Cornelius, Oregon, Field Station Records---

The Cornelius, Oregon, Field Station was established in January 1964 by the USFWS, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Denver Wildlife Research Center. The station’s mission was to conduct field studies to determine the extent of economic loss and potential hazards caused by problem birds in the states of OR, ID, WA, and AK. The Cornelius Field Station was known as the Northwest Bird Control Research Station and was tasked with developing techniques to reduce or alleviate agricultural losses caused by birds such as starlings, blackbirds, and finches. Field Station facilities included an office, shop, storage, and garage areas.

Kenneth H. Larsen served as the station’s one and only project leader. Larsen was assisted by biologists John A. Dodds from 1964-1965, Curtis J. Carley from 1965-1967, and finally by Donald F. Mott from 1967 to 1970. In 1970, Ken Larsen conducted a study on birds damaging ripening grains in Colombia and Venezuela. Also in 1970, Larsen led a study on efforts to control damage caused by seagulls at a fish cannery in Cordova, Alaska. A number of baiting studies were conducted at the Cornelius Field Station and focused on the use of scatter baiting with DRC-1339 near holly orchards. Radio telemetry devices were utilized at the station to obtain detailed information on the movements and activities of starlings using a communal roost. Staff at the field station also worked on the development, construction, modification and testing of mechanical equipment utilized in numerous field studies conducted by the Bird Damage Unit of the Denver Wildlife Research Center. The Cornelius, Oregon, Field Station closed in 1972.