The SeaDoc Marine Science Lecture series presents “Missing Marine Birds: Who’s Flown the Coop?” with Dr. Ignacio Vilchis, a Postdoctoral Fellow and scientist with the SeaDoc Society.

The lecture will be on Tuesday, March 8 at the Camp Orkila Marine Center starting at 7 p.m.
Marine birds tell us a lot about the health of our ocean, says Vilchis.

“While the 172 bird species that use the Salish Sea are each fascinating in their own right, collectively they also tell a story,” he said. “When multiple species are declining we can evaluate the reasons why and learn about problems that are impacting multiple parts of the system.”

SeaDoc’s marine bird project, led by Vilchis, is one of the first attempts to gauge the status and trends of marine bird populations across the entire Salish Sea ecosystem.

Vilchis has been collecting data sets from both sides of the border, including information from such partners as Bird Studies Canada, Canadian Wildlife Services, Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia, the Audubon Annual Christmas Bird Count, the University of Washington and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This lecture will be the first time Vilchis shares the preliminary results of his groundbreaking project.
Lectures are free. Park in the upper parking lot at Camp Orkila. Shuttle service from the parking lot to the talk is available before and after the lecture.