Since 1950 globally monitored seabird populations have declined significantly, with possible causal factors including plastic pollution, fisheries bycatch, and climate change. Seabirds are particularly prone to plastic ingestion and are excellent indicators of plastic pollution. Procellariiformes, like Great Shearwaters (GRSH; Ardenna…
Keenan Yakola, a Masters student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a fellow with the DOI Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, completed his thesis evaluating chick diets of Common, Arctic, Least and Roseate Terns on seven seabird colonies (Matinicus…
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has been censusing nesting seabirds annually since the 1970’s. Nine species of seabirds, including Brown Pelicans, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, and Black Skimmers, regularly nest in South Carolina in large colonies of hundreds…
At Machias Seal Island (MSI), 2019 marked the 25th consecutive year of research and monitoring of the seabird community. Graduate students, Mark Dodds and Mark Baran, helped train our new crew on MSI and continued to analyze and write their theses.…
In partnership with University of New Hampshire biologists (Gemma Clucas and Adrienne Kovach), Shoals Marine Lab tested a fecal DNA method to monitor tern diets at our mixed breeding colony in the Gulf of Maine. Adult Common Terns defecate upon…