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Avian Predation at John Day and the Dalles Dams Estimated Fish Consumption Using Direct Observation with Diet Analysis

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Avian Predation at John Day and the Dalles Dams Estimated Fish Consumption Using Direct Observation with Diet Analysis AVIAN PREDATION AT JOHN DAY AND THE DALLES DAMS 2010: ESTIMATED FISH CONSUMPTION USING DIRECT OBSERVATION WITH DIET ANALYSIS. By Nathan A. Zorich, Michael R. Jonas, and Patricia L. Madson U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CENWP-OD-TFF Fisheries Field Unit Bonneville Lock and Dam Cascade Locks, OR. 97014 (541) 374-8801 October 25, 2011 ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Avian predators are one highly visible cause of smolt mortality at hydropower dams. In the Columbia basin, if severe enough this predation may prevent a dam from meeting its survival goals required by the Biological opinion for Endangered Species Act listed salmonid passage. In 2010, the second year of this study, our task was to determine the impact of avian predators on fish passing John Day and The Dalles Dams. Our objectives were: 1) Determine species composition, number, and distribution of piscivorous birds 2) Estimate smolt consumption by gulls 3) Compare smolt consumption by gulls (Larus spp.) between years and between dams. To quantify avian consumption, observers used binoculars to count gulls, the rate of attacks (dives), and determine if an attack was successful (fish in bill) during the smolt outmigration period from 8 April to 28 July 2010. We then estimated salmonid consumption using those variables and diet information from weekly gull stomach collections. Additionally, counts were collected for other fish eating birds present at the dams. California gulls (Larus californicus) were the dominant piscivore at both dams followed by western grebes (Aechmorphorus occidentalis), American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhychos), double crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), and others. The daily abundance of gulls at John Day Dam ranged from zero on 8 April to a brief high of 118 on 14 June, declining rapidly to two on 17 June, yielding a seasonal mean of 17. At The Dalles Dam gull daily abundance ranged from zero on 12 April to a high of 133 on 19 May, slowly decreasing to four on 27 July, yielding a seasonal mean of 34. Overall, 349 California gull stomachs were collected for diet analysis. Stomachs from John Day Dam contained 101 salmonids, 12 Pacific lamprey macropthalmia (Entosphenus tridentatus), three other fish, eight unidentified fish, and insects. We also recovered 18 PIT tags, 12 of which were un-readable tags. Gull stomachs from The Dalles Dam contained 75 salmonids, 113 Pacific lamprey macropthalmia, and three unidentified fish as well as five readable and four un-readable PIT tags and landfill scraps (e.g. old french fries). Fewer macropthalmia were collected at John Day likely because high winds made it unsafe to operate our collection boat during the week of peak lamprey outmigration. At The Dalles Dam our estimate of smolt consumption, was 98,000 (58,000 - 145,000 95% CI). At John Day Dam our estimate of smolt consumption, was 18,000 (11,000 - 26,000 95% CI). Consumption estimates include both additive and compensatory sources of mortality. This is a reduction of 62,000 (76%) from 2009 when 80,000 smolt were consumed at John Day and is attributed to intensive boat hazing and a large avian deterrent line array. iii iv TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ III TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................ V LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................... VII LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... IX INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................... 1 OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................................................. 3 JOHN DAY DAM SITE DESCRIPTION ................................................................................... 3 THE DALLES DAM SITE DESCRIPTION ............................................................................... 5 METHODS .................................................................................................................................... 6 COMMON TO BOTH DAMS ..................................................................................................... 6 OBSERVATIONS ...................................................................................................................... 6 BIRD ABUNDANCE AND SMOLT CONSUMPTION .................................................................................................... 7 JOHN DAY DAM ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 THE DALLES DAM ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 DIET ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................... 10 SOFT TISSUE FROM THE FOREGUT ........................................................................................................................... 10 HARD PARTS FROM GIZZARD .................................................................................................................................... 11 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................... 11 JOHN DAY DAM ..................................................................................................................... 11 OBSERVATIONS .................................................................................................................... 11 BIRD ABUNDANCE AND SMOLT CONSUMPTION .................................................................................................. 12 DIET ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................... 19 SOFT TISSUE FROM THE FOREGUT ........................................................................................................................... 20 HARD PARTS FROM GIZZARD .................................................................................................................................... 22 TAG RECOVERY ............................................................................................................................................................ 22 THE DALLES DAM ................................................................................................................. 22 OBSERVATIONS .................................................................................................................... 22 v BIRD ABUNDANCE AND SMOLT CONSUMPTION .................................................................................................. 23 DIET ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................... 30 SOFT TISSUE FROM THE FOREGUT ........................................................................................................................... 30 HARD PARTS FROM GIZZARD .................................................................................................................................... 32 TAG RECOVERY ............................................................................................................................................................ 33 DISCUSSION .............................................................................................................................. 33 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................ 35 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... 36 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 37 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................. 38 APPENDIX A. DIET SAMPLING PROTOCOL ................................................................................ 39 APPENDIX B. STOMACH CONTENT IMAGES AND DIET SUMMARY TABLES ...................................... 40 APPENDIX C. PIT TAG HISTORIES .............................................................................................. 44 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Per capita consumption as measured by smolt consumed per gull per hour at John Day Dam in 2010 with upper and lower bootstrap confidence intervals (95%). .................. 17 Table 2. Description of AHY (after hatch year) and HY (hatch year) California gulls collected at John Day Dam in 2010 for diet analysis. ................................................................................. 20 Table 3. Percent biomass of organic food items in the diet of California gulls collected in the John Day Dam tailrace during 2010. ........................................................................................ 20 Table 4. Per capita consumption as measured by smolt
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