[SEMCO] Eider die-off explained in lecture at Wellfleet Bay

[Melissa Lowe]

"CSI: Cape Cod" - Solving the Mysteries of Dead Eider Ducks 

Presentation by 
Julie Ellis, SEANET Program Director
Thursday, December 13, 3:30 p.m.
at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

This past fall, the bodies of dead Common Eider, large black and white sea ducks, could be found littering the tide line of local beaches. Hundreds of them were strewn from Truro to Brewster and beyond. And it is expected that a similar high mortality will be seen again in the spring, following the pattern of the annual die-off of these birds. While this phenomenon has been recorded since the 1950s, scientists are only now starting to study and understand the factors behind these deaths. Julie Ellis, SEANET Program Director with Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, will present her findings in a lecture on Thursday, December 13 at 3:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Like a local version of CSI (Crime Scene Investigation), Dr. Ellis' lab necropsies the dead birds to find clues of their deaths. Internal organs are examined for obvious trauma or foreign objects, tissue samples are taken to identify possible toxins, and swabs are tested for bacteria. The results of these studies will be shared in the lecture, as well as a background on the duck's natural history and historical perspective of the die-offs. While Common Eider populations are still considered high, there is some evidence that their numbers are dropping. It is unknown if these annual die-offs reflect a larger problem.

Information on Tuft's SEANET program will also be shared. This program relies on volunteers to help collect information on beached sea birds and ducks. Information on how to become a volunteer will be provided.

This program will be held at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in South Wellfleet. Light refreshments will be served. Cost for the program is $5 for Mass Audubon Members and $7 for non-members. The Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary located on Route 6 in South Wellfleet. Registration is requested, but not required. Call 508-349-2615 for more information or to register.


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Melissa Lowe, Education Coordinator
Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
PO Box 236, South Wellfleet, MA 02663
mlowe at massaudubon.org
508-349-2615, ext 107

Protecting the Nature of Massachusetts
www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay