AMNWR 2018/13 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING AT SAINT LAZARIA ISLAND, ALASKA IN 2018 Stacie A. Evans, Daniel J. Schultz, and Brie A. Drummond Key words: Alaska, Cepphus columba, Cerorhinca monocerata, common murre, diet, food habits, fork- tailed storm-petrel, Fratercula cirrhata, glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens, Leach’s storm-petrel, Oceanodroma furcata, Oceanodroma leucorhoa, pelagic cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus, pigeon guillemot, population trends, productivity, rhinoceros auklet, St. Lazaria Island, thick-billed murre, tufted puffin, Uria aalge, Uria lomvia U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge 95 Sterling Highway, Suite 1 Homer, AK 99603 November 2018 Cite as: Evans, S. A., D. J. Schultz, and B. A. Drummond. 2018. Biological monitoring at Saint Lazaria Island, Alaska in 2018. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Rep., AMNWR 2018/13. Homer, Alaska. St. Lazaria tide pools are endlessly fascinating, colorful, and beautiful. (Photo credit: Daniel Schultz) A piece of driftwood provides substrate for goose barnacles (Lepas anatifera). (Photo credit: Stacie Evans) Cover photo: Opalescent nudibranch (Hermissenda crassicornis). An abundant species in St. Lazaria tide pools in 2018. (Photo credit: Daniel Schultz) i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................... 1 STUDY AREA ............................................................................................................................................... 2 METHODS .................................................................................................................................................... 3 INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS ................................................................................................................ 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................. 8 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................................. 8 ISLAND MAPS ............................................................................................................................................ 11 FIGURES AND TABLES ............................................................................................................................. 13 Black oystercatcher .............................................................................................................................. 14 Breeding chronology ...................................................................................................................... 14 Reproductive performance ............................................................................................................. 16 Populations .................................................................................................................................... 18 Food habits .................................................................................................................................... 19 Common murre .................................................................................................................................... 21 Breeding chronology ...................................................................................................................... 21 Reproductive performance ............................................................................................................. 24 Thick-billed murre ................................................................................................................................ 28 Breeding chronology ...................................................................................................................... 28 Reproductive performance ............................................................................................................. 32 All murres ............................................................................................................................................. 36 Populations .................................................................................................................................... 36 Pigeon guillemot .................................................................................................................................. 44 Populations .................................................................................................................................... 44 Rhinoceros auklet ................................................................................................................................ 46 Breeding chronology ...................................................................................................................... 46 Reproductive performance ............................................................................................................. 50 Populations .................................................................................................................................... 53 Chick growth .................................................................................................................................. 57 Food habits .................................................................................................................................... 59 Tufted puffin ......................................................................................................................................... 68 Reproductive performance ............................................................................................................. 68 Populations .................................................................................................................................... 70 Glaucous-winged gull ........................................................................................................................... 73 Breeding chronology ...................................................................................................................... 73 Reproductive performance ............................................................................................................. 77 Populations .................................................................................................................................... 81 Food habits .................................................................................................................................... 85 Fork-tailed storm-petrel ....................................................................................................................... 95 Breeding chronology ...................................................................................................................... 95 Reproductive performance ........................................................................................................... 100 Chick growth ................................................................................................................................ 104 Food habits .................................................................................................................................. 106 Adult measurements .................................................................................................................... 112 Leach’s storm-petrel .......................................................................................................................... 113 Breeding chronology .................................................................................................................... 113 Reproductive performance ........................................................................................................... 117 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page Leach’s storm-petrel (continued) .......................................................................................................113 Chick growth ...............................................................................................................................121 Food habits ................................................................................................................................123 Adult measurements ...................................................................................................................129 All storm-petrels .................................................................................................................................130 Populations .................................................................................................................................130 Pelagic cormorant ..............................................................................................................................136 Reproductive performance ..........................................................................................................136 Populations .................................................................................................................................138 Food habits .................................................................................................................................141 Miscellaneous ...................................................................................................................................145