San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

Our science programs are the Snowy Plover and Least Tern Program, Waterbird Program, Landbird Program, Climate Change Program, Habitats Program. The Snowy Plover and Least Tern Recovery Program works toward the recovery of the federally threatened Western snowy plover and endangered California least tern. Biologists monitor breeding snowy plovers and least terns by surveying former salt ponds, stormwater retention ponds, and other suitable habitat of the San Francisco Bay where the birds breed. Program biologists work closely with local land managers and restoration projects to implement management practices to help recover the snowy plover and least tern populations in the Bay. The Waterbirds Program collects crucial data on the ecology and management ecosystems at a landscape-scale across California. Program biologists, along with approximately 70 volunteers, collect and analyze large-scale data on waterbird abundance and distribution from across the Bay Area, including nonbreeding surveys, monitoring breeding waterbird colonies, and documenting disease outbreaks. These data are especially effective in tracking trends in our local bird populations and informing management of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Program, the largest tidal marsh restoration on the Pacific Coast of North America. The past year saw several major new accomplishments. We expanded colonial waterbird monitoring across the North Bay, with surveys now encompassing all nine counties of the Bay Area. We also developed a new behavioral study of phalarope foraging efficiency in different habitats to understand potential drivers of a 98% decline in this species within San Francisco Bay. In Oakland, we developed and completed a nesting habitat selection study and analysis for black-crowned night herons in urban environments to try and identify the factors causing the birds to nest in dangerous city streets that imperil both their health and human health. Lastly, we redesigned analysis of salt pond waterbird monitoring from the ground up to better focus on identifying drivers of change in waterbird population trends to better inform decision-making of land management agencies.

The Habitats Program is a science-based restoration program focused on sustainable restoration of tidal marsh-upland transition zone habitats. In 2024, we added another 5 acres of restoration work at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve and Alviso Marina County Park while managing 27 acres of restored habitat around the Bay. We also secured funding to restore an additional 4 acres of habitat at Eden Landing this coming year. We wrapped up renovating a native plant nursery at Don Edwards NWR in Fremont which will greatly expand our plant producing capacity, allowing for us to take on bigger projects in the future. Restoring tidal marsh-upland transition zones provides critical high tide refugia for tidal marsh fauna, including the federally endangered Ridgways rail and salt marsh harvest mouse. Healthy marsh vegetation also protects bayside communities from flooding by absorbing energy from incoming storm surges and accelerating sediment accumulation. Ecologists use applied research to find innovative methods for restoration, and work with land managers to integrate transition zone habitat into larger restoration projects. We continued our successful partnership with Santa Clara County Parks and educational nonprofit Marshmallow Mind to teach 5th and 6th graders from Title I schools about San Francisco Bay ecology and host them for restoration work and a short hike at Alviso Marina County Park.