Terra

With support from the state, forest industry and conservation groups, OSU researchers gather data on threatened seabird

Birdlife in Oregon is as diverse as its landscape. Species range from tiny and whimsical (such as the rufous hummingbird hovering on 2-inch wings to eat nectar from wildflowers) to huge and pterodactyl-like (such as the soon-to-be-reintroduced California condor, which once soared on wings 9 feet wide, searching for carcasses to scavenge).

Fish-eating seabirds like the common murre — which nest in the rocky intertidal zones along the coast — can give scientists clues to the status of native finfish by how they behave.