Are Colonial Waterbirds Inhibiting the Recovery of Suckers in the Upper Klamath River Basin?

From the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

Are Colonial Waterbirds Inhibiting the Recovery of Suckers in the Upper Klamath River Basin?

In an effort to better understand the decline of the Endangered Species Act -listed Lost River and Shortnose suckers, researchers at Real Time Research, Inc. and the U.S. Geological Survey Klamath Falls Field Station are employing a technique that has not been used in the Klamath Basin before. In a new study, researchers estimated predation impacts by nesting fish-eating waterbirds utilizing Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag data. Although several types of birds nest in the Basin, and are presumed to forage on suckers, researchers specifically concentrated efforts on American white pelicans and double-crested cormorants nesting at mixed-species colonies on Clear Lake Reservoir, CA and Upper Klamath Lake, OR during 2009-2015. These large birds are thought to cause the greatest foraging impact on adult-sized suckers.

For more information about this project visit:http://wfrc.usgs.gov/newsletter/

Photo caption: Researchers scan for sucker PIT tags on a mixed nesting colony of American white pelicans and double-crested cormorants at Clear Lake Reservoir in the Clear Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Photo courtesy of USGS.