Program Night: Dead Birds Don’t Lie: The Role of Citizen Science in Conservation

In the spring of 2005, hundreds of marine birds began washing up on the beaches of Washington and Oregon.  What provoked this die-off?  How did we even know about it?  What does it mean for the future of seabird populations in the Pacific Northwest?  Is this is specter of global warming? 

Join Dr. Julia Parrish, Associate Professor at the University of Washington, for a fascinating talk on marine birds of Washington.  She will explore the biology of some of our most common marine birds, including murres, cormorants, and fulmars; what determines their distribution and abundance as live birds, and where and when they wash ashore; using the database created by the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), a Pacific Northwest citizen science program.

Julia is Associate Director of the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington and also the Executive Director of COASST, a citizen science program that used beach-cast birds to monitor coastal environmental health. She has studied the natural history, ecology, and conservation of marine birds for the last 15 years, and has authored many scientific articles and books. 

When not teaching Marine Biology, Julia can be found on Tatoosh Island, off the tip of Cape Flattery, studying the biology of Common Murres.  She also spends much of her time training COASST volunteers.

The presentation is free and open to the public.  Invite a friend or anyone who is interested in marine birds and is perhaps concerned about the 2005 die-offs. 

Please join us for Dr. Parrish’s stimulating and thoughtful discourse on seabirds.