-stranded conformational polymorphism. Species-level results to date indicate that 1) pigeon and spectacled guillemots are more closely related than either is to Black Guillemots (consistent with the most plausible biogeographic scenario), and 2) hybridization and intro- gression may occur between Pigeon and Black Guillemots in areas of sympatry. This work is part of an ongoing study of phylogeography and modes of speciation in the genus Cepphus. INTRASPECIFIC KLEPTOPARASIT- Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 38 ABSTRACTS ISM IN A BREEDING COLONY OF THE HERRING GULL (Larus argenta- tus) Mikael Kilpi *, Dept, of Ecology and sys- tematics, zoological laboratory, PB 17, FIN-00014, Helsinki Univ., Finland, and Lars Hillstrom , Dept, of Zoology, Univ. of Uppsala, Villavagen 9, S-752 36 Upp- sala, Sweden. We studied feeding behavior of Herring Gulls at a colony in the Gulf of Finland in 1993-94. The study colony is a stable colony of about 130 pairs, where the chicks are mostly fed on fish. In addition to the breeding pairs, between 1 and 15 non-breeders (most in their 4th to 5th year) were present in clubs in part of the colony. These birds, in addition to neigh- boring pairs, engaged in food thefts from feeding families. In 1993, 24% of all feedings (n-360) observed were disturbed by kleptoparasitizing gulls, while 19% of all observed feedings in 1994 (n=146) were disturbed. Success rates for klepto- parasites were 8% and 9%, respectively (n=87 and 34 detailed cases). Most klep- toparsites (73% in 1993 and 77% in 1994) were non-neighbor birds, of which most were In their 4th to 5th year (63% in 1993 and 65% in 1994). Occasionally klepto- parasites took small chicks. Most small chicks less than 10 days old dying simply disappeared, and were likely taken by kleptoparasites. Kleptoparasitizing non- breeders may be important predators within colonies, and kleptoparasitism may be the route via which cannibalism in its specialized form arises. NEST SITE PREFERENCES OF RED- LEGGED AND BLACK-LEGGED KIT- TI WAKES ON ST. GEORGE ISLAND, AK. 5. Dean Kildaw, Biology and Wildlife, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775 USA Kittiwakes are colonial gulls that nest in clusters on vertical cliff faces. On St. George Island Red-legged Kittiwakes and Black-legged Kittiwakes commonly nest interspersed on a cliff face, however, Red- legged Kittiwakes use narrower ledges (x = 12cm) than Black-legged Kittiwakes (x = 21cm). In 1994 and 1995 I established narrow (10cm) and wide (20cm) artificial ledges on St. George Island to determine the nest site preferences of both kittiwake species, to determine whether Red-legged Kittiwakes are competitively displaced to narrow ledges by larger Black-legged Kittiwakes, and to determine whether nest sites were limiting to either species. When given a choice, Red-legged Kittiwakes selected narrow ledges and Black-legged Kittiwakes selected wide ledges. Both species of kittiwake preferred ledges lo- cated amongst pre-existing nest sites and did not use ledges located on unoccupied cliff faces. 1 conclude the following: a) Black-legged Kittiwakes do not actively displace Red-legged Kittiwakes to narrow ledges, rather, Red-legged Kittiwakes prefer to nest on narrow ledges, b) nest sites are not limiting to either species of kittiwake on St. George Island, however, nest sites located within established breeding areas are preferred by both spe- cies and may be limited. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRE- DICTABILITY OF FOOD AND JUVE- NILE TRAITS IN PLANKTIVOROUS AND PISCIVOROUS ALCIDS Alexander S. Kitaysky, Dept, of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Cali- fornia, Irvine, CA 92717. At small scales, the distribution of zooplankton is associated with oceano- graphic features that are quasi-permanent in space and time. However, the distribu- tion of pelagic fish is less predictable at the same scales. Thus, prey availability is more predictable for planktivorous than for piscivorous seabirds. To examine a relationship between predictability of food and juvenile traits in alcids, I tested the following predictions for Crested & Parakeet Auklets (planktivores) and Homed & Tufted Puffins (piscivores): (1) high variability in food availability results in variability of chick food intake, and (2) piscivore chicks have a greater ability to adjust their developmental rate for the rate of food intake than planktivore chicks. Results of laboratory experiments and field observations indicated that: (1) age of chicks had a significant effect on food intake in planktivorous but not in piscivo- rous alcids, and food intake varied sig- nificantly between different stages of the chick-rearing period in piscivorous but did not in planktivorous alcids, and (2) piscivore chicks had a significantly greater ability to decrease their metabolic rate in response to food deprivation than planktivore chicks; and piscivore nes- tlings which received less food were able to retard growth of body tissues, skeletal elements and feathers compared to control chicks. Also, piscivore chicks fledged after reaching a fixed developmental stage, whereas planktivore chicks fledged in response to the decrease in the rate of food intake. Alcid chicks have several fitness-related traits which are associated with the predictability of prey. The pre- dictability of food is a major factor in evolution of juvenile histories in these species. EVALUATING AERIAL PHOTO COUNTS FOR CENSUSING HERONS ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE AND FISH REFUGE Eileen M. Kirsch, National Biological Service, Upper Mississippi Science Cen- ter, La Crosse, WI 54602, and Eric Nel- son, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Up- per Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Winona, MN 55987. The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge contains some of the most extensive riverine forest, shallow open water, and marsh habitats in the upper midwest. The Refuge, which encompasses 261 river miles of the Upper Mississippi River and 125,000 acres of forest and wetland habitat, supports sev- eral colonies of Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets. We evaluated the efficacy of aerial photography to census herons. Aerial photo and ground counts were conducted at nine of the 14 colonies on the Refuge in May 1994. Five thousand five hundred and twelve heron nests were counted from the ground and 4,530 nests were counted from aerial photographs (17.8% error). For individual colonies, error in aerial photo counts ranged from 0.5 to 36% (mean=19, SD=14.7) leading to an overall sighting probability of 81%. The mean number of heron nests/colony calculated from ground counts was 612.44 and from aerial photo counts was 503.56 yielding a correction factor for aerial photo counts of 1 .22. Layout, rather than size of colonies seemed to affect Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 . Page 39 ABSTRACTS percent error in aerial photo counts. Aer- ial photo surveys likely provide reliable data on population trend because most nests at colonies can be seen. PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF THE 1994 AND 1995 NOCTURNAL BAND- ING OF CASSIN'S AUKLETS AT TRI- ANGLE ISLAND, B.C. Hugh Knechtel, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, B.C. Canada V4A 1S6. I describe how the ratio of sub-adult (brown-eyed) vs. adult (white-eyed) Tri- angle Island Cassin's Auklets captured in 1994 and 1995 changes throughout the different stages of the breeding season, how it changes on moonlit nights, and how late in the season breeding brown- eyed bird captures become more numer- ous. Triangle Island, located 45 km northwest of the north end of Vancouver Island, supports over a million Cassin's Auklets, making it the largest colony of this species in the world. Cassin’s Auklets begin their lives with brown eyes. This brown gradually lessens over a three year period until their eyes are completely white. Cassin's begin breeding at 2 to 3 years of age, therefore a small proportion of the breeding population is made-up of birds with brown eyes. Sub-adults are less likely to attend the colony on moonlit nights, making them inferior provisioned for their chicks when compared to birds with more experience. The increased captures of young, inexperienced breed- ing birds toward the end of the breeding season may help to explain the phenom- ena commonly reported in the literature of decreased fledging mass, and slower growth-rate (which increases the length of the chick-rearing stage) in the late hatch- ing chicks of various alcid colonies. REINTRODUCTION OF ATLANTIC PUFFINS (Fratercula arctica ) AT FOR- MER BREEDING SITES IN THE GULF OF MAINE Stephen W. Kress*, Seabird Restoration Program, National Audubon Society, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, U.S.A., and David N Nettle- ship, Canadian Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 1006, Bedford Inst, of Oceano., Dart- mouth, N.S., CANADA. To re-establish colonies of Atlantic Puf- fin to two historic nesting sites in the Gulf of Maine, northwest Atlantic, 1,904 puf- fin chicks were translocated from Great Island, Newfoundland to Eastern Egg Rock (EER) and Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge (SI) in Maine from 1973- 1989. By 1989, 149 of 914 chicks fledged at EER had returned to the Gulf of Maine, 42 of which bred at least once at EER. Five pairs nested at EER in 1981, where the colony increased to 19 pairs by 1985 and remained at 15-19 pairs from 1987 to 1995 without subsequent translocations. Of 912 fledglings released at SI, 155 were resighted in the Gulf of Maine. Seven pairs recolonized SI in 1992 and the col- ony increased to 25 pairs by 1995. Four years after colonization (prior to recruit- ment of EER and SI produced young), 88% of the breeding puffins at EER were translocated birds, which contrasts to only 48% of the 40 identified breeding puffins at SI. The higher proportion of non- translocated breeders at SI is likely related to closer proximity of Matinicus Rock and Machias Seal Island, two nearby puffin colonies. Decoys helped to attract pros- pecting puffins to both restoration sites. PARENT-OFFSPRING VOCAL REC- OGNITION IN THE THICK-BILLED MURRE (Uria lomvia ) Kara L. Lefevre*, Dept, of Biology, Queen’s Univ., Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, and Anthony J. Gaston, Canadian Wildlife Service, 100 Gamelin Blvd., Hull, PQ, K1A0H3. Recognition between parents and young exists in many animal species, when there is a risk of intermingling of adults and/or young. This risk is high for some colonial breeding alcids. We studied the potential for parent-offspring recognition in the thick-billed murre on Coats Island, NWT. Behavioural observations suggested that chicks respond to parental vocalizations; we assessed the ability of chicks to distin- guish between the calls of (1) parents and strangers, (2) parents and neighbours, and (3) neighbours and strangers using play- backs in an experimental enclosure. Chicks preferentially approached parental calls over both stranger and neighbour calls from an early age (four days) but made no choice between neighbour and stranger calls. Chicks likely recognize their parents’ calls for successful colony departure and to avoid aggression from conspecific adults. DEVELOPING A PRODUCTIVITY IN- DEX FOR MARBLED MURRELETS: ABUNDANCE, BEHAVIOR AND HABITAT USE OF NEWLY FLEDGED IUVENILES Kathy Kuletz*, Steve Kendall, and Debbie Flint , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, An- chorage, AK 99503. How can we monitor reproductive suc- cess of a non-colonial, secretive seabird that nests inland ? For the marbled mur- relet, a productivity index based on juve- niles at sea has been proposed. We stud- ied murrelets at 2 sites in 1 994 and 4 ad- ditional sites (N=6) in 1995 in Prince William Sound, Alaska, where murrelets are relatively abundant. The sites, each with 40-60 km of shoreline, were sepa- rated by >20 km, the mean distance radio- tagged birds foraged in 1994, and farther than a radio-tagged juvenile travelled its first 2 weeks at sea. We conducted repli- cate boat surveys 1-17 lune and 1 7 luly - 28 August. Peak juvenile abundance was greater and 1 week earlier in 1995. Among sites, average percentage of juve- nile murrelets ranged 2% - 13%, and was positively correlated with adult abundance at the site in June. Sections with juvenile activity were fairly predictable over sev- eral weeks. Until mid-August, juveniles occurred singly, <100 m from shore and often near steep shoreline with upwelling. Later, they were more clumped and often in shallow bays. We suggest that juvenile counts reflected local murrelet productiv- ity and that productivity reflected local foraging conditions. If 'optimum' sites also promote higher juvenile survival and their return to natal areas, June counts may reflect both the relative size of the local breeding population and relative success of recruitment from previous years. DIETARY OVERLAP AND ITS IMPLI- CATIONS FOR COEXISTENCE IN A RECENTLY ESTABLISHED ASSEM- BLAGE OF NESTING SEABIRDS AT THE BOLSA CHICA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFOR- Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 * Spring 1996 • Page 40 ABSTRACTS NIA Wendy E. Loeffler *, and Michael H. Horn, Dept, of Biological Science, Cali- fornia State Univ., Fullerton, CA 92634. Fish brought to chicks and mates by adult Caspian, Elegant and Forster’s Terns nesting at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Re- serve in coastal Orange County in 1993 and 1994 were identified and measured from direct observation of food transfers and examination of fish dropped and re- gurgitated by the birds on the nesting is- land. Caspian Terns foraged widely, in- cluding in fresh waters, and brought in relatively large and diverse prey, mainly Northern Anchovy and Pacific Sardine followed by silversides (Topsmelt, Jacksmelt and California Grunion). Ele- gant Terns foraged almost exclusively in the ocean and delivered smaller, less di- verse prey dominated by Northern An- chovy. Forster’s Terns fed mainly in the estuary and adjacent ocean and brought in small, moderately diverse prey, primarily Topsmelt and other silversides followed by Northern Anchovy. Dietary overlap varied among these three terns (and the Black Skimmer, based on a concurrent study) but was reduced overall by a com- bination of differences in prey composi- tion and size and foraging habitat, so that continued coexistence based on food re- source partitioning seems probable. THE IMPORTANCE OF PREDICT- ABLE PREY AGGREGATIONS RE- GARDING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEABIRDS RELATIVE TO THEIR PREY OVER A RANGE OF SPATIAL SCALES Elizabeth A. Logerwell* Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of Califor- nia, Irvine, CA 92717. To determine whether seabirds are dis- tributed according to abundance of prey or predictability of prey, I collected data on the distribution of Common Murres (Uria aalge ) relative to their prey and to oceanographic fronts off the west coast of Vancouver Island. Since fronts are often fixed in space and constant through time, prey aggregations at fronts can be re- garded as more predictable than prey ag- gregations away from fronts. I found that at a small spatial scale (kilometers) whether fish occurred at fronts had a sig- nificant effect on murre density whereas the actual density of fish had no effect. From these results I conclude that predict- ability of prey was more important than relative abundance of prey in determining the small-scale distribution of murres. At a large spatial scale (100s of kilometers) I found that the number of fish aggrega- tions at fronts had a significant effect on large-scale murre density whereas the overall density of fish in a region had no effect. I conclude that at large spatial scales the number of predictable prey aggregations was more important than the abundance of prey in determining which regions of the habitat murres occupied. REPRODUCTIVE HAZARDS TO NORTH PACIFIC ALBATROSS FROM PCBS AND TCDD-EQS J. P. Ludwig , H. J. Auman, C. L. Summer , The SERE Group, Ltd., Victoria, BC, J. P. Giesy, J. T. Sanderson, J. M. DeDoes , Michigan State Univ., E. Lansing, MI, and P. Jones , ESR, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Freshly-laid eggs of Laysan and Black- footed Albatrosses ( Diomedea immuta- bilis and D. nigripes ) were collected at Midway Atoll 1992 through 1994 and analyzed for chlorinated contaminants including OC pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and furans. Toxicity measured as dioxin equivalents (TCDD-EQs) in eggs were calculated from congener-specific data. Total PCBs ranged from 1.1 to 3.8 mg/kg ww. Calculated TCDD-EQs ranged from 52 - 124 pg/g. A substantial portion (-35%) of the TCDD-EQs in eggs were owing to dioxins and furans, and the bal- ance to PCBs. PCBs in albatross eggs were much less potent than PCBs in wa~ terbirds’ eggs of the Great Lakes and other continental inland waters, suggest- ing an aerial source. Dioxin and furan residues may be acquired from ingestion of partially burned plastics. Hazard indi- ces based on calculated TCDD-EQs sug- gest Laysan eggs were contaminated near the low adverse effect level (LOAEL) for embryonic effects, but black-footed eggs were well above avian LOAELs. Egg death during natural incubation was 2-3% greater in black-footed than Laysan nests, and 5% fewer Black-footed Albatross chicks were fledged each year in 1994 and 1995. An unusual form of egg shell thinning of unknown etiology was noted in field studies. Low incidences of de- formities in hatchlings were noted in 1994 and 1995. Crossed-bill hatchlings were not reported in these populations until the late 1 970s in spite of of intensive studies between 1957- 1972. Crossed-bills oc- curred at rates of I in 14,000 Laysan and 1 in 7,800 black-footed chicks, and 1 in 300 dead Laysan eggs 1993 - 1995. These rates are below rates in Great Lakes populations of more highly contaminated Double-crested Cormorants and Caspian Terns, but rates in the least contaminated continental populations of cormorants. Although these adverse reproductive ef- fects owing to contaminant exposures to individual albatrosses are confirmed, ad- verse effects on these albatross popula- tions are deemed to be unlikely at current exposure levels. CHARACTERISTICS OF NINE MAR- BLED MURRELET NEST SITES IN DESOLATION SOUND , B.C. Irene A . Manley , and Stephanie L, Hazlitt , Dept, of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, B.C. V5A-1S6. We found nine murrelet tree nests in high elevation (850-1200m) old-growth forests in 1994-1995. Nests were located by tree climbing (n=6), ground searching (n=2) and radio telemetry (n=l). Nest tree species included Yellow Cedar (n=8) and Mountain Hemlock (n=l) ranging from 63-119 cm dbh. Nest site, tree and stand characteristics are presented for the nine nests. Three of the nest sites were active when found and two of these successfully fledged chicks on July 13 and August 21, 1995. Incubation, chick feeding and fledging behavior is described for these two nest sites. One nest site failed in 1995 and nest success was unknown for six nests. While use of high elevation forests is not well documented in other parts of the murrelet’s range, on the southern mainland coast of B.C. high elevation forests have suitable nesting platforms for murre lets within 5-15 km of productive marine foraging areas, and provide im- portant nesting habitat for murrelets in this area. POPULATION TRENDS IN COMMON . Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 41 Pacific Seabirds ABSTRACTS — MURKE POPULATIONS FROM CALI- FORNIA, OREGON AND WASHING- TON, 1979-1995 David A. Manuwal *, Wildlife Science Group, Univ. Washington, Seattle, 98195- 2100, Harry Carter, National Biological Service, Dixon, CA 95620, Roy W. Lowe , USFWS, 2030 S. Marine Science Dr., Newport, OR 97365, William J. Sydeman, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Stinson Beach, CA 94970 Jean Takekawa , USFWS, Nisqually NWR, Olympia, WA 98506, and Ulrich W. Wilson , USFWS, Sequim, WA 98382. Aerial surveys of breeding sites of Common Murres were conducted from 1979 to 1995 in California, Oregon and Washington. Survey continuity varied among the three areas. Correction factors were used to estimate total numbers of birds. There has been a significant popu- lation decline in murres in Washington. Populations varied from 52,000 in 1979 to a low of 860 in 1993. Mean population size per island was 843 birds. In Oregon, population decline was evident from 1979 to 1987 but remained stable since then. Total population varied from 71 1,881 (an uncharacteristically high number) in 1988 to 48,427 in 1993. Mean population size per island was 7,928. On the central Cali- fornia coast, murres have declined from pre-1979 levels. Largest population of 224,300 occurred in 1982, with the low of 90,326 in 1989. A population decline also has occurred in northern California. Mur- res showed much variability in colony- site occurrence in all areas. ASSESSING THE RISK OF MARBLED MURRELETS TO NEST PREDATION John M. Marzlujf , Sustainable Ecosys- tems Institute, 30 East Franklin Rd., Me- ridian, ID 83642, Martin G. Raphael , Pacific Northwest Research Station, 3625 93rd Ave. SW, Olympia, WA 98512, and Steven P. Courtney , Sustainable Ecosys- tems Institute, P.O. Box 524, Lake Oswego, OR 97034. We initiated a study to investigate the influence of stand structure, distance from stand edge, proximity to human activity, and the extent of forest fragmentation on the vulnerability of Marbled Murrelet nests to predation, primarily by corvids. We report on data obtained in 1995 from 18 forest stands on the Olympic Penin- sula. A total of 108 murrelet nests were simulated by placing artificial eggs or mounted chicks in typical nest locations (moss covered branches > 12.7cm diame- ter, >17m above ground with high over- head cover) and monitoring their distur- bance by remote telemetry and cameras placed near nests. Twelve organisms were observed disturbing them. Eight potential predators (Steller's Jay, Gray Jay, Ameri- can Crow, Common Raven, Northern Flying Squirrel, Townsend Chipmunk, Douglas Squirrel, Mustela spp.) disturbed 84 of 108 nests. Corvids were most likely to disturb eggs; mammals primarily dis- turbed chicks. Chicks were preyed upon at a higher rate than eggs. Commotion associated with photography may have scared some predators from nests. Activ- ity during nest placement did not appear to attract predators, but human scent on cameras and nest limbs may have at- tracted some mammalian predators. REDUCTION OF SEABIRD ENTAN- GLEMENTS IN SALMON DRIFT GILLNETS THROUGH GEAR MODI- FICATION Edward E Melvin, Washington Sea Grant Program, Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, and Loveday Conquest , Center for Quantitative Science, Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. Regulations of The Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird (MBTA) Treaty Act have triggered increased scru- tiny of seabird entanglement mortality in Puget Sound salmon drift gillnet fisheries. The US Justice Department under MBTA requires the commercial gillnet industry to develop and use gear modifications that reduce seabird mortalities in these fisher- ies. In a 1994 pilot study, four gear modi- fications were tested versus a control. Monofilament nets with large (10-inch) opaque mesh in the upper portions of the net demonstrated the greatest potential as an alternative gear to traditional mon- ofilament gillnets because they did not entangle seabirds or marine mammals and caught salmon at rates similar to mon- ofilament. Multifilament nets and mon- ofilament nets with dark (red) corks en- tangled seabirds at rates similar to mon- ofilament. Monofilament nets with 5-inch opaque netting in the upper net did not entangle seabirds, but were difficult to handle and caught fish at unacceptably decreased rates. This research was ex- panded in scope in the 1 995 sockeye fish- ery due to requirements of the regulatory agencies and with funding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service . Experimental nets with 10-inch mesh at two depths relative to the surface were compared to a monofilament control and fished through- out the day - night cycle. Results confirm that visual barriers can reduce the inci- dental capture of alcids in monofilament gillnets. COLONIAL WATERBIRD ACTIVITY AND FEEDING BEHAVIOR IN ST. MARTIN PARISH, LOUISIANA USA CRAWFISH IMPOUNDMENTS, WIN- TER-SPRING 1995 Tibor Mikuska , Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Mississippi, Univ., Mississippi 38677 USA, Jay Huner *, Crawfish Res. Center, Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafay- ette, Louisiana 70504 USA, and James Kushlan , Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Mis- sissippi, Univ., Mississippi 38677 USA. St. Martin Parish, Louisiana has the greatest area, 8000 ha, devoted to craw- fish culture in the world. These shallow, short-hydroperiod managed wetlands are flooded from fall into spring. They have high densities of invertebrate and small vertebrate prey that attract large numbers of migratory and resident colonial water- birds (cormorants, pelicans, herons, egrets, ibises, gulls, terns, and roseate spoonbills) from adjacent wetlands. Crawfishes are important food items for all species. Maintaining deep water, over 0.5 m, discourages wading birds from feeding away from shores but most im- poundments are physically restricted to depths of 0.25 to 0.50 m. Gulls, terns, cormorants and pelicans are not limited by water depth. When impoundments are drained, Great and Snowy Egrets and Lit- tle Blue and Tricolored Herons show a preference for stranded fishes. Yellow- crowned Night-Herons and ibises show a preference for stranded crawfishes. FORAGING ECOLOGY AND CHICK PROVISIONING IN COMMON TERNS David J. Moore *, Dept, of Biol. Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, B.C. V5A Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23* Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 42 . ABSTRACTS 1 S6, and Ralph D. Morris , Dept, of Biol. Sciences, Brock Univ., St. Catharines, Ont. L2S 3A1. We investigated patterns of foraging and prey delivery among Common Terns nesting in Hamilton Harbour, Lake On- tario during 1991-1995. Telemetry data were collected concurrently with behav- ioural observations at the colony. Individ- ual males exhibited predictable foraging patterns during a breeding bout, foraging predominately in a single directional bearing. As a group, terns nesting during the same time period utilized the same general foraging areas. However, the lo- cations of foraging areas varied consid- erably, both over the course of a breeding season and among years. We observed similar patterns with respect to the types of prey delivered to chicks: the species and size distributions of prey differed between 'peak’ and 'late' sampling periods within years, and there was significant variability in species composition and modal prey size among years. We will present data on males followed for more than one year to assess (z) the degree to which individuals specialize on certain types of prey and (ii) whether they exhibit foraging site tenacity. Do the patterns of prey composition and foraging locations reflect temporal variation in prey distri- bution, or differential selection of prey by adults? THE EFFECTS OF TICKS ( Ixodes uriae ) ON NESTLING CASSIN'S AUKLETS {Ptyc h oramphus aleuticus ) AT TRIAN- GLE ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA Yolanda E. Morbey , Dept, of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, B.C., V5A 1S6. Cassin’s Auklet {Ptychoramphus aleuti- cus) nestlings were found to host the common seabird tick, Ixodes uriae , during a study of nestling growth and fledging behaviour. Most nestlings had zero ticks and few nestlings were severely infested. In comparison to an expected Poisson distribution, I. uriae were distributed non-randomly among nestlings and among sites with differing soil character- istics. Ticks were less common on nes- tlings in sites with sandy soil or with dense fern litter and roots. Nestlings with ten or more ticks had slower rates of wing growth, fledged with shorter wings, reached peak mass at older ages, and fledged at older ages than nestlings with fewer ticks. Wings must be sufficiently developed to enable flight to sea at fledging. Severely infested nestlings probably remained in the nest longer to compensate for the slower rates of wing growth. SEASONAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMO- RANTS IN THE STRAIT OF GEORGIA. Jan E. Moul *, Foul Bay Ecological Re- search, 317 Irving Road, Victoria B.C. V8S 4A1, Phil Whitehead , and Lee Harding , Canadian Wildlife Service, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta B.C. V4K 3N2. Six tail-mount and six internal surgi- cally implanted, radio transmitters were attached to Double-crested Cormorants during the spring and summer of 1994. Birds were located at approximately one week internals from aircraft, boat or dur- ing road surveys. Tail mount transmitters proved ineffective. Four birds disap- peared, or picked off the transmitters within one day. One bird sat on a nest for 60 days with an active transmitter. The sixth bird was followed near a breeding colony for two weeks. Implanted trans- mitters were much more successful; all six birds survived for at least 10 months and returned to the colonies where they were tagged. As of August 1995 two birds, one each from Chain and Mandarti Island colonies, near Victoria, remained in the vicinity of the colonies for an entire year. One bird disappeared a few days following the implanting of a transmitter, and spent the winter near a cormorant colony 25 km away. The three remaining birds were lost one day, four months and five months, respectively, following im- plants and located again in May and June when the birds returned to breed. LOCAL SYNCHRONY IN EGG- LAYING AND REPRODUCTIVE SUC- CESS OF MURRES Edward C. Murphy, Institute of Arctic Biology, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Fair- banks, Alaska 99775 USA. Murres are highly colonial, and pairs often nest in dense groups with little or no space between neighbors. At Bluff, Alaska, breeding success of Common Murres averaged 61% in 1987-1991. Most reproductive failures were due to accidental egg loss or predation by Com- mon Ravens soon after laying. Breeding success was positively correlated with both the number of breeding neighbors and the degree of synchrony in egg-laying with neighbors. Murres bred more syn- chronously with neighbors than would be expected based on the degree of egg- laying synchrony within the colony as a whole or on study plots of about 25-100 pairs. On St. George Island, Alaska, re- productive success of Thick-billed Murres in 1992-1994 was similar to that of Common Murres at Bluff in 1987-1991 (e.g., breeding success was 55% in 1992 and 61% in 1993). However, their breed- ing success was only weakly correlated with the presence of breeding neighbors. The relative degree and advantages of synchrony in egg-laying in these two populations will be compared and con- trasted. CHARACTERISTICS OF LEAST TERN NESTING IN SOUTH CAROLINA 1989-1995 Thomas M, Murphy *, South Carolina De- partment of Natural Resources, Green Pond, SC 29446, and Mark G. Dodd, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Green Pond, SC 29446. Surveys of all historic Least Tem nest- ing sites were conducted from 1989-1995. Total ground counts were conducted at incubation intervals at each active colony during the 1989, 1990, 1994 and 1995 seasons. A mean of 1,811 nests were counted with the 1995 season being sig- nificantly higher than other years. During 1995, seventy one percent of nests were located in only five of the 29 active colo- nies. The use of building roofs for nesting increased from 14 to 61 percent. The five year colony turnover rate was high at 0.50. There was a 33 percent probability that an active site will be active five years later. The status and management needs of the state's nesting Least Tems is dis- cussed based on the documented dynam- ics of the population. POPULATION FLUCTUATIONS OF LITTLE EGRETS BREEDING IN THE Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 43 ABSTRACTS CAMARGUE (SOUTHERN FRANCE) Ruedi G. Nager*, and Heinz Hafner, Sta- tion blologique de la Tour du Valat, Le Sarnbuc ,13200 Arles, France. Population regulation is a central ques- tion in the demography of colonial water- birds. In the Camargue (southern France), over the last 28 years, the number of breeding Little Egrets ( Egretta garzetia) showed large fluctuations. They have been as low as about 1000 breeding pairs in the mid-eighties, and were then in- creasing to over 3000 breeding pairs now. Here we report on various factors which could be responsible for these variations. Reproductive success depends both on breeding density and the amount of rain- fall in the Camargue during the previous year. However, reproductive success does not contribute to the year-to-year fluctua- tions in breeding numbers. The main fac- tor involved in the recent changes in breeding numbers seems to be a change in wintering behaviour of Camargue Little Egrets. This might be a consequence of a combination of exceptionally cold winters in the Camargue and conditions for over- wintering further south. Thus, both local as well as distant environmental condi- tions influence the fluctuations in breed- ing numbers of Camargue Little Egrets. USE OF MATURE, MANAGED FOR- ESTS FOR NESTING BY MARBLED MURRELETS IN OREGON S. Kim Nelson *, Amanda K. Hubbard, and Stephanie K. Hughes, Oregon Coopera- tive Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR 97331-3803 USA. Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus ) are primarily associated with unmanaged, old-growth forests (>200 yrs) throughout their range. In western Oregon, however, murrelets have been found nesting in younger, mature (80-199 yrs) forests that were thinned, high-graded, or selectively logged 30-100 years ago. In 1995, 9 of 13 nests found in Oregon were located within these man- aged forests. Nests were found on large platforms (>14 cm diameter) in large (>76 cm dbh) trees. Two nests were in remnant old-growth (>200 yrs) trees and seven were in mature trees with large platforms created by mistletoe, disease, damage or in open growing conditions. In this paper, the specific characteristics of these forest stands and the general historical events that played a part in their creation will be summarized. These data indicate that murrelets nest in managed forests; how- ever, habitat quality of these forests, in terms of nest success, has not been as- sessed. ESTABLISHING SERUM CHEMISTRY AND HEMATOLOGY REFERENCE RANGES FOR SPECIES OF ALASKAN SEABIRDS; THEIR CLINICAL IM- PORTANCE AND THEIR ECOLOGI- CAL SIGNIFICANCE S. Newman* , Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, Univ. of California, Davis, California 95616, J ,F \ Piatt Alaska Fish and Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, and J. White, Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, Univ. of California, Davis, California 95616. Blood was analyzed from 151 wild ma- rine birds in order to establish reference ranges for clinical pathology and hema- tology parameters from a healthy, wild population of Pacific seabirds. Of the 13 species studied, nine were from the Alci- dae family and the remaining four were from the Phalacrocoracidae, Laridae, and Procellariidae families. Nine of thirteen clinical chemistry parameters varied sig- nificantly (P< 0.05) between species in- cluding alkaline phosphatase (Aik Phos), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cre- atinine phospho-kinase (CPK), choles- terol, glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total bilirubin (TBili), total pro- tein (TP) and plasma total solids (TS). Significant species differences (P< 0.05) exist for the following hematology pa- rameters; white blood cell counts, lym- phocyte counts and eosinophil counts. Packed cell volume (PCV), buffy coat estimates (BC), heterophil counts, mono- cyte counts, and basophil counts did not vary significantly between species. Plasma calcium concentration, triglyc- eride levels and total solids varied signifi- cantly (P< 0.05) between sexes with fe- male birds having higher mean concen- trations of all three parameters. However, no statistically significant correlations between measures of breeding condition (brood patch size, subcutaneous and mes- enteric fat deposits, or ovarian follicle size and ovary weight) and calcium or alkaline phosphatase concentrations in female birds could be identified. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and uric acid (UA) are the only analytes which did not differ significantly between species or sexes. A description of the clinical sig- nificance of these analytes, as well as the biological and ecological significance of these findings will be presented. SEABIRDS OF THE EAST COAST OF THE USA: STATUS, TRENDS, AND THREATS Ian C.T. Nisbet, I.C.T. Nisbet & Co., Inc., 150 Alder Lane, North Falmouth, MA 02556 USA. The east coast of the USA is low-lying, with extensive barrier beaches, no cliffs, and few small islands except in the Gulf of Maine. Breeding seabirds include about 500,000 pairs of 23 species, mostly gulls, terns and cormorants. Several million seabirds of 70 species (including loons, grebes, and seaducks) visit inshore or shelf waters in non-breeding seasons. Most of the breeding species are increas- ing; only three breeders and two non- breeders appear to be decreasing. Many of the increases are long-term recoveries from human depredation in the nineteenth century, and/or recoveries from effects of toxic chemicals or other adverse factors in the 1960s. The most important long-term threat is probably global climatic change. The most important current threats are intensive human development and use of the coast, including promotion of gulls and other predatory species. Oil and hu- man fisheries are probably less important as threats to seabirds than in other areas; net effects of human fisheries are proba- bly positive. Threats to seabirds are miti- gated by management, especially focused on terns and pelicans. POPULATION DYNAMICS AND DE- MOGRAPHY OF CORMORANT SPE- CIES ON SOUTHEAST FARALLON ISLAND, 1971-1995: TRENDS AND THEIR POSSIBLE CAUSES Nadav Nur*, William J. Sy deman, Eliza- beth McLaren, and Peter Pyle . Point R H y* ra lo (/ C cr B in ei jo D cb si ei rc P< C 01 Ol m o: st ai d< ai st ti v* er B P« m te bf P< fi P' v< P* ti fl ei A S S F C T C L E c< Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 44 ABSTRACTS Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA 94970. We summarize and contrast twenty-five year population trends for three Cormo- rant species breeding on Southeast Faral- lon Island: Brandt's Cormorants (. Phalacrocorax penicillatus ), Pelagic Cormorants (P. pelagicus), and Double- crested Cormorants (P. auritus). For Brandt’s and Pelagic Cormorants, breed- ing population numbers have varied mod- erately from year to year, except for ma- jor El Nino-Southern Oscillation events. During such events, breeding numbers dropped drastically to very low values; in subsequent years, numbers have recov- ered but not to their previous levels. The result has been a "descending staircase" of population size. As a result, Brandt's Cormorant populations in the 1990's are one-third and Pelagic Cormorants are one-fifth the size of what they were in the mid 1970's. In contrast, breeding numbers of Double-crested Cormorants showed a steady increase in the 1970's and 1980's and are stable in the 1990's. For the two declining species, breeding probability and reproductive success fluctuate strongly, tracking environmental condi- tions. In addition, adult (and possibly ju- venile) survival is strongly correlated with environmental conditions. Consequently Brandt’s and Pelagic Cormorants are poorly buffered with respect to environ- mental variability. Demographic parame- ter values for Brandt’s Cormorants have been incorporated in an age-structured population dynamic model, which con- firms the vulnerability of this species to poor environmental conditions, and, con- versely, the species' capability for rapid population growth under favorable condi- tions. We discuss also the difficulty that fluctuations in breeding probability pres- ent for monitoring adult population size. ALTERNATIVE FEEDING RE- SOURCES DURING PERIODS OF SHORT FOOD SUPPLY AND THE IN- FLUENCE ON THE BREEDING BIOL- OGY OF A SPECIALIZED SEABIRD, THE AUDOUIN'S GULL: AN INTER- COLONY COMPARISON Daniel Oro\ Xell Genovart, Xavier Ruiz , Dept, de Biologia Animal, Univ. de Bar- celona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain, Juan Jimenez , and Javier Garcia- Gans, Conselleria de Medi Ambient, Generalitat Valenciana, Ap. de Correos 22105, 4601 1 Valencia, Spain. The diet and breeding biology of two colonies of Audouin's Gull Larus audou - inii, the Columbretes Islands and the Ebro Delta, were compared. The distance be- tween the two colonies is just 80 km, but while Columbretes Is. are ca. 60 km off the coast, the Ebro Delta colony is on the mainland, placed in a river delta ecosys- tem. In both colonies, the feeding ecology of the species largely depends on the ex- ploitation of discards from the local trawler fleet. Since 1991, a yearly trawl moratorium has been established in the area, overlapping with the Audouin's Gull breeding season. During the moratorium food is in short supply, also because in recent years, the prey on which Audouin's Gull is specialized (clupeiforms), is de- pleted. In these moratorium periods, the availability of alternative feeding re- sources was higher in the Ebro Delta than in the Columbretes Is. Gulls in the Ebro Delta could feed on rice fields and occa- sionally on olive groves and refuse tips, and they performed interspecific klepto- parasitism on smaller seabird species breeding there. In contrast, in the Colum- bretes Is. these foraging resources were not available or far from the colony. These differences in alternative feeding resources produced higher breeding per- formance in the Ebro Delta than in Co- lumbretes Is., and they suggest that effects of short food supply may vary not only between species, but also between colo- nies. THE INFLUENCE OF TRAWLING FISHERY ACTIVITIES ON EGG PRO- DUCTION IN THE LESSER BLACK- BACKED GULL Larus fuscus IN WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN Daniel Oro\ and Xavier Ruiz, Dept, de Biologia Animal, Univ. de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. The high availability of trawler discards is likely to have a pronounced effect on the reproduction of seabirds, but this im- portance is normally difficult to quantify. A comparison between two breeding sea- sons of the Lesser Black-backed Gull, one of them affected by a trawler moratorium. has allowed an assessment of the effects of discard availability on its egg laying. When trawlers operated, diet was domi- nated by fish from discards, while during trawler moratorium gulls fed from refuse tips, olive groves and, especially, rice fields. Although breeding phenology was not different, and clutch size was not sig- nificantly lower in the year with trawler moratorium, the mean egg volume de- creased significantly, showing the impor- tance of trawler discard availability as a proximate determinant of egg production by scavenging seabirds. SEABIRD/FORAGE FISH INTERAC- TIONS IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND: PRELIMINARY RESULTS William D. Ostrand*, U.S. Fish & Wild- life Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchor- age, Alaska 99503 and John M. Manis- calco, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, Alaska 99503. We monitored seabird/forage fish inter- actions by conducting systematically ar- ranged transects in three areas of Prince William Sound from 21 July- 11 August 1995. Hydroacoustic and bird-observation data were collected simultaneously. We collected data on foraging behavior and kleptoparasitism on 22 foraging flocks encountered while following transects. Walleye pollock made up >90% of the forage fish biomass; however, only a few tufted puffins were associated with pol- lock schools. Black-legged Kittiwakes, Pigeon Guillemots, and Marbled Mur- relets were observed in shallow water near (<2 km) shore. Foraging flocks were associated with capelin, sandlance, and juvenile herring. In the 18 foraging flocks that contained Black-legged Kittiwakes, Marbled Murrelets were also present, suggesting a strong association among the two species. Rates of inter- and intras- pecific kleptoparasitism were moderate to low and we speculate that there was mi- nor impact upon the victimized species or individuals. ECOLOGY OF BREEDING CASPIAN TERNS IN ELKHORN SLOUGH, CALIFORNIA Jennifer Parkin , Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, P.O. Box 450, Moss Land- ing, CA 95039. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1 996 • Page 45 ABSTRACTS During 1992, Caspian Terns returned to breed in Elkhom Slough, California after a 12 year hiatus. From 1993 through 1995 my study examined food habits, activity patterns, and population size of breeding pairs and their young. Observations oc- curred three to six times per week during the breeding season from an observation blind. Adults and chicks were counted twice per observation session. During 1994, dominant fish species fed to chicks were Northern Anchovy {Engraulis mor- dax ) 49%, Shiner Surfperch (Cymatogaster aggregata) 29%, Topsmelt ( Atherinops affinis) 19%, and Pacific Staghorn Sculpin {Leptocottus armatus ) 3% (n=l 19). Mean adult foraging times to feed chicks were (x=35.25 minutes, SD=34.9, n=67) during 1994 and (x=31.93 minutes, SD=30.21, n=86) dur- ing 1995. During 1993, the population was estimated at 100 breeding pairs and about 120 chicks. During 1994, the population increased to about 200 pairs and 150 chicks. During 1995, the adult population remained at 200 pairs; how- ever, due to failure of egg hatching and high mortality, only seven chicks fledged. Toxicology tests are currently being con- ducted to determine reasons for this de- cline. NESTING POPULATIONS OF COLO- NIAL WATERBIRDS IN COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA, 1900 - 1995 James F. Parnell *, Dept, of Biology, Univ. North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, and Wm. Walker Colder, North Carolina Coastal Sanctuary System, National Audubon Society, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480. The earliest modern records of nesting colonial waterbirds in North Carolina are found in the first edition of Birds of North Carolina published in 1919. From 1919 until the early 1970s knowledge of nest- ing populations was based on occasional brief reports. It was not until 1975 that there was a coastwide survey of all nest- ing species at all sites. Additional surveys were completed in 1983, 1993 and 1995. In 1919, only 13 species nested. Ten new species have colonized the state since that time. Little Blue Herons, Tricolored Her- ons, Laughing Gulls, Common Terns, Least Terns and Royal Terns appeared relatively abundant during the early 1900s. Least Terns apparently declined significantly during the late 1800s due to plume hunting but have recovered and stabilized since the 1970s. Royal Terns and Laughing Gulls remain abundant. Great and Snowy Egret populations have recovered from the effects of plume hunting and now appear stable. Brown Pelican, Cattle Egret and White Ibis populations are growing rapidly, while nesting numbers of Glossy Ibis and Black Skimmers are erratic, and Gull-billed Terns may be declining. COINCIDENT COMMUNICATION: EAGLES, EGG PREDATORS, AND ALARMS Julia K. Parrish , Zoology Dept., Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. Alarm calls are broadly similar signals across a diverse range of taxa. Many spe- cies use more than one call, depending on the type of predator and/or level of threat immediacy. In Pacific Northwest seabird communities, some species (e.g. Larids) give alarm calls, while others (e.g. Alcids) do not. On Tatoosh Island, Glaucous- winged Gulls and Common Murres are the two most prevalent surface nesters, and share the Island’s only ubiquitous predator, the Bald Eagle, in common. In response to the appearance of eagles, gulls will only give alarm calls, accompa- nied by flight, when the raptor is directly over the island. Thus, gull flight alarm is an unambiguous signal of an eagle threat. To determine whether murres use this acoustic signal I designed a playback ex- periment to test the responses of nesting murres to a variety of gull and murre sounds. Murres treated gull flight alarm as significantly different from any other sound, and usually responded by leaving the colony. Response latency, although not level, was affected by reproductive investment. Because raptor-facilitated egg predation is chronic in this system, signal manipulation (e.g. social attraction, ha- bituation) may prove to be a useful resto- ration technique in the future. SLOW RECOVERY OF WADING BIRD POPULATIONS AFTER OIL SPILL Katharine C. Parsons, Manomet Obser- vatory, Manomet, Massachusetts, USA 02345. In January 1990, 2,146,000 1 of #2 grade oil were released into a narrow tidal strait separating New York City from New Jersey. Up to 1500 pairs of Ciconii- formes have nested on islands in this wa- terway since the mid-1980s. I compare abundance, timing of nesting, productiv- ity and offspring mortality factors of four wading bird species during the 1990-1993 breeding seasons to similar data collected in 1986-1989. Tidal foraging species (Snowy Egret, Glossy Ibis) produced 35-50% fewer fledglings in 1990-1993 compared to pre-spill. Greater nestling starvation and lower growth rates charac- terized tidal wading birds post-spill. In contrast, productivity of generalist and non-tidal wading birds (Black-crowned Night-Heron, Cattle Egret) did not differ before and after the spill. Relative impor- tance of mortality factors of non-tidal Ciconiiformes also did not vary over the study period, although night-heron diet shifted immediately post-spill to include less fish and more human refuse. I con- clude that reduced productivity of tidal Ciconiiformes resulted from a critical loss of tidal resources in the estuary as a result of oil contamination. Snowy Egrets were most sensitive to the perturbation. Pro- ductivity dropped from 1 .7 fledglings per nest during 1986-1989 to 0.5 during 1990-1991 and began to rebound during 1992-1993 (1.2 fledglings/nest). EMPLOYING GENETIC MARKERS TO INVESTIGATE BEHAVIORAL AND LIFE HISTORY TRAITS OF THE SPECTACLED EIDER John M. Pearce *, Department of Biologi- cal Sciences, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, Raymond L. Fields , and Kim T. Scribner , National Biological Service, Alaska Science Center, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503. In 1993, the Spectacled Eider was listed as Threatened in North America. As part of ongoing population monitoring and nesting ecology research, samples of blood, nest feathers, and egg shell mem- branes were collected in Alaska and Rus- sia. Using genetic markers called micro- satellites, these materials provide infor- mation on behavioral and life history traits not easily detected with traditional Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 46 ABSTRACTS research methods (e.g., long term banding and observation). Microsatellite markers allow a minimally disruptive research protocol and more expedient results: De- sirable project attributes in endangered species research- The polyallelic character of microsatellite DNA provides consistent individual "fingerprinting",, used in esti- mating degree of adult and natal philopa- try, interannual nest placement, and sur- vival. The Mendelian transmission of microsatellite loci enables quantification of relatedness among individuals and fre- quency of pre-hatch and post-hatch brood amalgamation. CONTAMINANT LEVELS AND IN- CREASED BREEDING POPULATIONS OF GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS ON THE GREAT LAKES Karen E. Pettit* D. V. Chip Weseloh , and Peter J. Ewins , Canadian Wildlife Serv- ice, Environment Canada, Box 5050, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4 A 6. The Great Black-backed Gull was first report breeding in the Great Lakes in Lake Huron 1954: a single pair at one location. In the 1980s, single pairs of black-backed gulls were found nesting at several sites in Lake Ontario, and a "colony" of 3-5 pairs bred there annually at Little Galloo Island. Up to 12 con- firmed or probable breeding attempts at 8 sites were reported recently for Lake Huron and the first nestings on Lakes Erie and Michigan have been reported. In 1995 on Lake Ontario, Pigeon and Little Galloo Islands each supported 10 pairs of black-backs. Predation on Caspian Terns at Pigeon Island in 1995 appeared heavy. Contaminant levels were measured in fresh eggs of Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls from Lake Ontario in 1993 _ 94 . Levels of DDE, total PCBs and mirex in Black-backed Gull eggs (12.8, 26.3 and 2.0 ppm, wet weight, respec- tively) were more than twice the levels found in Herring Gull eggs (6.3, 1 1.7 and 0.97). Contaminant levels in Black-backed Gulls appear to represent a trophic level above Herring Gulls. MEASURING THE DYNAMICS OF A COMPLEX OF ROOKERIES IN THE ATCHAFALAYA DELTA, LOUISIANA Bryan P. Piazza *, Dept, of Wildlife, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA 70803 and Vernon L. Wright, Dept, of Wildlife, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA 70803. The rookery complex on the Atchafa- laya River Delta, Louisiana contained 10 species nesting in 1994 and 9 species nesting in 1995. The numbers of large waders of each species changes rapidly and drastically throughout the season on this area. As much as 70% of the nests disappear in a month during the peak of the nesting activity. A major need is to develop procedures to quantify the highly dynamic nature of these rookeries. A combination of field techniques and sta- tistical modeling will be used to address this problem. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY AND THE WESTERN GULL Raymond Pierotti , and Cynthia Annett *, Department of Systematics and Ecology, Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA 66045-2106. The Western Gull, Larus occidentals, may be the rarest gull in North America, with a world population of less than 50,000 pairs which breeds entirely along the Pacific Coast of North America. All other North American marine birds with comparably-sized populations are the subject of conservation efforts. Western Gulls are subject to numerous threats: 1) pesticide contamination in Southern Cali- fornia, 2) extensive hybridization with the much more numerous Glaucous-winged Gull in Washington, 3) recurrent El Nino like conditions over the last 15 years in the NE Pacific, and 4) the largest colony (containing about 30% of the world population) of this species is on Southeast Farallon Island, which lies in a major shipping channel. Perhaps most serious, ornithologists and the scientific commu- nity appear to regard Western Gulls as a pest, and protect other, more common, marine and aquatic birds at the expense of Western Gulls: 1) Southeast Farallon, PRBO regards Western Gulls as a threat to Cassin's Auklets and Leach's Storm- Petrels, 2) Washington, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protects Tufted Puffins and Rhinoceros Auklets, and 3) San Fran- cisco Bay, National Park Service works to protect Black-crowned Night-Herons from Western Gull predation. All of these "protected" species have world popula- tions orders of magnitude higher than Western Gulls. MEANS, VARIATION, AND LIFE HIS- TORY EVOLUTION IN MARINE BIRDS Raymond Pierotti*, and Cynthia Annett, Department of Systematics and Ecology, Univ. of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA 66045-2106. The basic model of life history evolu- tion is Lotka's fundamental equation, which assumes a tradeoff between current reproduction and survival or future repro- duction. This model uses mean (average) performance of a population to estimate population growth, fecundity, and sur- vival. We argue that although means are useful for characterizing population dy- namics, they are of limited use in exam- ining evolutionary questions, particularly with regard to life history evolution. Indi- vidual variation in lifetime breeding per- formance is so great that average birds are not representative of populations. Using data from a 12 year study of long-term breeding performance in Western Gulls, Larus occidentals, we demonstrate that 1) most birds breed only 1-2 times before disappearing, 2) a few birds are highly successful, breeding for 10-12 years and producing 25-30 fledged young, 3) no tradeoff exists between survival and fe- cundity, because survival is the best pre- dictor of annual and lifetime fecundity, and 4) individual variation in diet choice is a major factor underlying lifetime per- formance. Using data from other studies to complement our own, we argue that the mean individual beloved of tradeoff the- ory is likely to be the result of averaging across many failures and a few successful individuals. CENSUS OF TWO FORMS OF MASKED BOOBY BREEDING ON CLIPPERTON ISLAND WITH COM- MENTS ON THEIR PHYLOGENETIC STATUS Robert L. Pitman*, and Carrie A . LeDuc , Southwest Fisheries Science Center, P.O. Box 271 La Jolla, CA 92038. In 1958, when introduced pigs were eliminated from Clipperton Island (10° Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 47 ABSTRACTS 18'N 109° 13'W) in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Masked Booby {Sula dactyla- tra ) population there numbered an esti- mated 150 individuals. Using aerial pho- tography we determined that there were 50,543 individual Masked Boobies at Clipperton in 1987 including 23,959 breeding pairs, and in 1990 there were 61,489 boobies associated with the island, including 30,564 breeding pairs. These results indicate that Clipperton Island is by far the largest Masked Booby colony in the world. Two readily identifiable races of Masked Booby currently breed at Clipperton: a yellow-billed form, S. d. californica , comprising >99% of the population, and an orange-billed form, S. d. grand, with an estimated population of 1 50 individuals (0.2% of the population). Mating between these two forms appears to be assortative at Clipperton Island and at other colonies in the eastern Pacific Ocean where they nest sympatrically, suggesting that speciation may have al- ready occurred. Potential isolating mechanisms between these two forms include bill color, nesting and roosting habitat preferences, and differences in at-sea distribution. HERON STEATITIS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Mary F. Platter-Rieger* , NCCOSC RDTE DIV 5221, 53475 Strothe Road Rm 258, San Diego, CA 92152-6310, Am Fair- brother, Ecological Planning and Toxicol- ogy Inc. 5010 S.W. Hout Street, Corvallis, OR 97333-9540, and Meryl Faulkner , Project Wildlife, 5915 Desert View Drive, La Jolla, CA. Steatitis, or yellow fat disease, was first seen in both Great Blue Herons and Black- crowned Night-Herons in San Diego in 1979 (1 heron). More than 1 1 herons had it in 1980; from 1981 through 1990 steatitis was sporadic and low in number of cases. A continuing epizootic began in 1991 (4 herons), then continued into 1992 (15 her- ons), 1993 (43 herons), 1994 (105 herons), and 1995 (133+ herons). Most of these herons had severe steatitis which is fatal in the wild. Necropsies have been done, and blood and tissue samples are being ana- lyzed for contaminants. Vitamin E values appear normal. PERIODIC NESTING OF STELLER’S EIDERS (. POLYSTJCTA STELLERI) NEAR BARROW, ALASKA: 1991-1995 Lori Quakenbush* , U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northern Alaska Ecological Services, 101 12th Ave., Fairbanks, Alaska 99701, and Robert Suydam, North Slope Borough, Department of Wildlife Management, Box 69, Barrow, Alaska 99723. Steller's Eiders nested near Barrow, Alaska in 1991, 1993, and 1995, but not in 1992 or 1994. Available anecdotal in- formation indicates that this pattern was similar on the Siberian nesting grounds from 1991-1994. Aerial surveys con- ducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service throughout possible nesting habi- tat elsewhere in Alaska did not locate nesting Steller's Eiders. In 1994, at least 68 Steller's Eiders were present near Bar- row, however, they remained in flocks throughout the nesting season. Possible causes of periodic nesting at Barrow in- clude the variability of the onset of spring, inadequate food on the wintering or nesting grounds, and variation in the numbers and species of predators present on the nesting grounds. Nesting in Barrow coincided with years in which brown lemming densities were high, which at- tracted nesting Pomarine Jaegers and Snowy Owls. While it is not known with certainty whether Steller's Eiders nest elsewhere when they do not nest in Bar- row, the indication is they do not. Steller's Eiders may live to be 20 years old or older and may maximize their individual life-time reproductive success by not at- tempting to breed in years when nest sur- vival would be low. POPULATION DISTRIBUTION OF THE MARBLED MURRELET IN SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA, BASED ON A NATURALISTS LOG C. John Ralph , U.S. Forest Service, Ar- eata, CA 95521, and Michael L.C. McAl- lister, Wildland Resources Enterprises, LaGrande, OR 97850. There has been an urgent need for de- termining this species' population in Alaska. McAllister's notes, taken during fishing expeditions throughout Alaska from 1981-1993, provide an index to the number seen. More than 7,500 km of transects were transferred onto a GIS en- vironment, and analyzed on a 10-km grid. We corrected the different intensities of effort during his surveys. Recently on a similar boat, under similar conditions, we compared his ability to see murrelets with that of trained observers. We found that his data varied between total agreement in his intensive mode of survey, to 0.8:1 in what we termed casual observations. We plotted the number of observations per cell, the number of kilometers of transect per cell, the proportion of each cell in water, and the resulting density of birds per cell. We found high densities in Icy Strait, north of Chichigof Island, and Auke Bay. These confirm previous esti- mates of others. We plan to integrate these data with more offshore work that others have done, and compare the sur- veys over the past ten years to determine any population trends. While we realize the limitations of these types of data, we conclude that they provide a unique data base, capable of providing information in areas previously unsurveyed, and over a long time period. BETWEEN YEAR VARIATION IN DE- TECTIONS OF MARBLED MUR- RELETS AT THREE INLAND SITES IN CALIFORNIA, 1989-1995 C. John Ralph , and Sherri L. Miller , U.S. Forest Service, Areata, CA 95521. The yearly variation in forest detec- tion levels of the Marbled Murrelet can influence the effectiveness of survey methods. For the past seven years, we have collected data at three inland sites with a range of activity levels. Each site was surveyed a minimum of once per week during the breeding season. Our objective was to determine if there were significant differences in mean detection levels between years. At Lost Man Creek for May through August (28 survey months), no years had mean detections significantly different from other years. At James Irvine Trail and Redwood Ex- perimental Forest, none of the months surveyed showed significantly higher or lower detections over the seven years of surveys. There was no consistent pattern of increase or decrease over all stands in any one year. Because, for individual sites, we found no significant differences Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 48 . ABSTRACTS between years and no consistent year ef- fect (for example, all years down in the some year, up in the next), one survey year would be representative of murrelet use of these stands. However, at sites with only one or a few detections per morning, where more surveys have zero detections, more than one year of surveys may be required to adequately determine murrelet use. PATTERNS OF VARIATION IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF MARBLED MUR- RELETS OFFSHORE OF THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WASHINGTON C John Ralph , Sherri L. Miller, Linda L. Long, U.S. Forest Service, Areata, CA 95521 , Steven Courtney , National Council of the Paper Industry for Air and Stream Improvement, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, and Martin Raphael , U.S. Forest Service, Olympia, WA 98502. During the summers of 1994 and 1995, we surveyed for Marbled Murrelets from small boats in the San Juan Islands of Washington. Surveys were conducted approximately once every 10-day period. In areas of murrelet concentrations, we conducted intensive surveys at 100, 300, 500, and 800 m from shore to determine the distribution of murrelets. We ana- lyzed variations in distribution relative to time of day, tide cycles, distance from shore, between years, and between is- lands. In 1994, we found that, overall, murrelets were much closer to shore than we had found along more exposed coasts of California, most were within 500 m from shore, with a peak at 300 m. How- ever, we found that along some islands in the same year this peak was at 100 m. This peak also changed between years on the same transect. In 1995, we also con- ducted some all-day surveys, finding a considerable variation in the number of birds through the day at one site, but little change at another site. We discuss the potential impact of these results, including the need for preliminary studies for ade- quate survey design. HAWAIIAN STILTS RESPONSE TO HABITAT RESTORATION Mark J. Rauzon *, Marine Endeavors, Box 4423, Berkeley, CA 94704, and Diane Drigot , U.S. Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, HI 96863. The endangered Hawaiian subspecies of the Black-necked Stilt ( Himantopus mexi - canus knudseni ) is found in the Nu'upia Ponds of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay located on O'ahu. Eight ancient Hawaiian fishponds are bordered by introduced vegetation composed al- most entirely of Pickleweed and Red Mangrove. Mangrove and Pickleweed management has been ongoing for many years. Since 1982, the military has used Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) to break up pickleweed and expose mud surfaces, where stilts nest and feed. In 1987, stilt counts finally exceed those made in 1947 (127 birds). By the 1995, stilt numbers climbed to the highest counts ever recorded in the ponds (150). The stilts using the ponds represents around 10% of the entire Hawaiian population. The recent Legacy Program- funded projects to eradicate mangroves has significantly increased stilt habitat. From December, 1993 to March, 1995 approximately 12.5 acres of mangroves were removed from the Nu'upia Ponds. Stilts quickly exploited modified habitat. In 1995, at least four nests were placed on newly-cleared mangroves shorelines and four nests on artificial nesting islands. In 1996, additional areas will be modified to increase stilt nesting sites. DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND STRUCTURE OF HARLEQUIN DUCK POPULATIONS IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA Daniel H. Rosenberg*, Alaska Dept. Of Fish and Game, 333 Raspberry Rd., An- chorage, AK USA 99518, Michael J. Petrula , Alaska Dept. Of Fish and Game, 333 Raspberry Rd., Anchorage, AK USA 99518, and David W. Crowley , Alaska Dept. Of Fish and Game, 333 Raspberry Rd., Anchorage, AK USA 99518. In response to mortality from the 1989 T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill. Harlequin Duck ( Histrionicus histrionicus ) popula- tions were surveyed in Prince William Sound (PWS) in 1995 to assess the extent of recovery of ducks inhabiting oiled ar- eas and determine if low reproductive success resulted in changes in age and sex structure of the population. Shoreline sur- veys monitored abundance, distribution. population structure, and productivity in oiled and unoiled areas. Surveys con- ducted from early May to mid-June com- pare temporal changes in abundance and population structure (number of breeding pairs, subadult males, unpaired adult males, and unpaired females), within and between oiled and unoiled areas. Breeding pairs were used to evaluate breeding chronology and estimate size of the local breeding population. Plumage patterns in spring were used to age males to 1 of 3 classes (1 yr, 2 yr, adult). Surveys con- ducted from mid-July through mid-September identify molt chronology and compare changes in sex ratios and abundance. Brood surveys compare pro- ductivity. Seasonal changes in population structure throughout the two survey peri- ods provide insight into harlequin duck movements to and from the study area. HOW COSTLY IS CLUTCH FORMA- TION IN THE AUDOUIN’S GULL? Xavier Ruiz*, Dept, de Biologia Animal, Univ. de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, Barcelona-08028, Spain, Lluis Jover , Dept, de Salut Publica (Bioestadistica), Univ. de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal s/n, Barcelona-08028, Spain, and Daniel Oro , Dept, de Biologia Animal, Univ. de Bar- celona, Av. Diagonal 645, Barcelona- 08028, Spain. To assess female daily and total energy investment in clutch formation for the Audouin’s Gull (. Larus audouinii ), we studied the rapid yolk deposition (RYD) period in 24 recently laid eggs belonging to 8 three-egg clutches collected at the Ebro Delta colony. RYD was estimated following the potassium dichromate yolk- staining method of Grau (1976). Stained yolks were photographed and their images were computerized. The number of dark- light bands and their respective volumes were obtained using image processing. RYD lasted 8 days in the Audouin’s Gull; the mean volume of dry yolk deposited daily was 1.93 ml, although the rate of deposition was not constant, being higher during the second half of RYD. Total volume of yolk deposited per follicle was 15.24 ml. The maturation of the three follicles lasted from 11 to 14 days, and daily energy investment peaked on day 7 when, on average, up to 8 ml of yolk was Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 49 ABSTRACTS distributed among the three maturing fol- licles. Differences in RYD and related parameters were not significant at inter- or intraclutch level. THERMAL STRESS AND BEHAVIOR OF SOOTY TERNS NESTING UNDER VARIABLE VEGETATION DENSITY Jorge E . Saliva *, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 491, Boqueron, Puerto Rico 00622, USA, and Joanna Burger , Dept, of Biology, Rutgers Univ., P.O. Box 1059, Piscataway, New Jersey 08855, USA. We examined the relationship between the thermal environment, nest-site selec- tion, and behavior of Sooty Terns {Sterna fuscata) at a colony in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico. The objectives were to study terns incubating in shaded and exposed sites to relate microhabitat characteristics to nest-site selection, to determine how operative environmental temperatures of tern mannequins related to microhabitat differences, and to compare the behav- ioral response of incubating terns to mi- crohabitat differences. Our results suggest that for Sooty Terns at Culebra 1) nest orientation was not critical under vegeta- tion, 2) wind speeds might not be suffi- cient to maintain homeostasis in exposed areas, 3) shade over the head decreased thermoregulatory behaviors, 4) vegetation cover prevented terns from leaving their nests unattended to cool down, and 5) thermoregulatory behaviors might not be sufficient to maintain homeostasis in young and adult terns in exposed habitats. The selection of a favorable microhabitat under the shade of vegetation must have strong adaptive value for Sooty Terns at Culebra. TIME BUDGET OF SURF SCOTER BROODS Jean-Pierre L. Savard , Austin Reed \ Alain Morrier , Louis Lesage , Eric Reed , and Yves Aubry , Canadian Wildlife Services, 1141 route de l’Eglise, P.O. Box 10100, Sainte- Foy, Quebec, G1 V 4H5. We quantified time budgets of Surf Scoter broods at Lake Malbaie, located in the Laurentide Wildlife Reserve, ap- proximately 96 km North of Quebec City. In 1994, the lake harboured 40 breeding pairs of Surf Scoters, the largest and most southerly breeding concentration known. Over 200 hours of observation were dis- tributed among at least 1 1 different broods. Duckling feeding bouts lasted longer (X=27 min.) than resting bouts (X=20 min.) and were shortest (X= 18 min.) in early afternoon and longest (X=35 min.) in the morning. Resting bouts were longest (X=27 min.) and most variable in early morning and shortest (X=14 min.) in the evening. In general, resting and feeding bouts of females and young were synchronized. Overall, young spent more time feeding than females (58 vs 30%), more time resting (27 vs 18%) but less time in alert (2 vs 36%). Both females and young spent more time feeding and less time resting, in August than in July, possibly a function of brood age. Females spent less time in alert pos- ture in August than in July (29 vs 39%). When the young were resting, the female tended to spend more time resting in the morning (59%) than in the evening (24%). She spent more time in alert pos- ture in the evening (41%), than in the morning (23%). Duckling activity was highly synchronized and transitions be- tween feeding and resting bouts lasted less than 5 minutes. Preening occurred during these transitions and was most prevalent following a feeding bout than after a resting bout. A CASE FOR CONCERN? THE EAST- ERN POPULATION OF BARROW'S GOLDENEYE Jean-Pierre L. Savard *, and Pierre Du- puis , Canadian Wildlife Services, 1141, route de l'Eglise, P.O. Box 10100, Sainte- Foy, Quebec, G1V4H5. Data on the eastern population of Bar- row's Goldeneye is scant. Breeding has not been confirmed yet, in eastern Can- ada, but recent pairs survey on the Lau- rentian plateau, along the north shore of the Saint-Lawrence Estuary, suggest pos- sibility of breeding there. Groups of males have been reported at the mouth of some of the inlets, of the North East Labrador Coast, indicating possible moulting loca- tion for drakes. Information on winter distribution indicate concentration of sev- eral hundred birds, in the Saint-Lawrence Estuary, a few hundred around Anticosti Island and small numbers in the Mari- times and eastern coastal United States. No reliable data exists, on population trend or size, except that goldeneyes, as a group, are declining in the east. Harvest rate data are unreliable due to small sam- ple sizes. Best estimates suggest that the population may be around 2-3000 birds. Our poor state of knowledge, combined with hunting pressure and logging opera- tions (on potential breeding areas, is cause of concern, for the continued existence of that population. CRASH OF COMMON EIDERS AT ONE SITE IN WESTERN ALASKA Douglas Schamel*, Dept, of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, B.C. V4A 1S6, and Diane A/. Tracy . 3865 Potter Rd., Fairbanks, AK 99709. We monitored nesting density and suc- cess of Common Eiders at Cape Espen- berg, on the northern Seward Peninsula in western Alaska, from 1976-1979 and 1994-1995 using three nesting plots and census transects. In the 1970's, our study area had the highest reported nesting den- sity of these birds in Alaska, and a rea- sonably high nest success rate (-50%). All three nesting plots and the census transects showed a 80-90% decrease in eider numbers in 1994-95, compared to the 1970's. In addition, nesting numbers in 1995 were lower than in 1994, sug- gesting a continuing decline. Nest success was essentially nil in 1994-95. Compara- ble data on Common Eiders from other areas in Alaska are non-existent, making it difficult to determine if this decline is local or widespread. The initial cause of this decline is unknown; predation of eggs may be preventing recovery in this popu- lation. THE ORNITHOLOGICAL COUNCIL: IN AID OF RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION E.A. Schreiber*, Ornithological Council, 4109 Komes Ct., Alexandria, VA 22306. The Ornithological Council was formed in 1992 by seven leading ornithological societies (AFO, AOU, COS, CWS, PSG, RRF, WOS) to represent professional ornithologists and the science of ornithol- ogy in the making of regulations and poli- cies. The Council addresses many issues: working with the Fish and Wildlife Serv- Pacijic Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 50 ABSTRACTS ice to make regulations which facilitate research and collecting; providing impar- tial scientific information to federal and state legislators concerning proposed bills; working with the Conservation Committees of the Council’s member groups; keeping ornithologists informed of proposals and actions which affect birds; speaking for scientific ornithology on public issues. A few of the issues with which the Council is currently involved: developing a database of ornithological expertise ,and other means of providing scientific information to decision makers, providing comments to agencies and Congress on Endangered Species issues, including bald eagles, spotted owls, golden-cheeked warblers; working to save the National Biological Service which is being threatened during the current budget cuts; determining the effect on cavity nesting birds of an OSHA regula- tion concerning cutting snags in forests; helping U.S. FWS write a new, simplified policy on collecting. The Council com- municates with ornithologists through its newsletter and on AOUNET. FEEDING ECOLOGY AND AGE DE- PENDENCE ON DIET OF THE SOOTY SHEARWATER, PUFFINUS GRISEUS, IN THE NORTH PACIFIC Komi Shiomi *, Hokkaido Teuri Senior High School, Haboro, Hokkaido, 078-39, Takaki Terasawa , Haboro, Hokkaido, 078-39, and Harm OgU Res. Inst. North. Pac. Fish. Fac. Fish., Hokkaido Univ., Hakodate, Hokkaido, 041. The diet of the Sooty Shearwater was examined by using a total of 1,139 stom- achs of the bird sampled during April- October, 1982, 1985-1989. Predominant prey species was the Japanese Sardine (Sardinops melanosticta ), the wet weight percentage of which was 57.9% in the Confluence Zone, April-May, and 55.8% in the Subarctic Current, June-September. Other identified prey species were the Pacific Saury ( Cololabis saira ), squid ( Berryteuthis anonychus ), Pelagic Barna- cle (Lepas fascicularis ), and jellyfish (Vellela lata). In the Subtropical Zone, June-July and the Transition Domain, June-October, the relative importance of squid and pelagic bernacle as prey items for the bird increased in both frequency of occurrence and weight. The importance of fish in the diet increased with body weight increment of the bird, while that of squid and barnacle decreased. Body weight of the bird could be related to their growth stage because of their bursal size and annual cycle. It is, therefore, sug- gested that the diet of the bird changes with their growth. RESTORATION ACTIVITIES FOL- LOWING THE EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL Stanley E. Sennep Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, 645 G Street, Suite 400, Anchorage, Alaska 99501. The civil settlement following the Exxon Valdez oil spill required Exxon Corporation to pay the United States and State of Alaska $900 million over 10 years to restore injured resources and services lost due to the spill. Uses of the funds are determined by a state-federal Trustee Council, consistent with policies outlined in a Restoration Plan. Projected allocations include $342-372 million for habitat acquisition and protection; $118- 248 million for research, monitoring, and direct restoration; and $108 million, plus interest, in a reserve account for use after the year 2001, when the last of Exxon s payments is due. Many of these activities focus on or benefit marine birds, such as acquisition of timbered habitats for nest- ing Marbled Murrelets and a major re- search initiative which is attempting to relate forage fish populations to seabird productivity in Prince William Sound. The Trustee Council is supporting con- struction of part of the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, which will provide top- notch facilities (e.g., laboratories and large outdoor tanks) for research on ma- rine birds and mammals. The Pacific Sea- bird Group is encouraged to continue its participation in commenting on and shaping the Exxon Valdez restoration pro- gram. EFFECTS OF MATE-FEEDING AND CHICK-PROVISIONING ON BREED- ING PERFORMANCE AMONG KNOWN-AGE ROSEATE TERNS AT FALKNER ISLAND, CT David A. Shealep Dept, of Biology, Rut- gers Univ., Piscataway, NJ, 08855, and Jeffrey A. Spendelow, US National Bio- logical Service, Patuxent Environmental Science Center, Branch of Migratory Bird Research, Laurel, MD, 20708. We hypothesized that mate-feeding and chick-provisioning rates by male Roseate Terns could affect breeding performance in this species, and that the quality of pa- ternal care was related to age. We pre- dicted an inverse relationship between mate-feeding rates at the nest-site and egg-laying intervals, and a positive rela- tionship with clutch size and total clutch mass. We found no such relationship with either measure, nor did we find that mate-feeding rates varied with age of the male. Further, we predicted that chick-provisioning rates would correlate positively with chick growth and survival, a prediction that was supported. Male, but not female, age correlated positively with feeding rates at 29 study nests, and. mean age of the male was significantly greater at nests in which two chicks, rather than one chick, fledged. However, chick growth rates and survival were extremely poor in 1995, indicating a year of food stress, which may have affected the ’’normal" rate of food delivery for both males and females. CHANGING PATTERNS OF SEABIRD DIVERSITY IN THE BERING SEA REGION DURING THE PAST 6,000 YEARS Douglas Siegel-Causey , School of Bio- logical Sciences, Univ. Nebraska, Lin- coln, NE 68588-0118, and Arkady Sav- inetskii , Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. The indigenous peoples of Beringia utilized marine birds, fish, and mammals as an important food resource in their subsistence economies, and as a conse- quence have left behind an invaluable record of past distribution and abundance of resident species. We analyzed verte- brate material obtained by archeological excavations of Aleut, Indian, and Eskimo habitations from sites located throughout the Bering Sea region. Bones were first identified to species and then dated or assigned dates based on proxy material. Ancient nucleic acids still present in the material was extracted and utilized as a source of genetic population markers. We Pacific Seabirds * Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 51 ABSTRACTS examined several gene regions, including mitochondrial 12S and 16S ribosomal DNA, non-coding d-loop regions, and the cytochrome B gene. We identified unique patterns of DNA with regional popula- tions and were able to associate signifi- cant spatial shifts in the distributions of populations and species with global change in climate and landscape during the middle and late Holocene. For exam- ple, Siberian populations of gulls, auklets, and shags expanded greatly with tem- perature minima, and distributions of many seabirds have contracted since the last 1 000 years. INCIDENCE AND DETECTION OF NATURALLY OCCURRING VIRUSES IN DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMO- RANTS IN THE CENTRAL FLYWAY Douglas Siegel -Causey, Ronald Bromley, School of Biological Sciences, and Ruben Donis , Dept. Veterinary Sciences, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588. Recent advances in molecular tech- niques are now being tested which allow rapid detection and characterization of naturally occurring viruses of biological and economic importance. We utilized PCR-based probes which we designed to amplify selected regions in Fusion (Fo) and Hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) genes in orthomyxo- and paramyxovi- ruses. These groups include Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), Avian Influenza (APIV), Human Croup (CAV), and Hu- man Influenza (HI). Probes applied against blood and tissue samples of field- collected Double-crested Connorants, White Pelicans, Canada Geese, and White-fronted Geese from Nebraska re- vealed virus loads ranging from 2% inci- dence in wild populations (NDV in White Pelicans) to 12% incidence (HI in Canada Geese). Current outbreak of NDV in western Canadian populations of Double- crested Cormorants and widespread prevalence of HI in waterfowl suggest that some waterbird populations may act as disease vectors. SEABIRD MONITORING AT ST. LAZARIA ISLAND: NEW BEGIN- NINGS Leslie Slater *, and Barbara A . Blackie, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Homer, AK, USA, 99603. Nine species of seabirds (Leach's and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels [ Oceanodroma leucorhoa and O. furcata, respectively], Pelagic Cormorant [ Phalacrocorax pe- lagicus], Glaucous-winged Gull [Larus glaucescens ], Common and Thick-billed Murres [Uria aalge and U. lomvia, re- spectively], Pigeon Guillemot [ Cepphus columba ], Rhinoceros Auklet [Cerorhinca monocerata ], and Tufted Puffin [Fratercula cirrhata ]) were monitored at St. Lazaria Island, Alaska, in 1994 and 1995. Population and productivity pa- rameters were examined for most species with additional data collected on chick diets of storm-petrels, auklets, and puf- fins. A part of the Alaska Maritime Na- tional Wildlife Refuge, St. Lazaria Island supports an unusual diversity of seabirds in southeast Alaska. It differs from the rest of the refuge units in having forested habitats used by nesting seabirds. We present the results of the first two years that seabirds have been intensively monitored here and offer comparisons with observations of seabirds made in the 1910's and studies conducted in the 1980's. MARBLED MURRELET DISTRIBU- TION AND ABUNDANCE IN RELA- TION TO THE MARINE ENVIRON- MENT Suzann G, Speckman, Inst, of Marine Sci- ence, Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775. Marbled Murrelets were surveyed daily for 14 weeks each in 1992 and 1993 by boat and from the shoreline in Auke Bay and Fritz Cove, near Juneau, Alaska. Abundance patterns and movements were analyzed in relation to physical variables including season, time of day, tide stage, weather, and water temperature. Season, time of day, and tide height had signifi- cant effects on Marbled Murrelet numbers at sea. Numbers were highest on morning boat transects when water levels were highest, regardless of the direction of water movement. For both 1992 and 1993, counts of murrelets on transect and the total number of murrelets were highly correlated with tide height for Season 2 (June 01 -August 15), and neither count was correlated with tide height during Season 1 (May 6-May 31). Surveys con- ducted from dawn to dusk indicate that, within the hours of daylight. Marbled Murrelet numbers peak in early morning on a high tide. Variability between counts is examined on 3 different scales: between years, between consecutive days, and between counts within a day. These re- sults show that different techniques may be more appropriate for surveys designed to monitor changes in population than for surveys designed to calculate total popu- lation. GROWTH AND FLEDGING OF RO- SEATE TERNS IN EXCEPTIONALLY "GOOD" AND "POOR" YEARS OF FOOD AVAILABILITY Jeffrey A. Spendelow, U.S. National Bio- logical Service, Patuxent Environmental Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA 20708, James M. Zingo, U.S. National Biological Service, Massachusetts Coop. Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Univ. of Massa- chusetts, Amherst, MA, USA, 01003, David A. Shealer , Dept, of Biology, Rut- gers Univ., Piscataway, NJ, USA, 08855, and Grey W. Pendleton , U.S. National Biological Service, Patuxent Environ- mental Science Center, Laurel, MD, USA 20708. The growth and fledging success of Roseate Tern chicks at Falkner Island, Stewart B. McKinney NWR, Guilford, CT, in 1994, an exceptionally "good" year in terms of food availability, and in 1995, a year in which food appeared to be abundant during the peak period of laying (late May to early June), but scarce during most of the period of chick growth (late June to mid August) will be compared. At this site, most chick mortality usually results from the death of the second- hatched "B-chick" before it reaches 5 days of age. In 1995, many B-chicks died of starvation after reaching 15 days of age; 4 starved several days after fledging at less than 80 g. These results demon- strate that in the absence of data on "chick quality", "productivity" estimates based simply on "survival to day x" may be positively biased, and they also allow us to predict that the post-fledging survival and recruitment rate into the breeding population of the 1995 cohort from this colony site will be lower than usual. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 52 ABSTRACTS AN ESTIMATE OF MARBLED MUR- RELET PRODUCTIVITY FROM OB- SERVATIONS OF JUVENILES ON THE INLAND MARINE WATERS OF WASHINGTON STATE DURING THE 1993 THROUGH 1995 POST- BREEDING SEASONS Janet Stein , Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Mill Creek, Washing- ton 98012-1296, and David Nysewander, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington 98501- 1091. The ratio of young-of-the-year (juveniles) to after-hatch-year (subadults and adults) Marbled Murrelets was monitored by boat in the inland waters of Washington during August of 1993-1995. There was no statistical difference be- tween the juvenile ratios of 9.3%, 7.8%, and 7.9% calculated for 1993, 1994, and 1995 respectively (G=0.753, P>0.5). Ju- venile ratios were higher in the San Juan Islands and along the Olympic Peninsula than in Hood Canal. Surveys were con- ducted later in the month during 1993 and juveniles were difficult to differentiate from adults that had progressed farther in their prebasic molt. The overall dark col- oration was less than 80% for 64.7% of sampled birds in 1993 versus 6.9% and 10.4% in 1994 and 1995. In addition, 77.2% of sampled birds in 1993 had al- ready molted all their primaries, versus only 4.0% and 12.8% in 1994 and 1995. The possible errors associated with using the juvenile ratio as an index for measur- ing changes in productivity are discussed. MATE CHOICE IN PENGUINS: ARE FEMALES INTERESTED IN MALES OR THEIR RESOURCES? David L Stokes *, and P. Dee Boersma, Dept, of Zoology, Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Studies of the basis of female mate-choice in diverse taxa have pro- duced largely dichotomous results, with some finding that females choose males mainly on the basis of characteristics of the males themselves, and others showing that females base their choices primarily on the quality of resources or territories held by the males. In monogamous spe- cies in which males provide extensive parental care and hold reduced territories which do not provide food for mates or offspring-many seabirds, for example- females may be expected to choose mates based on male traits. In contrast to this expectation, however, we found that Magellanic Penguin Q Spheniscus magel- lanicus ) females selected males according to the males' resources. Both correlative and experimental results showed that males holding higher quality nests were more successful in attracting females and in retaining their previous mate than were males in poorer nests. The greater attrac- tiveness of males with better nest sites was due to the sites themselves, and not the quality of the males in them. These results, and the opposite finding by others in a study of Adelie Penguins (. Pygoscelis adeliae ) suggest that the primary mate- choice criterion females use depends on the degree to which male-held resources can contribute to female fitness. DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA POPULATION OF MARBLED MUR- RELETS {Brachyramphus marmoratus ) Craig S. Strong, Crescent Coastal Re- search, 7700 Bailey Rd. Crescent City, CA 95531. Marbled Murrelets and other seabirds were surveyed using standard marine transect methods at a distance of 400 to 500 meters offshore parallel with the coast. The complete San Mateo and Santa Cruz coasts were surveyed twice, in late June and in mid July, with samples of offshore distribution at 4 locations. Direct counts of birds on the water totalled 154 and 359 for the two surveys, respectively. Relative concentrations of murrelets oc- curred in Half Moon Bay, south of Ano Nuevo Point, and in northern Monterey Bay. Murrelets were distributed very close to shore (<1000 m), and were only detected farther offshore in areas of con- centration. Population estimates for this distinct subpopulation using line transect analyses are discussed. ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER: NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR MARINE BIRD RESEARCH, REHABILITATION AND PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE NORTH KimbalA. Sundberg, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Anchorage, Alaska, USA, 99518-1599. The Alaska Sea Life Center is currently under construction with a scheduled opening date of May 1998. The Center has a three-part mission of research, reha- bilitation and public education with a fo- cus on marine mammals, marine birds, fish, and invertebrates endemic to the Northern Gulf of Alaska. The Center is affiliated with the Univ. of Alaska Fair- banks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (UAF-SFOS) and will have an appointed Science Director from that in- stitution. The facility will be owned by the City of Seward and operated by a non- profit corporation, the Seward Associa- tion for the Advancement of Marine Sci- ence. Funding for construction the $49.5 million project has come from the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement funds and pri- vate donations. The Center is located in Seward, Alaska (60"06'N, 149"27’ W) on a seven acre waterfront site adjacent to the marine station of the UAF-SFOS In- stitute of Marine Science. The site is ac- cessible by road, rail, and air from An- chorage and is near large seabird colonies in Resurrection Bay and the Chiswell Is- lands. The physical plant includes a 79.000 square feet, two-story building housing 2 wet labs, 5 dry labs, 2 special labs, shop, offices, animal quarantine rooms, surgery, necropsy, food prepara- tion and husbandry areas, library, confer- ence rooms, freezers, and public areas. The life support system will draw up to 5.000 gallons per minute of seawater from a depth of 75 meters in Resurrection Bay. The seawater has a salinity of 30-34 parts per thousand and a temperature of 3° to 10° C. A groundwater source will supply fresh water at up to 500 gallons per min- ute at a temperature of 4° to 6° C. An out- door research deck encompassing ap- proximately 13,000 square feet will in- clude round and oval tanks, pools, pens, and raceways for holding marine mam- mals, birds, fish, and invertebrates. Natu- ralistic habitats encompassing approxi- mately 24,000 square feet will provide for the long term holding and breeding of marine birds, sea lions, seals and sea ot- ters. A marine bird habitat encompassing approximately 3,700 square feet with a 6 meter deep tank will recreate, to the ex- tent possible, a seabird colony in the Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 53 ABSTRACTS — - Northern Gulf of Alaska with a capacity of over 100 alcids and kittiwakes. The public will have viewing access to the habitats both above and below water, and portions of the research areas in addition to numerous other exhibits interpreting the region’s marine life, current fish and wildlife management issues, and research activities. Proceeds from public visitation estimated at 300,000 per year will help offset the operating costs of the Center. MIGRATION OF KING AND COM- MON ElbERS PAST POINT BARROW, ALASKA— SPRING AND SUM- MER/FALL 1994 Robert Suydam '* , Lori Quakenbush 2 , and Michele Johnson 1 . 'North Slope Borough, Department of Wildlife Management, Box 69, Barrow, AK 99723, 2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northern Alaska Ecological Services, 101 12th Ave. Fair- banks, AK 99701. King and Common Eiders pass Point Barrow, Alaska during both the spring and summer/fall migrations. We con- ducted counts to document the species and sex composition and the timing of both migrations and to monitor trends in population sizes. Both migrations are characterized by the arrival of King Ei- ders followed by Common Eiders five to 1 5 days later. Eiders appear to be paired when they pass by Point Barrow in the spring. During the summer/fall migration, males appear in mid-July, followed by females in early August and young of the year after early September. Estimates of the numbers of King and Common Eiders were considerably lower in 1994 than estimates from counts conducted at Bar- row during the last 40 years; King Eiders numbered -373,000 in the spring and -278,000 in the summer and Common Eiders numbered -71,000 in the spring and -62,000 in the fall. A previous esti- mate from 1976 placed King and Com- mon Eider numbers at -800,000 and -150,000, respectively. A COMPARISON OF COMMON MURRE (URIA AALGE) POPULA- TION TRENDS BASED ON DIFFER- ENT METHODS AT SOUTHEAST FARALLON ISLAND, CALIFORNIA. William J. Sy demon* 1 , Harry R. Carter \ Jean E. Takekawc r\ and Nadav Nnr' . 'PRBO, 4990 Shoreline Hwy., Stinson Beach, CA 94970, ^National Biological Service (CPFC), 6924 Tremont Rd., Dixon, CA 95620, 3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (SFBNWR), P.O. Box 524, New- ark, CA 94560. We use ground/boat (1979-1995) and aerial survey (1985-1993) techniques to estimate the breeding population size of Common Murres on Southeast Farallon Island, the largest colony of the central CA population. In addition, "index plots" (n=9, in which the number of adults are censused during the peak of incubation) and two intensive "study plots" (in which the number of egg-laying sites are deter- mined) provide data for comparisons be- tween all-island and sub-colony popula- tion trends. Numbers of breeding murres at the Farallones remain in a depleted state owing to a variety of factors includ- ing oil pollution, gill-net mortality, and changes in prey base. Between 1987 and 1989 numbers remained relatively stable at +40-45K. In the early 1990s, however, the population experienced limited growth, interrupted by the 1992 ENSO. As of 1995, the ground/boat survey indi- cate a population of +65K. Ground/boat survey results are comparable to aerial survey results when counting birds from high vantage points, but aerial surveys are vastly superior (obtaining estimates of 50- 100% more birds) when counting from lower elevations or sea level. Index and study plots indicated very slow growth in the late 1980s and more growth in the 1 990s, but numbers in only one plot grew substantially. All-island vs sub-colony data provide complementary information. The strength of this long-term monitoring program is with spatial and temporal rep- lication which corroborates whole-colony surveys. STATUS AND CONVERSATION OF COMMON MURRES, URIA AALGE, ON TEUR1 ISLAND Takaki Terasawa *, Haboro, Hokkaido, 078-39, and Kouzi Shiomik, Hokkaido Teuri Senior high School, Haboro, Hok- kaido, 078-39. The sizes of breeding populations of five species of seabirds, Common Murres, Spectacled Guillemots (Ceppus carbo ), Black-tailed Gulls ( Lurus crassirostris). Slaty-backed Gulls ( Lurus schistisagus ) and Japanese Cormorants ( Phalacrocorax filamentosus) were studied bn Teuri Is- land, situated 28km northwest of Haboro, Hokkaido during 1963-1995. Population size of murres was estimated at 8,000 in 1963, but it dramatically decreased as well as Spectacled Guillemots and Black- tailed Gulls. Population size of murres was estimated at 1,117 in 1972 and 20 in 1995. The main population changes of these two diving seabirds such as murres and Spectacled Guillemots could be at- tributed to mortality caused by coastal bottom gill net fisheries. Contrary, popu- lation size of Slaty-backed Gulls in- creased, and the number of their nests was estimated at 908 in 1994. Increase of gar- bage dumped by human would cause their population change. Most of mortality of eggs and chicks of murres and Black- tailed Gulls would be caused by predators as Slaty-backed Gulls. Murres decoys were set at the talus where they bred be- fore because of increase of them. The result of our attempt was that murres vis- ited the site in both 1994 and 1995. SURVIVAL OF JUVENILE BLACK SKIMMERS IN CALIFORNIA Michael D. Taylor , Dept, of Biology, California State Univ., Long Beach, CA, 90840, and Kathleen T. Gazzaniga , Dept, of Biology, California State Univ., Long Beach, CA, 90840. Beginning in 1992, individualized color bands were utilized to facilitate more de- tailed observations of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger ) in southern California. Observation sites were set up along the southern California coast (Santa Barbara, Point Mugu, Seal Beach, and San Diego) and in Baja California, Mexico (San Qu intin), and weekly observations of these areas were made from September to May, 1992-1995. Survivorship was esti- mated by resighting banded birds. There was a sharp decline in the survivorship of post fledgling juvenile skimmers during the first 3 months of life. The sharpest decline was measured between the time of banding and the first two weeks of Octo- ber. Once the birds survived their first winter season, the mortality rate was lower and remained fairly constant. There Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 54 ABSTRACTS was no significant difference between the survivorship curves of the 1992 and 1993 annual cohorts, during the first 9 months (2 “0.519, p = 1-0) PROTOCOL FOR VALIDATING AC- CURACY OF METHODOLOGY FOR CENSUSING SEABIRDS Christopher W. Thompson *, Monique L. Wilson , Kirsten Brennan , and William B. Barnett , Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA 98501. Many seabirds are threatened or endan- gered by detrimental human-related envi- ronmental impacts such as loss of breed- ing habitat, gill net fisheries, and oil spills. Thus, accurate methods for moni- toring population sizes of such species are essential. Unfortunately, many existing methodologies for doing so are not based on empirical data, and/or are not designed to be analyzed statistically. In the coastal waters of western Washington, we con- ducted transects of seabirds to empirically establish a valid methodology for cen- susing seabird species, especially Marbled Murrelets and Common Murres. Specifi- cally, boat transects were done parallel to shore at different distances from shore, depths from the ocean floor and time of day. Data were collected from multiple localities (e.g., outer Strait of Juan de Fuca and western coast of Olympic Pen- insula). Also, simultaneous boat and aer- ial surveys were conducted to determine the correlation between data collected by these two methods. Our results indicate that appropriate distances/depths for sur- veying some species differ from those suggested for other geographic areas, e.g. California, indicating that methodologies developed for use in one geographic area should not be used in other areas until they are validated. Additional results and implications of our data will be discussed. SEABIRDS OF THE "P1NGUINO DE HUMBOLDT NATIONAL RESERVE", CHILE Yerko A. Vilina *, Dept, of Biology, Univ. of Chile, Santiago, Casilla 70061-7, Chile, Juan J. Cappela, and Jorge E, Gibbons, Un Oceano, Casilla 2-58, Santi- ago, Chile. Since 1989, the authors have been studying the reproduction of seabirds that nest in the three islands comprising "Pinguino de Humboldt National Re- serve". Eleven seabird species have been recorded nesting on these islands. Ten species nest in the spring-summer season, including the three cormorants present in the Humboldt Current ecosystem (Phalacrocorax olivaceus, P. gaimardi and P. bougainvillii). Chanaral Island is the southernmost nesting place for the Phaethon aethereus and was at one stage the biggest nesting colony for the Pele- canoides garnotti , an endemic and endan- gered seabird. At present Choros Island has the largest nesting colony of this spe- cies. In Damas Island nests the Sterna hirundinacea. The only seabird that nests all year round is the Spheniscus hum - boldti, with two peaks in a year. The authors discuss the breeding seasons and the breeding success of these seabirds. ASSESSMENT OF THE ORIGIN OF AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC IMPACT TO COMMON MURRES KILLED DURING THE TENYO MARU OIL SPILL Kenneth 1. Warheit*, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, WA 98501-1091, Burke Museum, Univ. of Washington, and Jack Broughton, Burke Museum, Univ. of Washington. On July 22, 1991 the Tenyo Maru sank 25 miles northwest of Washington State. Following the spill 3,157 oiled Common Murres (2,158 adults) were recovered. To assess the injury resulting from this spill we determined which breeding popula- tions of murres were affected by the spill, and how the demographic features of these populations were altered. We did this by determining the age and sex, and measuring 20 skeletal dimensions for 337 murre carcasses recovered from the spill. We compared statistically these meas- urements with the same set of measure- ments from murres of known breeding locality, and concluded that between 55% and 58% of the 2,158 adult murres were from Washington State. Based on an anatomical analysis we discovered that 84% of the adult birds bred or were still breeding that year, and that 77% of the adult birds were males. If the males as- sumed to be caring for young at sea are removed from the analysis, the sex ratio for the remaining adults becomes 1:1. Finally, we estimated that between 4,493 and 11,436 adult murres from Washing- ton were killed as a result of this spill. MIGRATORY STRATEGIES OF RA- DIOMARKED WESTERN SANDPI- PERS ALONG THE PACIFIC FLY- WAY: 1995 Nils Warnock *, ERS/186, Univ. of Ne- vada, 1000 Valley Rd., Reno, NV 89512, Simon Fraser Univ., Bumaby, B.C. V5A 1 S6 and Mary Anne Bishop, Copper River Delta Institute, U.S. Forest Service, Cor- dova, AK. In April, 1995 we radiomarked 30 Western Sandpipers at San Francisco Bay, CA (SF), 19 at Honey Lake, CA and 20 at Grays Harbor, WA. We monitored the northward migration of 61 of these birds at 14 sites from SF to the Yukon- Kuskokwim Delta, AK (YK). Fifty-two birds (84%) were detected north of their banding locations, up to 4200 km away. The Copper River Delta, AK (CR) was the single most important stopover site with 61% of the radiomarked westerns detected there. Male western sandpipers were significantly more likely to be de- tected before the CR and females on or after the CR. Length of stay of westerns at stopover sites other than their banding locations was correlated to distance from the Copper River Delta. No significant difference in length of stay between sexes was detected. Mean migration time, measured in terms of day last seen at the banding site to day first detected at the CR varied significantly between banding sites. Significant differences between males and females in mean migration time were detected. CONTINUED GROWTH OF DOU- BLE-CRESTED CORMORANT POPU- LATIONS ON THE GREAT LAKES, 1992-1995 D. V. Chip Weseloh, Peter J. Ewins, and Karen E, Pettit, Canadian Wildlife Serv- ice, Environment Canada, Box5050, Bur- lington, Ontario L7R 4A6. In 1991 there were approximately 38,000 nests (pairs) of Double-crested Cormorants on the 5 Great Lakes - a 300-fold increase from the population levels in 1972. During 1992-1995, popu- Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 55 ABSTRACTS _ lation levels have continued to grow but with some fluctuations. We estimate the Lakes-wide population for 1 994 was over 50,000 nests (pairs). In 1995 we surveyed only Lake Ontario, which contains 13 cormorant colonies including the single largest colony on the Great Lakes at Little Galloo Island. In 1993 and 1994, popula- tion levels at Litttle Galloo decreased by 12.7% and 21.0%, respectively; the Lake Ontario population also decreased in 1 994 by 6.3%. This was the first such decrease in more than 20 years. In 1994, produc- tivity for the then 3700 nest colony was <0.1 young per nest. We hoped this de- cline represented a levelling off of the population, i.e. density dependent factors acting on the largest colony. In 1995, the population on Little Galloo increased by a dramatic 102% to over 7500 pairs and colony wide productivity was > 2.0 yg/pair. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS AND FOOD HABITS OF COMMON MURRES AND RHINOCEROS AUK- LETS ENTANGLED IN GILL NET FISHERIES IN PUGET SOUND, WASHINGTON 1993-1994 Monique L. Wilson *, Washington Dept, of Fish & Wildlife, 7801 Phillips Road S.W., Tacoma, WA. 98498, Darlene DeGhetto D. V.M., NE 95th Street, Seattle, WA. 98115, and D. John Pierce , Washington Dept, of Fish & Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA. 98501-1091. To reduce the impact of gill nets on sea- birds, it is necessary to understand how the life history of each species as well as environmental factors influence the prob- ability of entanglement. During the 1993 and 1994 sockeye (late July-early Sep- tember) and chum (October-early No- vember) salmon gill net fisheries in Puget Sound, Washington, 254 Common Mur- res and 70 Rhinoceros Auklets were col- lected from gill nets by fishery observers. The age, sex, molt status, and stomach content data were recorded. Sex ratios were 1 : 1 in adult, juvenile, and young of the year murres and auklets throughout both fisheries. Most (63%) of the murres entangled were adults, whereas the ma- jority (63%) of entangled auklets were young of the year. Nearly half (45%) of Murres collected during July-September were "flightless", whereas 6% collected during October-November were "flightless". Eight fish species in murres and seven species in auklets (1 1 overall) were identified from stomach contents. Pacific Sandlance and Pacific Herring were the most frequently occurring prey species identified. The management im- plications of these results for future gill net fisheries will be discussed. DIEL PERIODICITY AND DIETARY BREADTH OF THE BLACK SKIM- MER: IMPLICATIONS FOR COEXIS- TENCE IN A MIXED SPECIES COL- ONY OF BREEDING SEABIRDS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Jacqueline F. Wilson*, and Michael H. Horn, Dept, of Biological Science, Cali- fornia State Univ., Fullerton, CA 92634. Diel activity patterns and food habits of a population of Black Skimmers were studied where they nested with Caspian, Elegant and Forster's Terns on a small island and adjacent marsh at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Orange County, California. Night vision goggles aided the investigation of 24-hour activity cycles and direct observations and analy- sis of dropped fish samples provided the data on dietary breadth. Skimmers were significantly more active at night than during the day, and distinct peaks of ac- tivity occurred at dusk and dawn corre- sponding to departures from and returns to the nesting island. Skimmers fed mainly on Northern Anchovy, Topsmelt and Pacific Sardine, and their dietary overlap with the three co-occurring terns appeared to be lessened by a combination of differences in prey size and composi- tion and foraging location. Their sur- face-limited, largely tactile feeding method may result in greater foraging success per unit effort at night, given that prey fish are more abundant in the upper few centimeters at night, as shown by our day and night surface samples, and better able to avoid capture during the day. COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS FOR ESTIMATING INCUBATION STAGE OF SEABIRD EGGS James M. Zingo, Massachusetts Coopera- tive Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA, 01003, David A. Shealer , Dept, of Biol- ogy, Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ, USA, 08855, and Christopher M. Michaud, Dept, of Forestry & Wildlife Manage- ment, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA, 01003. We compare two methods (average daily mass loss, flotation) for estimating incubation stage of seabird eggs using the Roseate Tern as a model. We measured lengths and breadths of 1 83 eggs from 90 nests and weighed them either daily or several times each throughout incubation. Thirty-two (16 two-egg clutches) of these eggs were immersed in water daily and their flotation characteristics were re- corded. Using the equation K W =FRESHMASS/(L*B 2 ), we calculated the mass constant to be K W =0.5I66±.0012 (mean±2SE). Estimated fresh masses of the same eggs using linear measurements and K w were similar to measured fresh masses (mean error=+0.03%, range - 5.3%, +4.1%), suggesting that fresh mass can be estimated in most cases to within < +5%. Egg mass declined by about 0.6- 0.7% per day of incubation for a total loss of about 14-16% of the initial mass. Eggs immersed in water first floated to the sur- face when 7-13. PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF HAR- LEQUIN DUCK BREEDING POPULA- TION SURVEYS ON THE KODIAK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ALASKA Dennis C. Zwiefelhofer , Kodiak NWR, 1390 Buskin River Rd., Kodiak, AK. 99615. Abundance and distribution of harlequin ducks in coastal and freshwater habitats of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge were determined in 1994 and 1995. Coastal surveys were conducted within the Exxon Valdez oil spill impact zone, while inte- rior surveys focused on watersheds known to receive the most public use. Surveys covering over 900 kilometers of shoreline in western Kodiak Island archi- pelago adjacent to Shelikof Straits were conducted twice (May & August) during the breeding seasons of 1994 and 1995. All observations within the 200 meter survey zone were logged directly into an onboard computer interfaced with a Global Positioning System unit. Number Pacific Seabirds * Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 56 ABSTRACTS of Harlequin Ducks decreased 16% be- tween the May (n=4369) and August (n=3684) surveys of 1994, but a 10% increase in total numbers was seen during the same period of 1995 (May; n— 33 17: August; n=3693). Ninety-six sightings of harlequin ducks were recorded for 5 inte- rior watersheds. A minimum of 65 coastal and 1 1 interior broods containing 248 and 34 young respectively, were found during the 2 years of survey. Coastal densities of harlequins declined from 5.1 (May) to 3.7 (August) ducks/km of shoreline in 1994 and remained constant at 4 ducks/km of shoreline during both 1995 surveys. POPULATION TRENDS OF SEADUCKS WINTERING IN KODIAK ALASKA - A SIXTEEN YEAR STUDY Denny Zwiefelhofer , USFWS, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 825, Kodiak, AK 99615, and Douglas J. For - sell*, USFWS, Chesapeake Bay Field Office, 177 Admiral Cochrane Dr., Anna- polis, MD 21401. We have conducted shipboard surveys of marine birds in Uyak and Uganik Bays on the western shore of Kodiak Island each February since 1980. Birds were censused within 300 m strip transects of 10 minutes duration run from shore to shore. The same cruise tracts were fol- lowed each year resulting in about 135 transects covering about 110 km2 or 19 percent of the surface area of the bays. Population increases were seen in Bar- row’s goldeneye, harlequin ducks, com- mon mergansers, and red-breasted mer- gansers. Relatively stable populations were found for surf scoters, black scoters, and oldsquaw. White-winged scoters have shown a slight declined over the past 15 years. Declines in Barrow’s goldeneye, oldsquaw and all scoters were seen fol- lowing the Exxon Valdez oil spill, but not in harlequin ducks, mergansers, or buffle- head. Little oil actually entered these bays and many birds had departed for breeding areas by the time the oil arrived. Popula- tion variation is compared with the USFWS waterfowl breeding population survey and band recoveries Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 57 BULLETIN BOARD Announcing The Seabird Network Bycatch Working Group Cooperative Solutions to Seabird Bycatch Problems A joint project of the Institute for Fisheries Resources and the National Fisheries Conservation Center The Seabird Network Bycatch Working Group is a major cooperative effort among fisheries, conservation and scien- tific organizations to not only seriously address the issue of seabird bycatch on the basis of the best available science, but to arrive at real-life solutions. It also makes use of modem communications technology to greatly leverage our out- reach, impact and effectiveness, while minimizing costs. Using "Internet” tech- nology, the proposed Seabird Network electronically convenes scientists, conser- vationists, and fishing leaders throughout the west coast (and worldwide) to do the following: 1) Assess the problem, gather all the scientific data on seabird bycatch (now widely scattered) into one readily avail- able form easily accessible by computer modem, and to review and critique the current status of all relevant research: 2) Recommend priorities for future study and funding at state and federal levels, based upon an assessment of where entanglements are most likely to cause significant population-level impacts; 3) With the help of those actually in the fishery, to identify and promote new fishery strategies to reduce the impact of fishing methods where appropriate, in- cluding the development and evaluation of new gear types and techniques de- signed to minimize or altogether avoid unwanted bird bycatch; and 4) Advocate sound conservation and management policies regarding bird en- tanglement, including working to identify and help secure funding for key additional research to make better conservation pos- sible. Thanks to modem electronic net- working, this work can be truly interna- tional by involving literally hundreds of participants from all over the world, be ongoing (rather than just a single event such as a conference), be fully accessible to the general public from any desktop com- puter, be electronically recorded, and be conducted at only a fraction of the costs any such effort would have entailed in the past. The Seabird Network has established a publicly accessible World Wide Web (WWW) site at: http://www.pond.net/-fishlifr/ifrpg 1 .htm 1 and an E-mail "Listserver" to promote round table discussions and scientific working groups among scientists, agen- cies and citizens involved in bird conser- vation and fisheries issues. Notice of our electronic discussions and report will be posted to all relevant Internet mailing lists and in fisheries and conservation publica- tions throughout North America and Europe. The Network will deal with a variety of species, but the initial focus will be on the marbled murrelet in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Fisheries interactions with this species have gener- ated concerns that are urgent in both bio- logical and socio-political terms. Among bird species known to be incidentally caught in fisheries, only the marbled mur- relet is listed under the US Endangered Species Act as well as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The fragile and protected status of this species has raised the possi- bility of population-level impacts from fisheries. Likewise, the future of some commercial salmon fisheries depends upon sound conservation of these birds. In addition, the Network expects to re- search and publish a report on seabird interactions with fisheries by January, 1997. This report will summarize the findings and recommendations of the Network, provide a basis for public policy makers to evaluate proposed actions for seabird conservation in fisheries, and lay out a proactive strategy for continuing research and action. The Seabird Network Bycatch Work- ing Group is a collaborative effort of the Institute for Fisheries Resources (affiliated with the Pacific Coast Federa- tion of Fishermen's Associations) and the National Fisheries Conservation Center, organizations known for fostering coop- eration among fishing and conservation leaders to solve problems. Participants and advisors will include representatives of the National Audubon Society, the Center for Marine Conservation, National Fisherman Magazine, the American Fish- eries Society, fishermen's groups, many state and federal agencies and a number of reputable institutions dealing with fisher- ies research and management in both the US and Canada. TO JOIN THE NETWORK: You only need E-mail capability and access to the World Wide Web. Please indicate your interest and e-mail your name, surface mailing address and phone/fax, what agency or organization (if any) you are with, and a brief description of your inter- est and expertise on this issue to the In- stitute for Fisheries Resources at: birdbycatch-request@pond.net. This will be the staff E-mail address for this Proj- ect. Project coordinators will be Glen Spain, Program Director for the Institute for Fisheries Resources, and Brad Warren, Executive Director of the National Fish- eries Conservation Center. For more in- formation you may also contact Glen Spain, Institute for Fisheries Resources, at PO Box 11170, Eugene, OR 97440-3370, USA. Telephone: (541) 689-2000 or Fac- simile: (541)689-2500. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 58 BULLETIN BOARD Third International Penguin Conference, Cape Town The African Seabird Group is organizing the Third International Penguin Conference at the Breakwater Lodge, The Victoria & Albert Waterfront, Cape Town, Soiith Africa, 2-6 September 1996. The sponsors have issued a call for papers under the broad theme "Penguins: science and management." The conference fee is USD 250 ($150 for bona fide students), with a penalty of $50 for registrations received after 30 June 1996. The proceedings will be published in the African Seabird Group’s international journal. Marine Ornithology. For further information contact John Cooper by e-mail: jcooper@botzoo.uct.ac.za, facsimile: +27-21-650-3295 or at the following address: Third International Penguin Conference, c/o African Seabird Group, P.O. Box 341 13, Rhodes Gift 7707, South Africa Special Offer Of Back Numbers Of Marine Ornithology For the greatly reduced sum of USD 80 or UKPound 50 a set of all available back numbers of Marine Ornithology from 1976 to 1995 (Vols 1-23) plus the Cumu- lative Index to Vols 1-15 (1976-1987), will be sent to you by surface mail. Cur- rently, only six, mainly early, numbers are out of print, so a near-ftill set can still be obtained. A gratis copy of the 1976 Proceedings on Birds of the Sea and Shore (474 pp, published by the African Seabird Group in 1981) is included with the offer. The proceedings may also be purchased sepa- rately for USD 20 or UKPound 10. 1996 personal subscriptions to Marine Ornithology are USD 30 or UKPound 20, and may be added to the above amount to brining you up to date. Shorter runs to complete holdings of Marine Ornithology may also be pur- chased at reduced rates: enquire about costs, giving your requirements. Marine Ornithology is an interna- tional, fully refereed journal dealing solely with seabirds. The 1976 Proceed- ings contains papers on both seabirds and charadriid waders. Please send enquiries to jcoo- per@botzoo.uct.ac.za or post cheques directly to: "African Seabird Group, PO Box 34113, Rhodes Gift 7707, South Af- rica." John Cooper , Seabird-1 Co- Percy Fitz- patrick Institute of African University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa, e-mail: jcooper@botzoo.uct.ac.za. Facsimile: +27-21-650-3295, Telephone: +27-21-650-3294 Joint ICES/JNCC/Seabird Group Symposium On Seabirds In The Marine Environment There has been much intensive research on the breeding biology of seabirds but despite their role as Important predators at the top of the marine food chain, our knowledge of seabirds and their marine ecology remains patchy. The relationship between seabirds and the marine envi- ronment has proved particularly difficult to study. The reasons for this are diverse but are mainly practical and logistical ones. Unlike terrestrial birds, most sea- birds inhabit a comparatively inaccessible environment for the major part of the year, and therefore their lives. However, the mosaic of habitats that comprise the open sea and their influence on seabird dispersion and behavior are increasingly a focus of attention in seabird research. This research focuses on seabirds as ma- rine organisms that are behaviorally and ecologically adapted to life at sea and on seabird communities as important compo- nents of the marine ecosystem. Knowl- edge of the life of seabirds at, sea is seen as crucial to a complete understanding of this ecosystem. A major, international symposium that aims to report on current progress in ecological research on sea- birds at sea will occur in November 1996. Scope There will be several important themes of the Symposium, but the overall focus will embrace all aspects of seabird biology at sea. The nature of seabird dispersion will be a major topic of interest. Long running research programs* especially in north- western Europe, have elucidated patterns of distribution and abundance of birds at sea. Appropriate ways of describing these patterns, especially with regard to scale, will be featured. Patterns of seabird bio- diversity, as revealed using numerical methods, also will be highlighted. Identification of the physical and bio- logical processes that govern patterns of dispersion follows logically from a de- scription of these patterns. The spatial associations between seabirds and their prey and also hydrographical features such as fronts have been examined using multivariate models. Such techniques also should aid in illuminating community attributes of seabird aggregations at sea. This will be an important theme of the Symposium. In addition to aspects of dispersion, the main subject area of seabirds at sea research has been foraging and feeding ecology. Overcoming the obvious techni- cal difficulties has not proved easy but recent work, including radio-tracking studies, has advanced greatly our knowl- edge of where, when and how seabirds gather food. The Symposium will con- sider this area in some depth and will em- phasize the importance of feeding ecology as an Influence on seabird survival and population growth. Energetic factors clearly influence all aspects of seabird life In the open sea. Energetic studies of seabirds at sea either direct or modeling approaches also will be a significant theme. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 59 BULLETIN BOARD The impact of fishing and fisheries on seabird populations has dominated much research and thought in recent years - for example, work on the effects of fishery discards. Implications for the ecology of seabirds at sea will be explored further at this meeting. Breeding biology research will not be excluded from the Symposium program but it will have as its main focus the ac- tivities of birds away from the breeding site or colony. The Symposium has four main objectives: 1 ) to critically review recent themes in the ecology of seabirds at sea and suggest future directions; 2) to report on current scientific research in marine ornithology; 3) to provide a forum for scientists to meet and discuss issues in seabird re- search; 4) to serve as a platform, for sea- bird ecologists to communicate the results of their work. Format Contributions to the Symposium will be of three kinds. Invited oral presenta- tions on selected topics will be given by acknowledged leaders in their respective fields. These papers will aim to re- view and assess current progress in these topics. Submitted oral presentations on any aspect of the ecology of seabirds at sea will follow the Invited contributions in thematic sessions. Oral presentations will take place in non-overlapping ses- sions. Posters, again on any relevant topic, will be displayed during the Sym- posium. The organizers are particularly keen to attract marine scientists from dis- ciplines outside ornithology. The Symposium will be in English. Organization The Symposium is jointly organized by the International Council for the Ex- ploration of the Seas (ICES - the pre-eminent international body concerned with fisheries and marine science), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC - the government agency that ad- vises the United Kingdom government on nature conservation issues in the UK and in the wider international context) and the Seabird Group. The scientific program of the Sympo- sium will be organized by a committee comprising Kees Camphuysen, Bob Furness, George Hunt, Jim Reid and Mark Tasker. Date and Venue The Symposium will take, place In the Department of Zoology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK from 22-24 No- vember 1996. A choice of bed and break- fast and hotel accommodation will be available close to the University. Details of these will be sent to those registering for the Symposium. Participation Participation in the Symposium is open to all with an interest in seabird ecology. Those wishing to contribute to or attend the Symposium should contact Dr. Jim Reid, ‘Seabirds in the Marine Environment’, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 7 Thistle Place, Aberdeen, UK. Telephone: +44-1224-646181, Fac- simile: +44-1224-621488, e-mail: jim.reid@aberdeen.ac.uk Contributors of oral presentations and posters will receive guidance on the sub- mission procedure and should submit an abstract of not more than 250 words in the agreed format by 1 May 1 996. The Symposium fee is 80, inclusive of lunches and Symposium dinner and exclusive of accommodation. Publication The Symposium Proceedings will be published as a special volume in the ICES Symposium Series. Invited and submitted presentations will be selected for publica- tion following a peer review process. Poster abstracts also will be published. Italy Becomes A High Seas DriftNet Nation In the April 29, 1 996 Federal Register, the U.S Department of Commerce identified Italy as "a country for which there is reason to believe its nationals conduct large-scale driftnet fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation.” If Italy does not terminate these activities immediately, the importation into the USA of fish, fish products, and sport fishing equipment from Italy will be prohibited under the High Seas Driftnet Fisheries Enforcement Act. Italian driftnet vessels will be denied entry into U.S. ports and navigable waters. The U.S. statute and the policy behind it are a mechanism to enforce the world-wide ban on large-scale high seas driftnet fishing, which was banned by the United Nations General Assembly several years ago Pacific Seabirds Submission Deadline The deadline for submitting materials to be included in the next issue of Pacific Seabirds is September 15, 1996. All material, except those relating to conservation issues, should be sent to The Editor. Conservation related material should be sent to the Vice-Chair for Conservation. General news items of interest to the membership for placement in the Bulletin Board and PSG News are always welcome. Please contact Pacific Seabirds for formatting instructions prior to submitting items. Pacific Seabirds is particularly interested in receiving short technical notes and longer review articles relating to seabirds and their environment. Submitted articles will be sent out for peer review before their potential acceptance for publication in Pacific Seabirds, or as PSG Technical Publications. Contact The Editor, or the Publication Committee, respectively, for details. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 60 included with each submitted work. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 61 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY Minutes Of The November 1995 Pacific Seabird Group Executive Ccouncil Meeting The Executive Council met on 8 and 12 November in Victoria, British Columbia. Twelve Council members attended (Bairn, Everett, Flint, H odder, Lovvom, Gaston, Irons, Lowe, Mendenhall, Rau- zon, Speich, and Takekawa). Note: This meeting was the second in 1995. In effect it takes the place of a 1 996 meeting, which will not be held. The minutes of the January 1995 meeting were approved, with a correction (a resolution on the Queen Charlotte Is- lands had been passed). Meetings The Victoria meeting was held jointly with the Colonial Waterbird Society. The Council agreed that the meeting’s sched- ule was good-several plenary sessions (hour-long talks by invited speakers), and plenty of time at coffee breaks and lunch to talk with colleagues. There were con- current sessions, as at the last meeting. The next meeting of PSG (the 24th) will be in Portland, Oregon, in early 1997. Guaymas, Mexico, had previously been considered for the 1997 meeting, but the Council decided that two foreign meet- ings in a row might make attendance dif- ficult for government people. The 1998 meeting will be at Asilomar. Since 1998 will be PSG’s 25th year, we may hold special events, including a symposium. Planning for meetings will be done 2 to 3 years ahead, if possible. In the future (as in the past), meetings may be held either in urban settings, which are the most accessible, or in more rural areas, which are aesthetically appealing. The Council emphasized that the Chair-Elect, who plans the scientific program, is authorized by the By-laws to accept or reject any abstract. Guidelines were adopted to encourage student participation. Reduced registra- tion fees and other perquisites will be offered, if allowed by the budget. Financial matters Jan Hodder reported that PSG's in- come is approximately equal to our oper- ating expenses. Our bank accounts con- tain about 2 years' expenses, which matches the Council's guidelines. Our biggest fiscal obligation usually is the annual meeting. Other major expenses are Pacific Seabirds , the activities of offi- cers and committees, and dues to organi- zations of which PSG is a member. The Council changed PSG’s fiscal year from January 1 -December 31 to Oc- tober 1 -September 30. The change will allow accounts for each annual meeting to be balanced within a single fiscal year. The Endowment Fund receives all Life Membership dues, and it is supposed to grow through investment. The fund cannot be touched until it reaches $100,000; at present it is about half that size. How to make the fund grow faster is a perennial concern of the Council. We decided that all proceeds from the sale of publications (after expenses have been met) will be added to the fund. The Council favored diversifying the fund's portfolio, which currently is limited to Government bonds, by investing part of it in securities that are not insured by the government. This will require an amendment of the PSG By-laws. The Endowment Fund is managed by three Trustees who are Life Members. The Council decided that the Treasurer will be an ex-officio member of the Trustees, and that the Chair will appoint a new voting Trustee. Contracts to and from PSG PSG has started to acquire substantial contracts, such as those from the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council and the National Biological Service. Such contracts can advance the purposes of PSG, but they entail additional responsibilities. Costs of accounting, taxes, and administration could be offset by charging overhead. Contracts entail potential problems, as well. The Council must (under nonprofit corporation laws) approve all contracts and proposals. If contracts are approved properly, individual members will not be liable in case of disputes over contracts. Building on the PSG 2000 results, an ad hoc committee will evaluate the role of contracts in expanding our research and conservation efforts. The issue of PSG's small grants was tabled for one year, pending efforts to raise more funds. Committee reports The Seabird Monitoring Committee requested Council approval of a contract with the National Biological Service, whereby PSG would obtain data for the Seabird Monitoring Database from the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and Simon Fraser University. The Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee has discussed its functions and will concentrate on reviewing techni- cal protocols; the Executive Council will give final approvals. Protocols are in preparation for Inland and At-Sea sur- veys. A newsletter is being published in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. The Japanese Committee assisted two American biologists during 1995 with a small grant. Surveys were done, and a report on rare alcids was submitted to the Japan Alcid Society. Two PSG members will participate in an international expe- dition to the Bonin Islands. The Com- mittee is looking for a Japanese member to be its coordinator. The Xantus' Murrelet Technical Committee is working on a proposal that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service list the species as threatened or endangered. The committee is waiting for data from an- other agency. The Restoration Committee is work- ing on a preliminary report on the results of the Exxon Valdez Restoration Work- Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 62 REPORT of the treasurer shop that was held in Anchorage in Octo- ber 1995. The preliminary report will assist the Exxon Valdez Trustee Council, who supported the workshop, in screening applications for 1996 funding. A full report will follow in 1996, and the com- mittee also is working on restoration plans for the Tenyo Maru and Apex Houston spills. The Executive Council discussed questions that have arisen during PSG review of government and industry documents, including oil spill restoration plans. The Council stated that PSG offers our expertise impartially to either gov- ernment or industry. PSG reviews documents by soliciting expert reviews from members and others. The commit- tee in charge of the issue then combines the responses into a letter. PSG some- times takes positions on controversial documents; major statements of policy or opinion always should be reviewed by the Executive Council before being released. Individual reviewers’ opinions also can be sent separately to the originator of the document. The Elections Committee reported few problems, except that 25% of all voters voted for regional representatives throughout the world, instead of for their own regions only. Names of write-ins may be suggested for nomination in the future. Other issues Kent Wohl reported that the jurisdic- tion of the U.S. government over seabirds may soon be extended to 200 miles. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act has applied only out to 3 miles from shore since it was passed in 1918. Marine mammals and fisheries, which are covered by more recent legislation, already are protected out to 200 miles. The Departments of Justice and Interior have now agreed to extend jurisdiction. The intention would be to strengthen the Fish and Wildlife Service's voice in management of sea- birds, not on prosecution of unintentional killing. Development could threaten seabird colonies on some tropical islands. PSG will seek information on projects planned for Clipperton Island from French seabird conservationists and development authorities. The Fish and Wildlife Service is keeping an eye on Red-footed Booby nesting forests on Palmyra Island, where development is planned for support the of fishing industry. PSG is a member of the Ornithologi- cal Council, the lobbying arm of the or- nithological community for scientific and conservation issues, such as collecting permits and the Endangered Species Act. PSG’s Executive Council approved an increase in our yearly dues to the OC ($500). Awards PSG gives Special Achievement Awards, Lifetime Achievement Awards, and Student Paper Awards. A Vermeer Award for conservation work also was given at the Victoria meeting by the Local Committee. The Council established an Awards Committee to coordinate nomi- nations for PSG's annual awards. Recipi- ents will be confirmed by the Executive Council, and awards will be given at the next meeting (one year later). The Coun- cil requested the Victoria local committee to submit a proposal if they wish PSG to participate permanently in the Vermeer Award. Publications Pacific Seabirds will be edited by Steve Speich, following Martha Springer s resignation. He needs more articles, par- ticularly technical articles for peer review and summaries of interesting issues. Technical Publications are expected to include the Marbled Murrelet protocols. We have purchased excess stocks of our past symposia that will be offered for sale. Executive Council matters A summary of the last ten years' Council meetings (policies discussed and motions passed) has been compiled by the Secretary. A copy is available from her. The Secretary’s fries are lacking minutes for several years. If past secretaries have old minutes, PLEASE send them to Vivian! Now that Council members have E- mail, we often discuss issues between annual meetings "on line". (If a member isn’t on line, materials are sent by ordi- nary mail.) It was noted that E-mail is not confidential, so sensitive matters should be discussed by telephone or mail. A more difficult problem is that Council decisions cannot be made by E-mail un- der California corporate law. The Coun- cil can only vote by mail (with 30 days' notice, and unanimously) or at a special meeting. In an attempt to solve this problem, the Council voted to allow the six officers to decide unanimously on contracts or grant applications by tele- phone or E-mail. [Note by the Secretary: As of late May 1996, no Council votes have been taken by this method.] Vivian Mendenhal, Secretary Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 63 REPORT OF THE TREASURER - 1995 At the Victoria Executive Council meet- ing it was decided to change the reporting timetable for PSG’s finances to better reflect the annual cycle of the organiza- tion’s cash flow and hopefully to give the membership, (and the treasurer), a clearer understanding of PSG’s financial status. The largest percentage of PSG’s income t and expenses are associated with either membership dues, which are mostly col- lected at the beginning of the year, or are a result of our annual meeting, which is normally held between November and February. Thus it was decided that the financial year for PSG will run from Oc- tober 1st to September 30th, encompass- ing the active financial period of the or- ganization, and giving us all a better pic- ture of the organization’s finances. To facilitate this change this report encom- passes the period from 1 January 1995 to 30 September 1995 which I will refer to as the reporting period. Table 1. Pacific Seabird Group Balance Sheet, September 30, 1995 Account Balance September 30, 1995 December 31, 1994 1 995 Local Committee (San Diego) Baja Initiative Bulletin Account *Dean Witter - Endowment Account Dean Witter - Savings Account EVOS Workshop Treasurer’s Checking (Charleston) Treasurer’s Checking (Tenino) 2 United Kingdom Savings $2,985.77 $53,599.13 $16,884.03 $28,619.48 $2,454.56 $722.17 $12,220.31 $11,815.00 $188.03 $48,735.55 $8,355.74 $4,179.92 $1,253.38 $604.14 Total Assets $105,265.14 $87,352.07 Liabilities and Equity liabilities Equity $32,319.48 $72,945.66 $2,500.00 $84,852.07 Total Liabilities and Equity $105,265.14 $87,352.07 Footnotes 1 Total reflects actual dollar amount deposited or interest earned. Deposits are made by purchasing shares, the dollar amount of which fluctuates with the market. On September 30, 1995 we had 5,718.65 shares at $9.03 per share. If assets and equity are calculated using this price per share instead of the dollars deposited the balance sheet totals for the 1995 reporting period would be $ 103,305.42 and $70,985.94 respectively compared with the 1994 totals of $82,096.1 1 and $79,596.1 1 respectively. 2 The United Kingdom account is managed by Mark Tasker and is used for deposits of membership dues paid in pounds. A conver- sion rate of one pound sterling to 1.6 1 US dollars was used. 3 $28,619.48 for the EVOS workshop and $3,700 to publish the 1993 marbled murrelet symposium. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 64 REPORT OF THE TREASURER Income and Expenses The gross income for the reporting period was $1 11,906.20, of which $72,011.33 (64%) was associated with the EVOS sponsored workshop and $16,087.63 (14%) with the Baja Initiative held at the San Diego annual meeting. Income from this annual meeting received in 1995 to- taled $12,114.39 (11%). Complete ac- counting for this meeting was presented in Pacific Seabirds Vol. 22 No. 2. Member- ship dues paid in 1995 amounted to $5816.03 (5%) and interest and dividend income provided $2867.83 (3%). Income from fund raising and publication sales amounted to $2409 (2%). Expenses for the reporting period totaled $89,985.78. Expenses reflect the sources of income, the largest expenses were for the EVOS workshop, $43,341.82 (48%); the Baja Initiative, $21,292.95 (24%); and the San Diego annual meeting, $17,484.52 (19%). The production of the 1995 spring issue of Pacific Seabirds cost $2,438.22 (3%), committee expenses amounted to $1,765.51 (2%), and expenses for publi- cations for resale were $67 1 .49. Membership Membership dues and library subscrip- tions are essentially our working capital and with the moving of the annual re- porting period we will have a better pic- ture of the amount of income we derive yearly from this source. As of September 30, 1995 PSG membership totaled 475, of which 54 are life members, 32 are family members, and 37 are student members. Forty-three members joined at the San Diego meeting, of these memberships 20 were sponsored by the Baja Initiative. Table 2. Pacific Seabird Group, Cash Flow Report, 1 January - 30 September, 1995 Income Annual Meeting - San Diego (1995 Totals) Baja Initiative EVOS Workshop ! Fund Raising Interest Earned (Checking accounts) Income Dividend (Dean Witter - Endowment) Income Dividend (Dean Witter - Savings) Life Membership Dues Membership Dues Page Charges (for marbled murrelet symposium) Publication Sales $12,114.39 $16,087.63 $72,011.33 $1,883.00 $35.96 $2,303.58 $528.29 $1,830.00 $3,986.03 $900.00 $526.00 Total Income $111,906.20 Expenses Annual Meeting - San Diego Annual Meeting - Victoria Baja Initiative Bank Charges 2 Dues EVOS Workshop Officer and Committee Expenses Pacific Seabirds Publications Taxes $17,484.52 $2,501.57 $21,292.95 $34.70 $450.00 $43,341.82 $1,765.51 $2,438.22 $671.49 $5.00 Total Expenses $89,985.78 Total Income over Expenses $21,920.42 Footnotes 1 Includes $500 from sales of the marbled merlot wine, and $1,383 from the auction at the San Diego annual meeting. 3 Ornithological Council $250; Bird Conservation Alliance $200 Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 65 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY _ Of the 55 members that joined at the Sac- ramento meeting 3 1 (56%) renewed their membership in 1995. Twenty-seven li- braries have paying subscriptions to Pa- cific Seabirds Bylaw Change The bylaw that will permit income from dues or contributions to be placed in a federally insured financial institution, or invested in financially secure stocks, bonds, or mutual funds passed with 141 yes votes and 12 no votes. Victoria Annual Meeting The finances for the 23rd annual meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group held in Vic- toria, B.C. were handled by the local committee, headed by Rob Butler. Our thanks are due to him for the complete and timely report of the meetings fi- nances. PSG received a profit from the meeting of $641.84. The cash flow from this meeting is presented in Table 3. Jan Plodder, TreasurerTreasurer Table 3. Pacific Seabird Group Twenty-third Annual Meeting, Victoria, B.C., November, 1995, Cash Flow Income ES $ Registration $25,425.35 Banquet and Field Trips $8,024.80 Grant from Canadian Wildlife Service $2,149.50 Total Income $35,599.65 Expenses General Meeting Expenses $21 ,61 1 .91 Banquet and Field Trips $9,612.45 Plenary Speaker’ s Expenses $ 1 ,94 1 .83 Colonial Waterbirds Exec. Council Meeting $208.41 PSG Exec. Council General Meeting $208.37 Marbled Murrelet Meeting $733.00 Total Expenses $34,315.97 1 Total Income over Expenses $1,283.68 Footnotes 1 The income generated by this meeting was divided equally between the Colonial Waterbird Society and PSG. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 66 Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 67 PUBLICATIONS A SYMPOSIUM OF THE PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP BIOLOGY OF MARBLED MURRELETS: INLAND AND AT SEA S.K. NELSON AND S.G. SEALY (editors) in NORTHWESTERN NATURALIST, Volume 76, Number 1 , 1995 CONTENTS Introduction by S. K. Nelson and S. G. Sealy Inland Marbled murrelet activity relative to forest characteristics in the Naked Island Area, Prince William Sound, Alaska by K. J. Kuletz, D. K. Marks, N. L. Naslund and M. B. Cody Tree and habitat characteristics and reproductive success at marbled murrelet tree nests in Alaska by N. L. Naslund, K. J. Kuletz, M. B. Cody and D. K. Marks Description of two marbled murrelet tree nests in the Walbran Valley, British Columbia by I. A. Manley and J. D. Kelson Characteristics of three marbled murrelet tree nests, Vancouver Island, British Columbia by K. M. Jordan and S. K. Hughes Marbled murrelet distribution in the Siskiyou National Forest of southwestern Oregon by C. P. Dillingham, R. C. Miller and L. O. Webb Two marbled murrelet nest sites on private commercial forest lands in northern California by S. J. Kerns and R. A, Miller Behavior of marbled murrelets at nine nest sites in Oregon by S. K. Nelson and R. W. Peck Fledging behavior, flight patterns, and forest characteristics of marbled murrelet tree nests in California by S. W. Singer, D. L. Suddjian and S. A. Singer Use of boat-based surveys to determine coastal inland habitat associations of marbled murrelets in Prince William Sound, Alaska by D. K. Marks, K. J. Kuletz and N. L. Naslund Use of radar to study the movements of marbled murrelets at inland sites by T. E. Hamer, B. A. Cooper and C. J. Ralph At Sea Preliminary observations on juvenile:adult ratios of marbled murrelets in Auke Bay, southeast Alaska by H. L. Anderson and S. R. Beissinger At-sea activity patterns of marbled murrelets adjacent to probable inland nesting areas in the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Colum- bia by M. S. Rodway, J.-P. L. Savard, D. C. Gamer and M. J. F. Lemon Decline of marbled murrelets in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia: 1982-1993 by J. D. Kelson, I. A. Manley and H. R. Carter Distribution of marbled murrelets along the Oregon Coast in 1992 by C. S. Strong Use of mist nets to capture murrelets over the water by R. A. Bums, G. W. Kaiser and L. M. Prestash. To Order: send $20.00 USD (postage and handling included), check or money order, made payable to the Pacific Seabird Group, to Jan Hodder, Treasurer, Pacific Seabird Group, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon, Charleston, OR 97420 USA. Government and institution purchase orders accepted. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 68 PUBLICATIONS Published Proceedings Of Symposia Of The Pacific Seabird Group At irreeular intervals the Pacific Seabird Group holds symposia at its annual meetings. The published symposia are listed below^ Available symposia may be purchased by sending a check or money order (in US Dollars) to i Jan Ho er p ice5 Groun fmade payable to PSG), Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon, Charleston, Oregon 97420 USA. Prices taldeTolge (surface rates) and handling. See the following membership application/publication order form, to order symposia. SHOREBIRDS IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS. Frank A. Pitelka (Editor). Proceedings of an Internationa] Symposium of die^Mird Group. Asi.omar, California, January 1977. Published June 1979 in Studies in Av.an B.ology, Number 2. Ou, of print. TROPICAL SEABIRD BIOLOGY. Ralph W. Schreiber (Editor). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Honolulu, Hawaii, December 1982. Published February 1984 in Studies in Av.an B.ology, Number 8. $12.00. MARINE BIRDS: THEIR FEEDING ECOLOGY AND COMMERCIAL FISHERIES RELATION- SHIPS David N. Nettleship, Gerald A. Sanger, and Paul F. Springer (Editors). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Seattle, Washington, January 1982. Published 1984 as Canadian Wildlife Service, Special Publication. Out of print. ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF GULLS. Judith L. Hand, William E. Southern, and Kees Vermeer (Editors). Proceed- mS of » international Symposium of the Colonial Wa.erbird Society and the Pacific Seabird Group, San Francisco, Cahforma, De- cember 1985. Published June 1987 in Studies in Avian Biology, Number 10. $18.50. AUKS AT SEA. Spencer G. Sealy (Editor). Proceedings of an International Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Pacific Grove, California, December 1987. Published December 1990 in Studies in Avian Biology, Number 14. $16.00. STATUS AND CONSERVATION OF THE MARBLED MURRELET IN NORTH . AMERICA Harry C. Carter and Michael L Morrison (Editors). Proceedings of a Symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Pacific Grove, Cahfbrma, D - cember Published October 1992 in Proceedings of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Volume 5, Number 1. $ 20 . 00 . THE STATUS ECOLOGY, AND CONSERVATION OF MARINE BIRDS OF THE NORTH PACinC. ™ Vermeer Kenneth T. Briggs, Ken H. Morgan, and Douglas Siegel-Causey (Editors). Proceedings of a Sympos, urn of he Pacific Kces Vermeer, ^ enne “» ’ and Brjtish Co]umbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria, British Columbia FebnSy 1990. Published 1993 ’as Canadian Wildlife Service, Special Publication Ministry of Supply and Services, Can- ada“ Catall Ser CW66-124-1993E. Free. Write: Publications Division, Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario, K1 A OH3, Canada. BIOLOGY OF MARBLED MURRELETS - INLAND AND AT SEA. S.K. Nelson andS.G Sealy (Editors)^Pro- ® Sng?of ^symposium of the Pacific Seabird Group, Seattle, Washington, February 1993. Pubhshed ,995 in Northwestern Natu- ralist, Volume 76, Number 1. $20.00. Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 69 PACIFIC SEABIRD GROUP COMMITTEE COORDINATORS Contact committee coordinators for information and activities of committees and how you can participate. Conservation Committee Craig S. Harrison, 4001 North 9th Street, Arlington, VA 22203 USA. Tele- phone (202) 778-2240, Facsimile: (202) 778-2201, e-mail: charri- son@hunton.com Election Committee Pat Baird, Department of Biology, California State University, Long Beach, CA 90840 USA. Telephone: (310) 985-1780, Facsimile: (310) 985-2315. Japanese Seabird Conservation Committee Koji Ono, 6-4-214, Kameido 2 Chome, Tokyo 136 Japan. Telephone: 81-3- 3685-6463, Facsimile: 03-3685-6463, e-mail: hcb00437@niftyserve.or.jp and John Fries, Laboratory for Marine Biology, Faculty of Science, Toho Univer- sity, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba 274, Japan. Telephone (office): 011-81- 0474-72-5235, Facsimile (office): 011-81-0474-72-5236 (ATTN: John Fries), e-mail: jnfries@toho-u.ac.jp Marbled Murrelet Technical Committee Thomas E. Hamer, Hamer Environmental, 2110 Highway 9, Mt Vernon, WA 98273 USA. Telephone: (360) 422-6510, Facsimile (360) 422-6510, e-mail: Mexico Committee hamert@aol.com Mauricio Cervantes A., ITESM- Campus Guaymas, Bahia Bacochibampo s/n. Col. Lomas de Cortes, A.P. 484 Guaymas, Sonora 85400 Mexico, e-mail: mcervant@itesmvfl.rzs.itesm.mex and William Everett, Endangered Species Recovery Council, Post Office Box 1085, La Jolla, California 92038 USA. Telephone: (619) 589-0870, Facsimile: (619) 589-6983, e-mail: esrc@cts.com Publications Committee Steven M. Speich, 4720 N. Oeste Place, Tucson, AZ 86749 USA. Telephone: (520) 760-0228, Facsimile: (520) 529-2449, e- mail: sspeich@azstamet.com Restoration Committee Ken Warheit, P.O. Box 178, Tenino, WA 98589 USA. Telephone (360) 902-2595, Facsimile: (360) 902-2946, e-mail: warheit@u.washington.edu Seabird Monitoring Committee Scott Hatch, NBS, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99503 USA. Telephone: (907) 786-3529, Facsimile: (907) 786-3636, e-mail: Scott_Hatch@nbs.gov Xantus* Murrelet Technical Committee William Everett, Endangered Species Recovery Council, Post Office Box 1085, La Jolla, California 92038 USA. Telephone: (619) 589-0870, Facsimile: (619) 589-6983, e-mail; esrc@cts.com PSG Delegates to the American Bird Conservancy Craig S. Harrison, 4001 North 9th Street, Arlington, VA 22203 USA. Tele- phone (202) 778-2240, Facsimile: (202) 778-2201, e-mail: charri- son@hunton.com, and Malcolm Coulter, P.O. Box 48, Chocorua, NH 03817 USA. Telephone: (603) 323-9342, e-mail: coultermc@aol.com Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 70 PSG LIFE MEMBERS 1996 David G. Ainley Daniel W. Anderson Pat Herron Baird Robert Boekelheide Kenneth T. Briggs Joanna Burger Ellen W. Chu Roger B. Clapp Cheryl Conel Malcolm Coulter Theodore L. Cross Robert H. Day Tony DeGange Jan Dierks George J. Divoky Stewart Eefer Lloyd C. Fitzpatrick Elizabeth Flint Douglas J. Forsell Michael Fry Lisa Haggblom Judith Latta Hand Craig Harrison Scott A. Hatch Monica Herzig Ziircher Joel D. Hubbard David B. Irons Karl W. Kenyon James G. King Lora Leschner David B. Lewis Peter Major Eugene Y. Makishima Vivian Mendenhall Godfrey Merlen Pat Mock Edward C. Murphy David R. Nysewander Harou Ogi Koji Ono C. John Ralph Chad Roberts Palmer C. Sekora Kouzi Shiomi Douglas Siegel-Causey William E. Southern Arthur L. Sowls Jeffrey A. Spendelow Takaki Terasawa Christopher W. Thom Breck Tyler E. Velarde Kees Vermeer John S. Warriner Yutaka Watanuki Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 71 Pacific Seabird Group Membership Application/Publication Order Form (Please Copy) Membership (includes subscription to Pacific Seabirds) Individual and Family Student (undergraduate and graduate) Life Membership 1 (optional payment plan, six $100 installments) Sponsored Membership Contributions 2 To the Endowment Fund 2 Other (please specify) Back issues of Pacific Seabirds Vols. 1-8 ( 1 974- 1981 )@ $2.50/issue (two issues/year) Specify VoL and No. Vols. 9-present@$5.00fissue (two issues/year) Specify Vol. and No. PSG Symposia Tropical Seabird Ecology Ecology and Behavior of Gulls Auks at Sea Status and Distribution of the Marbled Murrelet in North America Biology of Marbled Murrelets: Inland and at Sea Send check or money order (in U.S. dollars) to Jan Hodder, treasurer, Made payable to the Pacific Seabird Group Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon, Charleston, OR 97420, e-mailjhodder@oimb.uoregon.edu Prices include postage (surface rate) and handling. $ 20.00 $ $13.00 $ $600.00 $ $20.00 $ $ $ _x $2.50 $ _x $5.00 $ x $17.00 $ x $18.50 $ x $16.00 $ x $20.00 $ x $20.00 $ Total enclosed $ 1 See front cover Tax Donations Status 2 Proceeds from life Memberships and contributions go to the Endowment Fund, a fund to support the publications of the Pacific Seabird Group. Order/Sponsor Deliver/Ship to (if different) Name Name Address Address Telephone FAX e-mail Telephone FAX e-mail Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 72 PSG EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 1996 Chair Officers i ii n r William T. Everett, Endangered Species Recovery Council, Post Office Box 1085, La Jolla, Cali- fornia 92038 USA. Telephone: (619) 589-0870, Facsimile: (619) 589-6983, e-mail: esrc@ cts.com Chair Elect S. Kim Nelson, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 104 Nash, Oregon State University, Cor- vallis, OR 97331 USA. Telephone: (541) 737-1962, Facsimile: (541) 737-1980, e-mail: nel- sonsk@ccmail.orst.edu Vice-Chair for Conservation Craig S. Harrison, 4001 North 9th Street, Arlington, VA 22203 USA. Telephone: (202) 778-2240, Facsimile: (202) 778-2201 , e-mail: charrison@hunton.com Treasurer Jan Hodder, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, University of Oregon, Charleston, OR 97420 USA. Telephone (541) 8882581 ext 215, Facsimile (541) 888-3250, e-mail: jhod- der@oimb.uoregon.edu Secretary Vivian Mendenhall, USFWS, 101 1 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 USA. Telephone: (907) 786-3517, Facsimile: (907) 786-3641, e-mail: acarsaid@aol.com Editor Steven M. Speieh, 4720 N. Oeste Place, Tucson, AZ 85749 USA. Telephone: (520) 760-0228; Facsimile: (520) 529-2449, e-mail: sspeich@azstamet.com Past Chair Mark Rauzon, P. O. Box 4423, Berkeley, CA 94704-4423 USA. Telephone: (510) 531-3887, facsimile: (510) 451-3208, e-mail: mjrauz@aol.com Alaska and Russia Regional Representatives _ A David C. Duffy, Alaska Natural Heritage Program, University of Alaska, Anchorage, 707 A Street, Anchorage, AK 99501 USA. Telephone: (907) 257-2703, Facsimile: (907) 258-9139, e- mail: afdcdl@orion, alaska.edu Canada Tony Gaston, 11-174 Dufferin Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K 1M 2A6, CANADA. Telephone: (819) 997-6121, Facsimile: (819) 953-6612, e-mail: gastont@mwrc.cns.doe.ca Washington and Oregon Roy Lowe, USFWS, 2030 S. Marine Science Dr., Newport, OR 97365 USA. Telephone: (541) 867-4550, Facsimile: (541) 867-4551, e-mail: lowero@ccmail.orst.edu Northern California Elizabeth McLaren, USFWS, San Francisco Bay NWR, P.O. Box 524, Newark, CA 94560 USA. Telephone: (510) 792-0222, Facsimile: (510) 792-5828, e-mail: ebmclaren@aol.com Southern California Pat Baird, Department of Biology, California State University, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA. Telephone: (310)985-1780, Facsimilie: (310) 985-2315. Non-Pacific United States Jim Lovvorn, Dept, of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyo ming, Laramie, WY 82071, (307) 766-6100, FAX (307) 766-5625, e-mail: lowom@uwyo.edu Pacific Rim Scott M. Johnston, USFWS, P.O. Box 50088, Honolulu, HI 96850 USA. Telephone: (808) 541- 3441, Facsimile: (808) 541-3470, e-mail: scottJohnston@mail.fws.gov Old World Mark Tasker, Nature Conservancy Council, 17 Rubislaw Terrace, Aberdeen AB1 1XE, UK. Telephone: 011-44-1224-642863, Facsimile: 011-44-1224-6214-88, e-mail: sea- birds.jncc@aberdeen.ac.uk Pacific Seabirds • Volume 23, Number 1 • Spring 1996 • Page 73