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July 10, 2002 Tribes Race to Save Threatened Marbled Murrelet

SNOHOMISH COUNTY (July 10, 2002) -- At precisely 4:39 a.m., the first rays of sun penetrate the gloaming on Wheeler Mountain, which overlooks the north fork of the Stillaguamish River. A crew of tribal biologists is already in place, hoping to sight a threatened seabird.

For the next two hours, they will stare skyward in search of a robin sized, football shaped bird that can fly at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. With ears busy filtering out the hundreds of ambient forest sounds and eyes straining for dark birds entering a dark forest, biologists from the Stillaguamish Tribe and the Tulalip Tribes are painstakingly documenting every encounter with the unique and rare Marbled Murrelet.

These surveys, which conclude Aug. 2, are not only crucial to understanding the murrelet, but could have a significant impact on forest practices and salmon recovery in Washington. Washington's murrelet populations are listed as "threatened" under the federal Endangered Species Act.

"Once we can prove that these birds populate a given forest, that forest can be protected," said Jen Sevigny, a biologist with the Stillaguamish Tribe. Along with husband Mike, a biologist with the Tulalip Tribes, Sevigny has tracked avian species in six states. This time, their surveys are a race against the clock to preserve rapidly dwindling forest habitat.

The tribal co-managers are working with the state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to protect the threatened creature. DNR scientists came up with a computer model in an attempt to determine what habitat is most likely to contain murrelet nests in need of protection.

The DNR model, though, is based off an exceedingly small sample size (four sites out or more than 50), and has turned up some results that puzzle biologists. For example, the model calls old cedar trees key to murrelet habitat, -- though the birds aren't known to nest in cedar at all.

While the state's natural resources department pays to have the model-recommended sites surveyed, it has asked other agencies to investigate other areas which are believed more likely to contain murrelet nests. Since the Stillaguamish and Tulalip tribes share much usual and accustomed fishing, hunting and gathering territory, the partnership was ideal.

Because the bird relies on two distinct ecosystems for survival, the murrelet is a key indicator species. Any habitat disruption, whether on the coast or in the forest, can have catastrophic effects on the bird.

"The murrelet shows us how interconnected our natural resources are, and how important protecting habitat is to wildlife. For example, if they result in watersheds being protected, these surveys will have direct benefit to salmon and other species as well," said Jen Sevigny. "Some of our best spawning habitat is in Deer Creek or Boulder River, places we are surveying for murrelets."

By design, the surveys coincide with the murrelet's summer breeding season. Female murrelets lay just one egg each year, coming inland to nest from April to September. "This is the only time you're ever going to see these birds in a terrestrial environment," said Mike Sevigny.

At most other times of year, the murrelet remains near the sea and its bounty of forage fish. During breeding season, though, the murrelet will fly from sea to forest, carrying surf smelt, herring and sardines up to 70 miles too feed its hatchling. The doting parent might make multiple trips carrying a fish of four or five inches multiple times per day.

The tribes selected 10 sites to monitor within the Stillaguamish watershed and one site on the Tulalip reservation. Biologists visit each site four times during the breeding season. So far, five of the 11 sites have turned up murrelets.

"No matter what models tell us, we have to do on-the-ground surveys to really know where murrelets exist," said Mike Sevigny. "This could save a lot of acreage that represents prime habitat for a magnificent and threatened species."

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For more information contact: Jeff Shaw, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 360.424.8226. Jen Sevigny, Stillaguamish Tribe, 360.435.2755. Mike Sevigny, Tulalip Tribes, 360.651.4164.

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