……objective science for conservation…….

The Pacific WildLife Foundation is a non-profit coastal and marine research and education society  that inspires an appreciation for objective scientific research and conservation of the ocean. We conduct original research, develop novel education programs, and inspire an appreciation for conservation of the ocean. 

 
 
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Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani

Black Oystercatcher Science

Black Oystercatcher Project

 

The Black Oystercatcher is an endemic species of rocky shores of the north Pacific from Baja California to Alaska. It mainly eats marine invertebrates such as limpets and mussels, and frequently nests on barren islets. The PWLF collaborated with Parks Canada to determine the size of the breeding population in the Salish Sea (Strait of Georgia & Puget Sound) and made recommendations for protection.

Project Results

In 2005 and 2006, a collaborative census between the PWLF and Parks Canada staff concluded that about 100 pairs of oystercatchers nested in the Strait of Georgia. The census results highlighted the significance and sensitivity of nest sites and protection of islets used for nesting which was adopted by the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve conservation action in 2006. The results published in Northwest Naturalist can be read by clicking here.

In 2007, Parks Canada’s Ecological Integrity Monitoring Program selected the black oystercatcher as an indicator of rocky intertidal community health. This decision provided impetus for Parks Canada to collaborate on population surveys and associated research with British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California agencies as well as the PWLF and Laskeek Bay Conservation Society.  The Black Oystercatcher Conservation Action Plan guides the efforts toward better understanding of adult and fledgling survival, regional population size and trends, seasonal movements of individuals and inter-population mixing. The results of that collaboration appearing in Marine Ornithology can be read by clicking here.

The field work in 2007 began to look at movements between populations and between winter and summer habitats.  Some birds received coloured leg bands to help detect seasonal movements, nesting site fidelity and inter-population dispersal.  In addition to leg bands, satellite and radio tracking devices were being used on birds in Pacific Rim National Park and Alaska for collection of more detailed movement data. Oystercatchers in Haida Gwaii have orange or dark blue bands on the left leg. Pacific Rim and Clayoquot Sound birds wear white with black letters on the right leg. In the Gulf islands, birds have orange bands with black letters and on the southern BC mainland coast, birds have yellow with black letters. We would like to solicit your cooperation and effort in tracking these banded birds.  If you observe a banded bird, please note the band colour, and number if visible, the name of the island of the sighting and its geographic coordinates. You can send us that information by clicking on Contact Us on the home page. 

(August 2010)

 

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