Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Washington
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Avian predation has been identified as a factor that limits the survival of juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River Basin and addressing predation concerns is a component of Biological Opinions and Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives associated with the management of the Federal Columbia River Power System (NOAA 2008). Over the last two decades, numerous avian predation research, monitoring, and evaluation (RM&E) studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of predation by Caspian terns, double-crested cormorants, and other colonial waterbirds on the survival of Endangered Species Act-listed juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River basin. In this project, we will be collaborating with Real Time Research, Incorporated to summarize results from past studies regarding tern and cormorant nesting ecology, inter-colony movements, dispersal, and predation impacts on juvenile salmonids in the Columbia River basin. A specific emphasis of this work is to summarize our current knowledge of the factors influencing juvenile salmonid susceptibly to avian predation in the Columbia River Basin including factors such as fish rear-type (hatchery, wild), run-timing, and size (fork-length).