This study was designed to enhance understanding of factors influencing foraging distribution, diet composition, and overall
reproductive success of Caspian terns (Sterna caspia) nesting on East
Sand Island in the Columbia River estuary. This colony of nearly
10,000 breeding pairs is of concern to regional resource managers
because Caspian terns...
A detailed understanding of the foraging ecology of species preying upon
threatened or endangered prey may contribute to identifying and evaluating
management options to reduce predation, when such management is deemed
appropriate. In the Columbia River estuary, Caspian terns (Sterna caspia) and
double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) have been identified as...
This research was designed to evaluate the Fatty Acid Signature (FAS) technique as a non-lethal alternative to more traditional, and sometimes destructive, methods of studying the diet composition of piscivorous birds. Specifically we tested the technique with Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia) which currently nest in large numbers in the Columbia...