| Western Grebe Status Review David Nysewander (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife) and Joe Gaydos (SeaDoc Society) |
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Western grebes winter in the Puget Sound Georgia Basin Region and have declined significantly in Washington, California, and British Columbia since 1980. In Washington State, the population is a fraction of what it used to be and declines in specific critical bays have been drastic. In 2001, Washington State listed the Western grebe as a candidate species. This means that data show the species probably warrants listing as threatened or endangered and that a complete status review will determine the listing and also provide a foundation for putting together a recovery plan for the species. The causes for declines in Western grebes are complex, and probably include declines in forage fish availability, human caused mortality, and destruction of summer breeding habitat. Numerous other birds eat a diet similar to Western grebes and breed in similar areas. Recovery of this species would likely benefit many other species of birds and fish in the Puget Sound region. The limiting factor in undertaking recovery in this species is doing a complete status review.The SeaDoc Society will fund Gaydos (SeaDoc Society) and Nysewander (WDFW) to conduct this in-depth status review through a cooperative agreement between the SeaDoc Society and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The results of this review will transmitted and translated to all necessary stakeholder groups including Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission, biologists and resource managers working on W. grebes in California, Washington, and British Columbia; Regional birding groups such as Washington Audubon and Seattle Audubon; and non-governmental organizations.
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| Publications resulting from this research |
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| Presentations resulting from this research |
| Management outcomes |