News

Submitted by: Maria M. Ruth and Susan Morgan, Salish Sea Guillemot Network, Olympia, Washington On the evening of August 11, 2024, two Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba) were observed departing from their nesting burrow located in an erosional bluff on Eld Inlet, near Olympia, Washington. The burrow is among several in an active Pigeon Guillemot breeding colony located along a 2,000-foot stretch of…

Submitted by: Laura Bies, Ornithological Council The Pacific Seabird Group is part of the Ornithological Council (OC) , a consortium of scientific societies of ornithologists. We’re here to support our societies and their individual members with resources, community action, and individual assistance. The OC is currently developing a new edition of the Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research. This…

Submitted by Annie Chester, American Bird Conservancy From executive orders to proposed rulemakings and legislation, many actions have an impact on seabird conservation. Here are the latest updates, as of March 2025: Migratory Bird treaty ActThe Solicitor’s Office of the Department of Interior suspended all Biden-era legal opinions, including M-37065, which affirms the inclusion of incidental take under the Migratory Bird Treaty…

Submitted by: William L Kennerley and Rachael A Orben, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, Oregon Bill-load photography can be an effective means of diet sampling for a number of seabird species (1). Many alcids and terns, for instance, carry prey back to the nest site in their bills, allowing researchers to not…

Submitted by: Andre Raine, Archipelago Research and Conservation The ‘aʻo (Newell’s shearwater Puffinus newellii) and ‘uaʻu (Hawaiian petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis) are both endangered seabirds endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago. The impact of introduced predators (such as cats, rats, pigs and barn owls) on these species is well known and is a major conservation issue. Due to this, there are now seven management…