Caspian terns settle on island meant for them

ADEL, Ore. — An island built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in southeast Oregon has become a surprisingly popular new home for birds that had been eating protected salmon in the Columbia River.

More than 50 nesting pairs of Caspian terns were counted this spring on an island in Crump Lake, near the tiny community of Adel at the southeast corner of the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge.

Some of the birds wear colored bands on their legs that show biologists they have moved from islands in the Columbia estuary near Astoria and another island near the Tri-Cities in Washington, said Dan Roby, an Oregon State University professor who is a lead scientist on the project to move the terns from the Columbia.

An OSU-led team calculated that the tern colony ate some 12 million young salmon and steelhead in one year when it nested on a different island farther up the Columbia.

In the late 1990s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers moved the terns to East Sand Island, which is closer to the ocean and offers the birds a wider variety of fish. But the terns still munched millions of salmon migrating toward the sea.

That led to the Corps to sponsor an effort to move the birds much farther away.

The new nesting sites include the new island at Crump Lake, a similar island built in Fern Ridge Reservoir in the Willamette Valley, islands to be built in Summer Lake and construction of new sites in the San Francisco Bay area.

The work is being funded by the Army Corps of Engineers and Bonneville Power Administration, which are responsible for helping protect salmon affected by hydroelectric dams on the Columbia.

Researchers helped lure terns to the new island with decoys and sounds of nesting terns recorded in the Columbia estuary. While the birds that have moved to Crump Lake still represent only a small fraction of those in the estuary, their rapid arrival suggests it is possible to lead the birds to new nesting sites.

“The almost incredible part of this is how fast word gets around among these birds,” Roby said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Everett
Judge sentences man, 73, for intending to have sex with ‘teen’ in Everett

The Arizona man sent explicit images to an agent posing as a 13-year-old. Investigators found images of child sexual abuse on his phone.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

State’s draft of climate action plan open for public comment

Residents can submit public comments or climate-related stories online through Aug. 22.

The Edmonds School Board discusses budget cuts during a school board meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds school board approves 2025-26 budget

After facing an estimated $8.5 million shortfall earlier in the year, the board passed a balanced budget Tuesday.

A wall diagram shows the “journey of the ballot” at the new Elections Center on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County Auditor: No need for feds to meddle with state or local elections

Garth Fell’s comments were in response to a report of Justice Department mulling criminal charges against election officials.

Edmonds Police Chief Loi Dawkins speaks after the city council approved her appointment on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds City Council confirms new police chief

Assistant Chief Loi Dawkins will begin in the role Aug. 1. She has more than 23 years of law enforcement experience, including three years in Edmonds.

The Edmonds City Council discuss the levy during a city council meeting on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds votes to place levy lid lift on the ballot

By a vote of 5-2, the council decided to put the $14.5 million property tax levy lid lift to voters in November.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.