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Presentation Abstract

Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba) are one of four seabird species designated by the Puget Sound Partnership as an indicator species in the Salish Sea. Community science programs like the Salish Sea Guillemot Network can provide long-term data that inform regional population status trends and nesting success that reflect overall ecosystem health. The goals of this project are to provide a baseline for detecting changes and trends in local Pigeon Guillemot populations by compiling a multi-year dataset. Educating and training community scientists helps them develop a sense of place and stewardship through observation of processes in the nearshore environment and appreciation of the beauty of nature. Since initial survey efforts on Whidbey Island in 2002, ongoing efforts have expanded research to seven regions throughout the Puget Sound. During the summer breeding season (June-September), volunteers spent an hour each week contributing to a community science program by counting the number of pigeon guillemots, identifying active burrows, determining chick diet composition, and documenting breeding disturbances. Results from this study indicated that population abundance at both the regional and state level has been stable. This research supports regional decision-making related to habitat protection and seabird conservation by providing measurements vital to understanding population changes. Resilience and stability of this species will allow it to continue weathering environmental and anthropogenic stressors for future generations. This study highlights the importance of community science as an effective tool for monitoring ecosystem health.

Session Title

Poster Session 4: People Working Together to Protect the Salish Sea

Conference Track

SSE14: Posters

Conference Name

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)

Document Type

Event

SSEC Identifier

SSE-posters-456

Start Date

27-4-2022 4:30 PM

End Date

27-4-2022 5:00 PM

Type of Presentation

Poster

Genre/Form

conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events); posters

Subjects – Topical (LCSH)

Pigeon guillemot--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Bird surveys--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)

Geographic Coverage

Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.

Type

Text

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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Apr 27th, 4:30 PM Apr 27th, 5:00 PM

Salish Sea Pigeon Guillemot Breeding Surveys

Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba) are one of four seabird species designated by the Puget Sound Partnership as an indicator species in the Salish Sea. Community science programs like the Salish Sea Guillemot Network can provide long-term data that inform regional population status trends and nesting success that reflect overall ecosystem health. The goals of this project are to provide a baseline for detecting changes and trends in local Pigeon Guillemot populations by compiling a multi-year dataset. Educating and training community scientists helps them develop a sense of place and stewardship through observation of processes in the nearshore environment and appreciation of the beauty of nature. Since initial survey efforts on Whidbey Island in 2002, ongoing efforts have expanded research to seven regions throughout the Puget Sound. During the summer breeding season (June-September), volunteers spent an hour each week contributing to a community science program by counting the number of pigeon guillemots, identifying active burrows, determining chick diet composition, and documenting breeding disturbances. Results from this study indicated that population abundance at both the regional and state level has been stable. This research supports regional decision-making related to habitat protection and seabird conservation by providing measurements vital to understanding population changes. Resilience and stability of this species will allow it to continue weathering environmental and anthropogenic stressors for future generations. This study highlights the importance of community science as an effective tool for monitoring ecosystem health.