Trends in Caspian Tern Nesting and Diet in San Francisco Bay: Conservation Implications for Terns and Salmonids

Colony size, nesting ecology and diet of Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia) were investigated in the San Francisco Bay area (SFBA) during 2003–2009 to assess the potential for conservation of the tern breeding population and possible negative effects of predation on survival of juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.). Numbers of breeding Caspian Terns declined 36% from 2003 to 2009, mostly due to abandonment of the Knight Island colony and...