Heron's under siege

[jimmer]

Saw these poor Heron's nesting and those darn cormorants trying to move into their space.

[FrankTheRabbit]

Is there an official stance regarding cormorants? Lots of people saying how they're quite a nuisance, possibly invasive? I've heard they can decimate fish populations and breed like rabbits. Can they be legally exterminated?

 

Just came across an article, dating back to 2009 about the devastation cormorants cause on their breeding grounds:

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/05/20/30000_cormorants_destroying_lakeside_park.html

Edited May 10, 2016 by FrankTheRabbit

[AKRISONER]

they are invasive, and are destroying not only local fish populations, but also the shorelines and wetlands with their excrement.

 

There needs to be a serious cull, the problem in the pointe au baril area is insane, they are taking over literally everything. Every shoal now has a group of 20 sitting on them. Where are the natural water fowl supposed to go?

[kickingfrog]

Not invasive. They numbers were down significantly due to DDT use like many upper food-chain birds (osprey, eagle, hawks). With the virtual elimination of DDT use in North America the numbers of most of these birds has been increasing for the last 20-30 years. Not sure if the numbers of double crested cormorants are higher now than in the 40's and 50's but the large flocks and the amount of damage they do on their nesting areas is a concern for many.

 

Many of our lakes (the Great lakes and the large ones near big cities) are cleaner now than they were in the 50's and 60's and I wonder what role that might be playing in the large numbers. The lakes are also clearer in part to being cleaner but also due to zebra mussels and that might also just make it easier for the birds to see and chase/catch their prey.

[John Bacon]

From what I understand, they are not native. They did not exist in southern Ontario prior to about 1900 or so ago. They are believed to have extended their range from out west. So, they could be considered invasive.

They did have a population explosion prior to the popularity of DDT. DDT did wipe most of them out and they did make a rebound (understatement) in recent years.

I don't think the cause of their expension from out west is fully understood. The presence of alewife (another invader) is one theory as to why they expanded their range.

[Old Ironmaker]

20 years ago a Cormorant sighting here on Erie was rare. Now running out into the lake a flock at least a mile long is common. I have had to veer off course to avoild them. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of one or more of those rockets flying 5 feet off the water. I'm told they will fly right into the path of a boat and not change course unlike some waterfowl.

[Headhunter]

I'm told they will fly right into the path of a boat and not change course unlike some waterfowl.

Now wouldn't it be awful if one of those poor creatures were to hurt by a passing boat.

HH

[captpierre]

Pretty sure they were legally huntable in the past.

Time to bring that back.

I hear the native community is working them over.

[misfish]

I had to go off course do to a large flock of them. They go in a straight line and thats it. And my god, they stink.

 

I didnt see the numbers in past years, last year. Not sure why that was. I am seeing more maganzeers then anything, and they are also big fish eaters.

[misfish]

Pretty sure they were legally huntable in the past.

Time to bring that back.

I hear the native community is working them over.

 

I heard they play a game. How many eggs can you shake. That takes care of them so I heard.

[mike rousseau]

My cousin used to spray the nests locally to stop eggs from hatching

 

Also local First Nations like blasting them for fun every so often so that's good too... They'll drop 50 birds off one island and go home...

[grimsbylander]

Now wouldn't it be awful if one of those poor creatures were to hurt by a passing boat.

HH

You keep you eyes open for them on Erie. At 60+ mph one of those buggers could do serious damage.

[kickingfrog]

I am not a fan of them in anyway but I believe they are considered a migratory bird and interfering, let alone killing them, could land someone in serious trouble with the feds.

[Old Ironmaker]

Now wouldn't it be awful if one of those poor creatures were to hurt by a passing boat.

HH

I appreciate that the lake is their home not mine. I just want to give a heads up to the other species in the lake, humans. They fly very close to the water.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[Headhunter]

You keep you eyes open for them on Erie. At 60+ mph one of those buggers could do serious damage.

Not to a prop!

HH

[Sinker]

I am not a fan of them in anyway but I believe they are considered a migratory bird and interfering, let alone killing them, could land someone in serious trouble with the feds.

Yup. Federally protected migratory bird. I would be the first in line for a license to shoot them. There are way too many of them.

 

S.

[dave524]

Yup. Federally protected migratory bird. I would be the first in line for a license to shoot them. There are way too many of them.

 

S.

 

When young and didn't know better, tried to cook a Mergangser, a Hooded at that, smelled fishier than cooking fish, I would think a commorant would be worse. Wouldn't pull the trigger on anything that looked like a " Lawn Dart " after that

[Sinker]

Id take a hoodie over a common merg any day, but i have no intenions of eating a cormorant. Lol

 

S.

[manitoubass2]

About 15 years ago there was a huge explosion of them on rainly lake.

 

Ive never seen anything like it. They would literally turn the sky black as huuuge flocks flew north near the evening.

 

Ive heard stories of many people pouring gas on nests/eggs and shooting them whether its legal or not. Ive never seen it done however.

 

Now its not nearly as bad, although tou do still see small flocks from time to time.

 

No idea why or how they decreased in numbers so dramatically

[dave524]

Id take a hoodie over a common merg any day, but i have no intenions of eating a cormorant. Lol

 

S.

 

What I thought, no way would I have tried a Common , but this little Hoodie was on a small beaver pond with some Woodies, so I gave it a go

[Dave Bailey]

Not keen on them either, but they ARE native. I'm wondering if their resurgence may be due to zebra mussels. As far as I know, cormorants are sight feeders, swimming with their eyes open. Anyone who remembers the state of the Great Lakes, and many others, in the 60s, before detergent phosphates were reduced, will understand that there is no way they could have seen anything in that water. Once it cleared up, the way was also clear for their return, and zebra mussels cleared it even more.

Edited May 12, 2016 by Dave Bailey

[fishindevil]

the cormorants are sure eating the trout in algoquin park.....I see flocks of them flying right up the Ottawa river and right up the petawawa river into the park....there wont be much left in there in a few years...there are hundreds on the Ottawa and surrounding rivers and areas....read up on it....

[Big Cliff]

When we moved here 16 years ago we never saw any of them, now there seems to be more of them than geese around here. I don't hunt anymore but I would start again if they ever opened a season for cormorants and I'd be right behind Sinker in that line to buy a license.

[BillM]

I wonder how the sound of shotgun blasts carry over open water?

[Sinker]

Depends if there is anyone around to hear it

 

S.