Sea & Shorebirds: GFNMS

Overview

One of the most spectacular components of the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary’s abundant and diverse marine life are the populations of nesting and migratory seabirds: it hosts more than 300,000 breeding seabirds – the largest concentration in the contiguous United States. These birds are highly dependent on the sanctuary’s productive waters.

Thirteen bird species have breeding colonies on the Farallon Islands and feed in the sanctuary (see Table 1). More than 160 species use the sanctuary for shelter, food or as a migration corridor. Of these, 57 species are known to use the sanctuary during their breeding season.

At least 19 marine and coastal bird species that are federally listed as threatened, endangered or a species of concern can be found here, including the Marbled Murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus, and the Western Snowy Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus.

Seabirds
Seabirds are those birds whose normal habitat and food source is the marine environment, whether coastal, offshore or pelagic. They can be divided by their feeding strategies into surface feeders, surface swimmers/pursuit divers, deep-plunge divers and scavengers/pirates (those who steal from other birds). These strategies are reflected in their anatomy, physiology and habitat niche.

The surface feeders are aerially agile birds that feed from the surface while in flight, such as the albatross and frigatebird. Black-footed Albatross, Phoebastria nigripes, and Laysan Albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis are common in the sanctuary and have wingspans that exceed two meters (seven feet). Long, slender and powerful wings allow these birds long-distance and near-effortless flights extending to more than 2,400 kilometers (1,490 miles). The truly pelagic species such as albatross and shearwaters spend up to nine months at sea, coming to land only to rear their young.

The surface swimmers and pursuit-diving birds are a diverse group but have in common wide wings that enhance their swimming and diving abilities. They include the alcids, cormorants, loons and grebes and are often seen simply sitting on the water’s surface when they are not diving for food.

Murres, guillemots, murrelets, auklets and puffins belong to the alcid family and are highly adapted to life at sea. Many alcids live a truly pelagic existence, residing on the ocean’s surface except when rearing their young. Common Murres, Uria aalge, and Cassin’s Auklets, Ptychoramphus aleuticus, are the most abundant species on the Farallon Islands, numbering in the tens of thousands. The Common Murre has been known to dive to depths of more than 190 meters (623 feet).

Cormorants, loons and grebes are examples of underwater pursuit divers. Cormorants have diminished waterproofing compared to many other seabirds. For example, their feathers get saturated with water, which allows them to dive to deeper depths pursuing their prey. They can often be seen along the coastline, gathering in large numbers on craggy rocks, holding their wings open to dry.

Six grebe species make their winter home in the sanctuary, including the Eared, Podiceps caspicus, Horned, P. auritus, and Western, Aechmophorus occidentalis. These birds are excellent swimmers and divers. They have been known to use their wings to “fly” underwater as they hunt for small fishes. Grebes are usually found on the coastal shores of sanctuary waters, although they do form large groupings on the open ocean.

Four species of loon spend time within California estuaries during their migration. Loons are large aquatic birds, known for their eerie calls, that feed on various fish species down to depths of 80 meters, capturing prey with their strong dagger-like bills.

Terns, gulls, shearwaters and pelicans can often be observed from sanctuary shorelines splashing down from great heights as they plunge-dive after prey. The Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, is one of the great recovery stories for endangered species. Plagued by DDT, the pelican population was brought to the edge of extinction until the banning of the pesticide in 1972.

Pelicans are abundant in the sanctuary during the summer and fall, cruising over the breakers in a single-file line. These birds are now doing so well that it is expected that they will soon be de-listed or downgraded from endangered to threatened status (on the federal endangered species list).

Gulls, kittiwakes, fulmars, skua and jaegers feed on a variety of prey as scavengers and pirates. The most prolific species along the Pacific Coast, the Western Gull, Larus occidentalis, has established itself in urban areas as well, feeding from garbage dumps and dumpsters.

Shorebirds
The sanctuary holds crucial habitat for numerous shorebird species. The term shorebird, or “wader,” refers to any bird that relies on beaches or wetlands for feeding and nesting habitat.

Approximately 80 of the more than 400 shorebird species are found within sanctuary boundaries. Easily recognizable members include the Willet, Catoptrophorus semipalmatus, Sanderling, Calidris alba, and Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoa. Within the sanctuary, shorebirds can be seen at Abbotts Lagoon, Bolinas Lagoon, Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, Estero Americano and Estero de San Antonio as well as many areas along the shore, such as Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and at Ocean, Drakes, Limantour and Doran Beaches.

More than 27 shorebird species – such as the stunning Black Oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani, two species of dowitcher and several species of sandpiper – are regularly seen here. Generally, these birds probe about the shores feeding on buried clams, worms, crustaceans and small fishes. A notable “prober,” the Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus, has the longest beak (up to 23 centimeters, or nine inches) of any shorebird.

In contrast to the “probers,” the “gleaners” scurry along the beach feeding on invertebrates on the sand surface. Sanderlings, for example, gather in large numbers to glean the beach. The Western Snowy Plover, once an abundant species along the Pacific coast, has declined to such a low population size that it is listed as threatened on the federal endangered species list. Another plover, the Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus, is best known for its screeching calls and the ability to pretend an injury in order to lure predators away from its nest.

Other Coastal and Aquatic Birds
Herons, ducks and rails are seen in the sanctuary region and deserve mention here.

The Black Rail, Laterallus jamaicensis, listed as threatened on California’s endangered species list, can be found in Tomales Bay, sanctuary estuaries and the marsh of the Point Reyes National Seashore. Faced with rapidly diminishing habitat, rails are now rarely found in the salt marshes of bay and coastal communities.

At least seven species of heron, egret and bittern live in the sanctuary and adjacent wetlands. These long-necked wading birds are found in wetlands and along the shoreline.

More than 20 species of waterfowl inhabit the Greater Farallones and surrounding waters, with many of them present year-round. The Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata, and Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, are seasonal visitors to the area along with the elegant Northern Pintail, Anas acuta. Diversity is quite strong in these waterfowl, with species displaying great variation in color, size, shape and feeding behavior.

Threats
Human impacts to bird populations worldwide include competition for food with commercial and recreational fisheries; entanglement in fishing gear; ingestion of marine debris; and disturbance of roosting and breeding birds by watercraft, aircraft and human visitors. Environmental contamination from the historical use of pesticides may still affect some species.

Oil spills are a very real danger, also. The 1998 Command oil spill resulted in injuries to many seabirds – mostly Common Murres but also Brown Pelicans, Marbled Murrelets and other species.

In addition, a number of small oil spills in the region have injured and killed many seabirds, including Common Murres and Rhinoceros Auklets, Cerorhinca monocerata, in neighboring central California sanctuaries. The possibility of a large oil spill from tankers transiting sanctuary waters is an ongoing threat to seabirds and shorebirds.

Seabirds and shorebirds from over 50 species were collected live and dead as a result of the November, 2007 Cosco Busan oil spill in San Francisco Bay. Birds most heavily impacted in were Surf Scoters, grebes, scaups, murres, and gulls. The potential long term effects on these and other sanctuary bird populations are still being evaluated. For more information see the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration report.

In addition to human impacts, changes in climate and oceanographic conditions also affect bird populations. The prevalence of marine birds using sanctuary waters changes from year to year due to fluctuations in marine conditions, including El Niño, Pacific Decadal Oscillations, and changes in intensity and timing of upwelling conditions in the spring/summer. For example, the reproductive success of Cassin’s Auklets (a species that feeds heavily within sanctuary waters) on the Farallon Islands appears to be intricately dependent on the timing and intensity of oceanographic upwelling conditions, which influences food availability (especially krill) during critical life history stages.

Monitoring

Many ongoing monitoring efforts help ensure the continued protection of our valuable resources. The following list includes some of the projects underway in the sanctuary. Please click on the Projects tab at the top of this page for more information.

Sanctuary Ecosystem Assessment Surveys (SEA Surveys)
SEA Surveys is a compilation of Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary monitoring programs that provide the biological observations and habitat characterization for the gulf region. These include several long-term, established monitoring programs of the regions pelagic and coastal habitats that monitor the status, trends and distribution of the sanctuary’s seabird and coastal bird populations. The SEA Surveys-Pelagic Habitat project, for example, is designed to investigate the relationship between hydrographic conditions, physical features and the distribution and abundance of marine organisms in the Greater Farallones and Bodega Bay regions.

Beach Watch
This long-term beach monitoring program’s goal is to develop status and trend information on the sanctuary’s shoreline biological resources. Trained volunteers conduct surveys every two to four weeks. Surveyors document living and dead wildlife; restoration recovery; visitor-use patterns, wildlife disturbance and violations; chronic and catastrophic oil pollution; and detection of ecosystem changes such as El Niño and upwelling events.

PRBO Conservation Science
This non-governmental organization also conducts ecosystem studies and monitors shorebirds, seabirds, marine mammals and white sharks in areas

within Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary waters, such as the Farallon Islands and Año Nuevo Island. The group provides recommendations to partner agencies such as the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and California Department of Parks and Recreation on how to enhance, protect and conserve these important wildlife populations.

Seabird Protection Network
This effort, spearheaded by the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Common Murre Restoration Project and other agencies, sanctuaries and non-governmental organizations, is aimed at improving the survival and recruitment of California coast seabird colonies. The program addresses one of the biggest obstacles to the recovery of these populations: human disturbances. The goal is to reduce human disturbances at seabird breeding and roosting sites along the California coast.

The founding Chapter of the Seabird Protection Network, Bodega Head – Pt. Sur, developed a framework for collaboration among groups who oversee similar projects. The structure of the Network is modeled on the Audubon Society chapter structure. Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, who manages the founding Chapter, facilitates program expansion and incorporates Chapters as they develop. Currently, the Seabird Protection Network extends from the Mendocino County line to Point Mugu, and out to the Channel Islands.

Table 1. Bird Species that Breed on the Farallon Islands

Common Name Scientific Name
Leach’s Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Ashy Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma homochroa
Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Brandt’s Cormorant Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus
Western Gull Larus occidentalis
California Gull Larus californicus
Common Murre Uria aalge
Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba
Cassin’s Auklet Ptychoramphus aleuticus
Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata
Tufted Puffin Fratercula cirrhata
Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani

Photos

No photos are currently available for this section.

Maps

No maps are currently available for this section.

Projects

Ongoing

ACCESS - Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies

The Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies (ACCESS) is a partnership that supports marine wildlife conservation and healthy marine ecosystems in northern and central California by conducting ocean research to inform resource managers, policy makers and conservation partners.

Ongoing

Beach Watch

Beach Watch is a long-term, beach-monitoring project. Beaches surveyed stretch from Bodega Head in Sonoma County down to Año Nuevo in San Mateo County. Volunteers survey a designated beach segment counting, identifying, and photo-documenting live and dead birds and marine mammals and human activity on- and immediately offshore.
Ongoing

California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI)

The California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) was formed in 1949 to study the ecological aspects of the Pacific sardine population collapse off California. Today, the focus has shifted to the study of the marine environment off the coast of California, the management of its living resources, and monitoring the indicators of El Nino and climate change.

Ongoing

Common Murre Restoration Project

The Common Murre Restoration Project is a cooperative effort involving U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other organizations. The primary goal of this project is to restore the Common Murre colony at Devil's Slide Rock as well as enhancing populations of other central California murre and seabird colonies by identifying and reducing threats.
Ongoing

CSCAPE: Collaborative Survey of Cetacean Abundance and the Pelagic Ecosystem.

CSCAPE is a collaboration between the National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Marine Sanctuary Program to assess the abundance and distribution of marine mammals and to characterize the pelagic ecosystem out to ~300 nautical miles off the U.S. West Coast.
Ongoing

Modeling Black-footed Albatross Dispersion in Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries

Although Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes; BFAL) breed mainly in the Northwester Hawaiian Islands, they are known to forage in California National Marine Sanctuaries. To understand the features relating to BFAL distribution in the sanctuary region, this research identifies the relative relationship of local, regional and basin-wide environmental characteristics with BFAL habitat use within Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries.
Ongoing

Seabird Protection Network

The Seabird Protection Network addresses human disturbance to breeding seabird colonies along the central California coast. These efforts are accomplished through a collaborative, multi-agency outreach program combined with monitoring, law enforcement and management actions.
Ongoing

Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP)

The Tagging of Pacific Pelagics (TOPP) research program aims to understand the migration patterns of large predators in the North Pacific basin and how these animals act and interact in their open ocean habitats. By using satellite tagging techniques, TOPP researchers follow the movements of different species across multiple trophic levels (i.e., the food web) and in relation to physical oceanographic features in order to piece together a whole ecosystem picture.
Historic

Tracking Black-footed Albatross movements and conservation

Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, working with government and university partners has collected data on the oceanic distribution of post-breeding and chick provisioning Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) tagged at two locations (Cordell Bank and Kure Atoll) over four years (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008). Their distribution is described in the context of static oceanic habitats (bathymetric domains and features) and management jurisdictions.

Links

A Year on the Wing

Information, activities and resources about birds and the ecology and culture of the places they visit. Includes free shorebird & flyway poster, education kits and much more. Choose documentary in flash or HTML format. Focused on the migratory wading birds of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
http://www.abc.net.au/wing/ayowflash.htm

Birds of Elkhorn Slough

Resources for birdwatchers at Elkhorn Slough include a checklist, bird sightings log, and more information.
http://www.elkhornslough.org/sloughlife/birds/

eBird

eBird, a project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, provides a simple way for you to keep track of the birds you see anywhere in North America. You can retrieve information on your bird observations at any time for your personal use. You can also access the entire historical database to find out what other eBirders are reporting from across North America. In addition, the cumulative eBird database can be used to learn more about the distributions and movement patterns of birds across the continent.
http://www.ebird.org/content/

eBird

eBird, a project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, provides a simple way for you to keep track of the birds you see anywhere in North America. You can retrieve information on your bird observations at any time for your personal use. You can also access the entire historical database to find out what other eBirders are reporting from across North America. In addition, the cumulative eBird database can be used to learn more about the distributions and movement patterns of birds across the continent.
http://www.ebird.org/content/

Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve – Caspian Tern Story

A case study of the trials and tribulations of Caspian Tern nesting colonies at Elkhorn Slough. Also check related information on their general website.
http://www.elkhornslough.org/caspiantern/caspiantern.htm

International Brant Monitoring Project

The International Brant Monitoring Project was developed to monitor the migration of a small sea goose, the brant, along the Pacific Flyway. Participants gain a greater understanding of the importance of local ecosystems and global environmental health through the observation of brant and sharing of information. Students monitor through field observations and by counting brant in their area and then share their findings with others via the Internet.
http://www.padillabay.gov/brant/

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Online Activity, "Bird Bingo"

The ocean and its coastline are home to hundreds of different types of birds, each with its own size, shape, and color. Bird bingo is a fun way for students to learn more about birds.
http://www.mbayaq.org/lc/activities/bird_bingo.asp

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Student and Teacher Resources and Activities

The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers teacher and student resources including: species and habitat-specific information, live cams, classroom activities, and interactive online games.
http://www.mbayaq.org/lc/

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary - Seabirds and Shorebirds

A comprehensive and educational scientific characterization of birds in the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.
http://montereybay.noaa.gov/sitechar/bird.html

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary - Slideshow

Slideshow that includes photos of landscapes, marine mammals, birds and other organisms found in the Monterey Bay.
http://montereybay.noaa.gov/visitor/slideshow/slideshow.html

OBIS-SEAMAP: Ocean Biological Information System - Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations

A digital database of marine mammal, seabird, and sea turtle distribution and abundance. The web-based system will allow the interactive display, query, and analysis of the digital archive in conjunction with environmental data.
http://seamap.env.duke.edu/

Pacific Seabird Group - Seabird Gallery

Images of Pacific Seabirds for use in public presentations and education.
http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org

PBRO: Point Reyes Bird Observatory - Conservation Science

PRBO Conservation Science's staff and seasonal scientists apply bird ecology studies to conserve birds, other wildlife and ecosystems in western North America, the north Pacific Ocean and beyond.
http://www.prbo.org/cms/index.php

Point Reyes Bird Observatory - Conservation Education

Bird education resources, including: K-12 programs, bird and wildlife information, activities for kids, and information on birding in Pt. Reyes.
http://www.prbo.org/cms/index.php?mid=40&module=browse

Satellie Tracking of the Sooty Shearwater

Maps of the Trans-Pacific migration of the Sooty Shearwater from satellite tracking. User must first accept the terms of use for the website.
http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?project_id=46

Seabird Protection Network

Nearly 8 million people live in the San Francisco Bay Area. This fact, combined with the largest concentration of breeding seabirds in the contiguous U.S., give rise to many opportunities for wildlife disturbance. The Seabird Protection Network uses a 3-pronged approach: 1) Outreach & Education, 2) Enforcement & Coordinated Management, and 3) Monitoring, to informs coastal and ocean users about seabirds. The goal of the Network is to minimize human-related disturbances to breeding and roosting seabird colonies, along the central California coast. Open in new window:
http://farallones.noaa.gov/eco/seabird/welcome.html

The Bridge - Ocean Sciences Teacher Resource Center

Materials and curricula related to many areas of study in the Monterey Bay. Be sure to check the data tip of the month archives. (Supported by the National Sea Grant Office, the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, and the National Marine Educators Association.)
http://www.vims.edu/bridge/

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Shorebird Sister Schools Program

Linking schools, biologists and shorebird enthusiasts along flyways, students from all over the western hemisphere track arctic-nesting shorebirds along their migration routes and share their class field experiences with other students. Students also have the opportunity to ask biologists questions, follow research projects and help scientists gather data. This site includes many on-line activities and curriculum for students and teachers.
http://sssp.fws.gov/index.cfm

USGS - Surf Scoter Study

The San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station of the U. S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center has been leading studies on the ecology of wintering waterbird populations and their contaminant risks, including cross-seasonal studies linking them to migration and breeding areas.
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/project.aspx?projectid=179