Built for irrigation and a water supply, man-made Lake Frances has become a popular recreation spot. Fishing, boating, and camping are enjoyed by both locals and visitors to the Valier area year round. What most non-boaters may be surprised to know is that there is an island in the middle of the lake that everyone who sees it calls it “Bird Island,” due to the enormous amount of gulls and cormorants who call it home. Fish, Wildlife and Parks says that it is an important part of the ecosystem for the birds.
Cormorants are large aquatic birds, related to the pelican that are native to North America. Double-Crested Cormorants are among approximately 800 native bird species along with seagulls protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Full grown Cormorants are two to three feet long, with thick, generally dark plumage and green eyes. The feet are webbed, and the bill is long with the upper mandible terminally hooked. Cormorants are colonial nesters who prefer to fish near to the shore where they can perch on rocks and lay eggs in trees.
Nesting occurs in late May to early June. Similar to the loon in their size, appearance, and their hunting of fish, they often go out feeding together, flying in lines, then settling on the water in a tight bunch. They may dive down as far as 100 feet and the longest recorded dive is of 71 seconds. Usually they stay under for less than half a minute, swimming about 20-30 feet below the surface. When one bird dives, the others follow it. Fish (they prefer those less than six inches) are brought to the surface and swallowed head first. Cormorants are strong fliers, flying rather like a goose, with neck stretched out, head held up and rapid wing beats. They can soar in air currents, but usually fly low over the water. Cormorants breeding east of the Rocky Mountains generally winter along the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Texas.
The seagull is perhaps best known as being a scavenger. It is most often seen in large, noisy flocks congregating wherever food is available which proves that fish are plentiful at Lake Francis as Bird Island is filled with large noisy colonies of gulls.
Although many people consider the gull to be a nuisance, they actually perform a very valuable service scavenging up great numbers of dead animals and organic litter. A typical
nest is lined with moss and seaweed and will contain up to two eggs. Breeding and nesting is usually July to August. The seagull’s coloring changes with the season from white to gray or black. Seagulls will eat just about anything, from fish to small rodents. Adult seagulls can live as long as 36 to 40 years in captivity, but typically only live about 10 years in the wild. Some remain at the breeding ground year-round, while others migrate. Gulls in their “natural” environment are migratory but urban gulls often display non-migratory behavior due to the hospitable urban environment.
Boating around the island is enjoyable for bird watchers and a wonder to kids. The cormorants can usually be seen in their enormous nests and are fun to photograph. The gull’s constant presence can be heard from a distance as a beacon that the island is near.