State evicts cormorants from island in lake

Associated Press

AKRON

The state has evicted dozens of double-crested cormorants from an island in a Northeast Ohio lake to reduce problems caused by the birds’ droppings.

Crews using chain saws took down nearly 30 small trees last month on the state-owned island near Akron where growing numbers of the birds have nested since 2005. The efforts ousted 160 cormorants.

The birds’ highly acidic droppings kill off other vegetation, and the waste can foul waters in the lakes at Portage Lakes State Park, triggering repeated complaints from neighbors, the Akron Beacon Journal reported Saturday.

The tree-cutting followed unsuccessful attempts to scare off the goose-sized birds with loud noises before the cormorants nested in the spring.

The state’s action has triggered debate on social media with comments for and against the fish-eating birds.

It’s not entirely clear where the birds will go, though a bigger island in the East Reservoir is a possibility.

That island is farther away from shoreline houses, keeping problems to a minimum, said Geoff Westerfield of the Division of Wildlife.

The birds likely would not be a problem at East Reservoir until the number of nests grew significantly, which would take years, he said.

The Department of Natural Resources says it’s not considering shooting the birds, though the state has shot cormorants on three Lake Erie islands.

Since 2006, the state has used sharpshooters to control and reduce the cormorant population on Green Island, owned by the state; West Sister Island, part of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge; and Turning Point Island, a man-made island in Sandusky harbor. About 6,500 birds are shot annually.

Younger cormorants tend to roost in large numbers at other lakes, including Mogadore Reservoir in Portage County and Berlin Reservoir at the Portage-Stark-Mahoning county line.