YAQUIA HEAD OUTSTANDING NATURAL AREA (YHONA) SEABIRD STUDY

Project ID: F21AC03168

Federal Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Partner Institution: Oregon State University

Fiscal Year: 2021

Initial Funding: $99,300

Total Funding: $99,300

Abstract:

THE YAQUINA HEAD SEABIRD MONITORING PROGRAM HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER 19 SEASONS (1998-2002 AND 2007-PRESENT) AND REPRESENTS A VALUABLE LONG TERM DATA SET WHICH RECORDS BREEDING POPULATIONS AND REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF COMMON MURRE, BRANDT S CORMORANT, AND PELAGIC CORMORANTS AT THREE REFUGE ISLANDS OFF THE YAQUINA HEAD OUTSTANDING NATURAL AREA (YHONA). DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, OVER 80,000 SEABIRDS NEST ON USFWS REFUGE ISLETS ADJACENT TO THE HEADLAND AND USE THE COASTAL WATERS FOR FORAGING. THE DATA COLLECTED AT YAQUINA HEAD IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE FO RUNDERSTANDING SEABIRD POPULATIONS IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT IN RELATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE, DISTURBANCE BY PREDATORS, AND OTHER FACTORS THAT AFFECT SEABIRDS. THE VIEWING FACILITIES AS YHONA PROVIDE A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDY OF AN ACTIVE SEABIRD COLONY WHICH IS AFFORDED IN FEW OTHER PLACES. THIS 5-YEAR AGREEMENT WILL HELP SUPPORT THE SEABIRD MONITORING AT YHONA INTO ITS 19TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR AND 24TH YEAR IN TOTAL. THE MONITORING METHODOLOGIES EMPLOYED ARE CONSISTENT AND COMPARABLE WITH OTHER SEABIRD MONITORING IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT AND HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO LARGE SCALE ASSESSMENTS OF THIS MARINE ECOSYSTEM. THIS AGREEMENT SUPPORTS CONTINUANCE OF THIS IMPORTANT STUDY.