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Josh Adams

Dr. Josh Adams is a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Western Ecological Research Center.

He is the lead biologist in charge of the Seabird Studies program located at WERC's Santa Cruz Field Station. Dr. Adams' work focuses on understanding the distribution and abundance patterns of seabirds at sea, nesting biology, foraging ecology and conservation science. Dr. Adams' current studies are focused in the California Current and Hawaii.

Education and Certifications

  • PhD, Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 2011

  • MSc, Marine Sciences, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, California State University San Francisco 2004

  • BA, Biology (Thesis Honors), University of California Santa Cruz 1992

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Member Pacific Seabird Group (since 1992)

Science and Products

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Aerial view of five gulls, with grey backs and wings and white heads and tails, flying over the ocean

Birds, Bats, and Beyond: Networked Wildlife Tracking in the Southern California Bight

Seabird and bat researchers from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center are teaming up to study how flying animals move through the marine environment. This Bureau of Ocean Energy Management supported project will add 25 remote telemetry stations to the existing global Motus Wildlife Tracking System, representing the largest single investment in coastal and offshore Motus infrastructure on...
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Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Birds, Bats, and Beyond: Networked Wildlife Tracking in the Southern California Bight

Seabird and bat researchers from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center are teaming up to study how flying animals move through the marine environment. This Bureau of Ocean Energy Management supported project will add 25 remote telemetry stations to the existing global Motus Wildlife Tracking System, representing the largest single investment in coastal and offshore Motus infrastructure on...
Learn More
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Yellowfin tuna swimming at the sea surface near, splashing as they break the surface

Palmyra Blue Water Research

In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center will track the at-sea movements of eight marine animal species at Palmyra Atoll with the goal of understanding the impact of the marine protected areas on species and ecosystems. The project is supported in part by The Nature Conservancy and the team of collaborating researchers...
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Palmyra Blue Water Research

In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center will track the at-sea movements of eight marine animal species at Palmyra Atoll with the goal of understanding the impact of the marine protected areas on species and ecosystems. The project is supported in part by The Nature Conservancy and the team of collaborating researchers...
Learn More
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Three biologists on a boat look off to the left with binoculars

Marbled Murrelet Surveys off the Central California Coast

Since 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center has continued long-term at-sea surveys of federally threatened Marbled Murrelets in central California.
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Marbled Murrelet Surveys off the Central California Coast

Since 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center has continued long-term at-sea surveys of federally threatened Marbled Murrelets in central California.
Learn More
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A dark grey and white bird ('ua'u) lies on the ground in a grassy area

Assessing Mammalian Predator Control to Protect Endangered Birds at Haleakalā National Park

USGS researchers assessed trends in non-native mammalian predator trapping methods designed to protect endangered ʻuaʻu and nēnē at Haleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Assessing Mammalian Predator Control to Protect Endangered Birds at Haleakalā National Park

USGS researchers assessed trends in non-native mammalian predator trapping methods designed to protect endangered ʻuaʻu and nēnē at Haleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi.
Learn More
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Figure showing Pacific coast, a wind turbine, and identifying 3 ways birds may be affected by wind turbines

Seabird Vulnerability Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects

In 2017, the Western Ecological Research Center's seabird studies team developed a framework for quantifying seabird species vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf portion of the California Current region. This tool supports marine resource-use planning by identifying sites where seabirds are most vulnerable and predicts how different species...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Seabird Vulnerability Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects

In 2017, the Western Ecological Research Center's seabird studies team developed a framework for quantifying seabird species vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf portion of the California Current region. This tool supports marine resource-use planning by identifying sites where seabirds are most vulnerable and predicts how different species...
Learn More
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An enormous rock in the ocean viewed from above, with the coast behind and sunlight on the water.

Aerial Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys

The Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is conducting aerial photographic surveys of the ocean off central and southern California to create comprehensive maps of seabird and marine mammal distributions. The project is supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and will inform planning in advance of potential offshore wind energy development along the...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Aerial Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys

The Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is conducting aerial photographic surveys of the ocean off central and southern California to create comprehensive maps of seabird and marine mammal distributions. The project is supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and will inform planning in advance of potential offshore wind energy development along the...
Learn More
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Brown booby with chick

Breeding Seabirds of the Main Hawaiian Islands

The seabird research team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is working with many partners to map the terrestrial and marine distributions of breeding seabirds of the main Hawaiian islands.
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Breeding Seabirds of the Main Hawaiian Islands

The seabird research team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is working with many partners to map the terrestrial and marine distributions of breeding seabirds of the main Hawaiian islands.
Learn More
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Ashy storm-petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) with metal identification band being held by a USGS researcher

Ashy Storm-Petrel Range and Colony Attendance Behavior

Together with Federal and non-profit partners, WERC's Josh Adams and team are using cutting-edge technology to study the range and colony attendance patterns of the Ashy Storm-Petrel, an elusive seabird native to offshore rocks and islands along the California coast. Their research informs management and conservation for this threatened seabird species.
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Ashy Storm-Petrel Range and Colony Attendance Behavior

Together with Federal and non-profit partners, WERC's Josh Adams and team are using cutting-edge technology to study the range and colony attendance patterns of the Ashy Storm-Petrel, an elusive seabird native to offshore rocks and islands along the California coast. Their research informs management and conservation for this threatened seabird species.
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USGS WERC scientist Emily (Emma) Kelsey doing seabird monitoring research on Prisoner Rock

Seabird Health and Adaptive Management

Dr. Josh Adams and his science team at WERC study seabird health and support adaptive management by quantifying abundance patterns and behaviors associated with habitats at sea, where seabirds spend the overwhelming majority of their lives. Adams’s team also employs conservation science to support resource managers on land, where seabirds are obligated to nest. His group provides scientific...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Seabird Health and Adaptive Management

Dr. Josh Adams and his science team at WERC study seabird health and support adaptive management by quantifying abundance patterns and behaviors associated with habitats at sea, where seabirds spend the overwhelming majority of their lives. Adams’s team also employs conservation science to support resource managers on land, where seabirds are obligated to nest. His group provides scientific...
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White-tailed Tropicbird flying

Seabird Ecology and Marine Planning

Seabirds are Department of the Interior (DOI) Trust Species and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act. To support science-based decision capacity and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) among U.S. Government resource managers, Dr. Josh Adams and the WERC seabird team have partnered with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...
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Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Seabird Ecology and Marine Planning

Seabirds are Department of the Interior (DOI) Trust Species and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act. To support science-based decision capacity and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) among U.S. Government resource managers, Dr. Josh Adams and the WERC seabird team have partnered with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...
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WERC Fisheries Database Info Photo

Pacific Coast Fisheries GIS Resource Database

Pacific Coast fisheries information is currently available only from wildlife agencies in disparate databases. To maximize the value of these data, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and U. S. Geological Survey have combined data from several of these sources into a single, comprehensive database. This gives resource managers a tool to easily extract species or...
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Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Pacific Coast Fisheries GIS Resource Database

Pacific Coast fisheries information is currently available only from wildlife agencies in disparate databases. To maximize the value of these data, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and U. S. Geological Survey have combined data from several of these sources into a single, comprehensive database. This gives resource managers a tool to easily extract species or...
Learn More
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Photo of scientist climbing an island off the coast of Big Sur

Santa Cruz Field Station

Scientists at the Santa Cruz Field Station study sea otters and seabirds in their environment. The USGS Western Ecological Research Center has two research missions based in the Santa Cruz region:
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Santa Cruz Field Station

Scientists at the Santa Cruz Field Station study sea otters and seabirds in their environment. The USGS Western Ecological Research Center has two research missions based in the Santa Cruz region:
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Digital Imagery Used for Aerial Counts for Surface-Nesting Seabirds at Lehua Island and Moku Manu Islet and Ulupa'u Crater, O'ahu in 2019

This data release is a product of Atlas of Breeding Seabirds of the Main Hawaiian Islands (https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/5fc0045cd34e4b9faad7ef37). Specific results and details about methods and additional information useful for interpreting these data can be found in the data series report: Adams, J., Kelsey, E.C., Stenske, J., and Felis, J.J., 2022, Aerial counts for surface-nesting s
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Annual Marbled Murrelet Abundance and Productivity Surveys Off Central California (Zone 6), 1999-2021 (ver. 4.0, May 2022)

Since 2017, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center (USGS WERC) partnered with California State Parks to continue long-term, annual at-sea surveys to estimate at-sea abundance and juvenile (i.e. hatch-year) productivity of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Zone 6 (central California: San Francisco Bay to Monterey Bay). Ma
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Catch-Per-Unit-Effort (CPUE), Banding, and Morphometric Data Collected During Nocturnal Mist-Netting Sessions to Evaluate Trends and Variability Among Storm-Petrels of the California Channel Islands (1994-2018)

Herein we provide a comprehensive database of storm-petrel (Oceanodroma spp.) morphometrics, banding, and associated mist-netting data collected within Channel Islands National Park (CHIS) from 1994 to 2018. The most abundant storm-petrel species in CHIS, the ashy storm-petrel (Hydrobates homochroa; ASSP), was the focal species in most mist-netting efforts, but data also were recorded for Leach's
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Population Estimates for Selected Breeding Seabirds at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauai, in 2019

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (KPNWR) is an important seabird breeding site located at the northeastern tip of Kauai in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). Despite the regional significance of KPNWR as one of the most important breeding sites for Red-tailed Tropicbirds (Phaethon rubricauda), Red-footed Boobies (Sula sula), and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna pacifica) in MHI, robust and ac
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

At-Sea Ranging Behavior of Seabirds Breeding in the Main Hawaiian Islands: Bio-logger Data Release (ver. 2.0, May 2020)

Due to recent interest in developing offshore wind energy infrastructure around the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) partnered with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from 2013-2016 to study breeding Hawaiian seabird distributions, habitat utilizations, and ranging behaviors within near-island and outer continental shelf w
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Trap records used to analyze trends in mammalian predator control trapping events intended to protect ground-nesting, endangered birds at Haleakal? National Park, Hawai'i (2000 - 2014)

Predation and habitat degradation by non-native species are principal terrestrial threats to the federally endangered Hawaiian Petrel ('ua'u, Pterodroma sandwichensis) and Hawaiian Goose (nene, Branta sandvicensis) within Haleakala National Park (HALE), Maui, Hawai'i. Since 1981, HALE has maintained a network of live-traps to control invasive mammalian predators and protect these endangered birds.
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Data for calculating population, collision and displacement vulnerability among marine birds of the California Current System associated with offshore wind energy infrastructure (ver. 2.0, June 2017)

The U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) was requested by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to create a database for marine birds that would allow quantification and species ranking regarding vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI). This was needed so that resource managers could evaluate potential impacts associated with siting and
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

At-Sea Distribution and Abundance of Seabirds and Marine Mammals off Southern California GIS Resource Database: Aerial seabird and marine mammal surveys off southern California, 1999-2002

Background - Interest in developing alternative sources of renewable energy to reduce dependence on oil has increased in recent years. Some sources of renewable energy being considered will include power generation infrastructure and support activities located within continental shelf waters, and potentially within deeper waters off the U.S. Pacific coast and beyond state waters (i.e., outside thr
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Pacific Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment (PaCSEA) GIS Resource Database

The USGS Western Ecological Research Center conducted seabird and marine mammal surveys for the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Region to inform future alternative energy planning, development, and management in the northern California Current System (CCS). \r\n\r\nNamed the Pacific Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment (PaCSEA), the primary surve
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby for the Palmyra Blue Water project.

Learn more:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby for the Palmyra Blue Water project.

Learn more:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Underwater view of a reef manta ray
Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll
Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll
Underwater view of a reef manta ray

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta rays were one of 10 pelagic species tagged in a new effort to understand marine habitat use and the functionality of the large "blue water" marine protected area surrounding Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef in the central eastern Pacific Ocean.

Learn more:

By
Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Underwater view of a reef manta ray

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta rays were one of 10 pelagic species tagged in a new effort to understand marine habitat use and the functionality of the large "blue water" marine protected area surrounding Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef in the central eastern Pacific Ocean.

Learn more:

By
Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll.

Learn more about research at Palmyra Atoll:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll.

Learn more about research at Palmyra Atoll:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Filter Total Items: 55

Carotenoid skin ornaments as flexible indicators of male foraging behavior in a marine predator: Variation among Mexican colonies of brown booby (Sula leucogaster)

Carotenoid-dependent ornaments can reflect animals’ diet and foraging behaviors. However, this association should be spatially flexible and variable among populations to account for geographic variation in optimal foraging behaviors. We tested this hypothesis using populations of a marine predator (the brown booby, Sula leucogaster) that forage across a gradient in ocean depth in and near the Gulf
Authors
Nathan P. Michael, Roxana Torres, Andreanna J. Welch, Jonathan J. Felis, Mario Erandi Bonillas-Monge, Josh Adams, Samantha Hodgson, Laura Lopez-Marques, Alejadro Martínez-Flores, Gala Enidh Castro-Mejias, Anne E. Wiley
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Are threatened seabird colonies of the pacific ocean genetically vulnerable? The case of the red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, as a model species

Oceanic seabirds have suffered population declines and extirpations due to human disturbance and still face multiple threats. Here, we assessed the potential genetic vulnerability of the red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, a seabird species threatened by human disturbance and listed as ‘least concern’ by the IUCN. Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) we evaluated the genetic popula
Authors
Andrea I. Varela, Katherina Brokordt, Juliana A. Vianna, María José Frugone, Stefanie M.H. Ismar-Rebitz, Chris P. Gaskin, Nicholas Carlile, Terence O'Dwyer, Josh Adams, Eric A. Vanderwerf, Guillermo Luna-Jorquera
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Predicted distribution of ‘ua‘u (Hawaiian petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis) nest sites on Haleakalā, Maui

Haleakalā National Park and montane areas on east Maui, Hawaiian Archipelago, support critical nesting habitat for endangered ‘ua‘u Hawaiian petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis. Habitat loss, non-native predators, and damage by feral ungulates are limiting factors for ground-nesting petrels at Haleakalā and throughout Hawai‘i. Because nesting habitats differ among the Hawaiian Islands, habitat distrib
Authors
Josh Adams, Jonathan J. Felis, Robert C. Klinger, Emily C. Kelsey, Joy Tamayose, Raina Kaholoa'a, Cathleen Natividad Bailey, Jay F. Penniman, Jennifer Learned, Ciara Ganter, John Medeiros, Huisheng Chen
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Status, trend, and monitoring effectiveness of Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) at sea abundance and reproductive output off central California, 1999–2021

Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) have been listed as “endangered” by the State of California and “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1992 in California, Oregon, and Washington. Information regarding murrelet abundance, distribution, and habitat associations is critical for risk assessment, effective management, evaluation of conservation efficacy, and ultimately, t
Authors
Jonathan Felis, Josh Adams, Benjamin H. Becker
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Global assessment of marine plastic exposure for oceanic birds

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during
Authors
Bethany L. Clark, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Elizabeth J. Pearmin, Marie-Morgane Rouyer, Thomas A Clay, Win Cowger, Richard A. Phillips, Andrea Manica, Carolina Hazin, Marcus Eriksen, Jacob González-Solís, Josh Adams, Yuri V. Albores-Barajas, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Maria Saldhanha Alho, Deusa Teixeira Araujo, José Manuel Arcos, John P. Y. Arnould, Nadito J. P. Barbosa, Christophe Barbraud, Annalea M. Beard, Jessie Beck, Elizabeth Bell, Della G. Bennet, Maud Berlincourt, Manuel Biscoito, Oskar K. Bjørnstad, Mark Bolton, Katherine A. Booth Jones, John J. Borg, Karen Bourgeois, Vincent Bretagnolle, Joël Bried, James V. Briskie, M. de L. Brooke, Katherine C. Brownlie, Leandro Bugoni, Licia Calabrese, Letizia Campioni, Mark J. Carey, Ryan D. Carle, Nicholas Carlile, Ana R. Carreiro, Paulo Catry, Teresa Catry, Jacopo G. Cecere, Filipe R. Ceia, Yves Cherel, Chang-Yong Choi, Marco Cianchetti-Benedetti, Rohan H. Clarke, Jaimie Cleeland, Valentina Colodro, Bradley C. Congdon, Jóhannis Danielsen, Federico De Pascalis, Zoe Deakin, Nina Dehnhard, Giacomo Dell’Omo, Karine Delord, Sébastien Descamps, Ben J. Dilley, Herculano A. Dinis, Jerome Dubos, Brendon J. Dunphy, Louise M. Emmerson, Ana Isabel Fagundes, Annette L. Fayet, Jonathan J. Felis, Johannes H. Fischer, Amanda Freeman, Aymeric Fromant, Giorgia Gaibani, David García, Carina Gjerdrum, Ivandra Soeli Gonçalves Correia Gomes, Manuela G. Forero, José Pedro Granadeiro, W. James Grecian, David Grémillet, Tim Guilford, Gunnar Thor Hallgrimsson, Luke R. Halpin, Erpur Snær Hansen, April Hedd, Morten Helberg, Halfdan H. Helgason, Leeann M. Henry, Hannah F. R. Hereward, Marcos Hernandez-Montero, Mark A. Hindell, Peter J. Hodum, Simona Imperio, Audrey Jaeger, Mark Jessopp, Patrick Jodice, Carl G. Jones, Christopher W. Jones, Jón Einar Jónsson, Adam Kane, Sven Kapelj, Yuna Kim, Holly Kirk, Yann Kolbeinsson, Philipp L. Kraemer, Lucas Krüger, Paulo Lago, Todd J. Landers, Jennifer L. Lavers, Matthieu Le Corre, Andreia Leal, Maite Louzao, Jeremy Madeiros, Maria Magalhães, Mark L. Mallory, Juan F. Masello, Bruno Massa, Sakiko Matsumoto, Fiona McDuie, Laura McFarlane Tranquilla, Fernando Medrano, Benjamin J. Metzger, Teresa Militão, William A. Montevecchi, Rosalinda C. Montone, Leia Navarro-Herrero, Verónica C. Neves, David G. Nicholls, Malcolm A. C. Nicoll, Ken Norris, Steffen Oppel, Daniel Oro, Ellie Owen, Oliver Padget, Vítor H. Paiva, David Pala, Jorge M. Pereira, Clara Péron, Maria V. Petry, Admilton de Pina, Ariete T. Moreira Pina, Patrick Pinet, Pierre A. Pistorius, Ingrid L. Pollet, Benjamin J. Porter, Timothée A. Poupart, Christopher D. L. Powell, Carolina B. Proaño, Júlia Pujol-Casado, Petra Quillfeldt, John L. Quinn, Andre F. Raine, Helen Raine, Iván Ramírez, Jaime A. Ramos, Raül Ramos, Andreas Ravache, Matt J. Rayner, Timothy A. Reid, Gregory J. Robertson, Gerard J. Rocamora, Dominic P. Rollinson, Robert A. Ronconi, Andreu Rotger, Diego Rubolini, Kevin Ruhomaun, Asunción Ruiz, James C. Russell, Peter G. Ryan, Sarah Saldanha, Ana Sanz-Aguilar, Mariona Sardà-Serra, Yvan G. Satgé, Katsufumi Sato, Wiebke C. Schäfer, Stefan Schoombie, Scott A. Shaffer, Nirmal Jivan Shah, Akiko Shoji, Dave Shutler, Ingvar A. Sigurðsson, Mónica C. Silva, Alison E. Small, Cecilia Soldatini, Hallvard Strøm, Christopher A. Surman, Akinori Takahashi, Vikash R. V. Tatayah, Graeme A. Taylor, Robert J. Thomas, David R. Thompson, Paul M. Thompson, Thorkell L. Thórarinsson, Diego Vicente-Sastre, Eric Vidal, Ewan D. Wakefield, Susan M. Waugh, Henri Weimerskirch, Heiko U. Wittmer, Takashi Yamamoto, Ken Yoda, Carlos B. Zavalaga, Francis J. Zino, Maria P. Dias
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Framework for assessing and mitigating the impacts of offshore wind energy development on marine birds

Offshore wind energy development (OWED) is rapidly expanding globally and has the potential to contribute significantly to renewable energy portfolios. However, development of infrastructure in the marine environment presents risks to wildlife. Marine birds in particular have life history traits that amplify population impacts from displacement and collision with offshore wind infrastructure. Here
Authors
Donald A Croll, Aspen A Ellis, Josh Adams, Aonghais S. C. P. Cook, Stefan Garthe, Morgan Wing Goodale, C. Scott Hall, Elliott L. Hazen, Bradford S. Keitt, Emily C. Kelsey, Jeffery B Leirness, Don E Lyons, Matthew W. McKown, Astrid Potiek, Kate R Searle, Floor H. Soudjin, R. Cotton Rockwood, Bernie R. Tershy, Martin Tinker, Eric A. Vanderwerf, Kathryn A Williams, Lindsay C. Young, Kelly Zilliacus
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Laysan albatross exhibit complex behavioral plasticity in the subtropical and subarctic North Pacific Ocean

Animals that regularly traverse habitat extremes between the subtropics and subarctic are expected to exhibit foraging behaviors that respond to changes in dynamic ocean habitats, and these behaviors may facilitate adaptations to novel and changing climates. During the chick-provisioning stage, Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis parents regularly undertake short- and long-distance foraging t
Authors
Morgan Elizabeth Gilmour, Jonathan J. Felis, Michelle M. Hester, Lindsay C. Young, Josh Adams
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Aerial counts for surface-nesting seabirds at Lehua Island and Moku Manu Islet and Ulupaʻu Crater, Oʻahu, in 2019

Among important seabird breeding sites in the main Hawaiian Islands, Lehua Island offshore Niʻihau and Moku Manu Islets offshore Oʻahu support diverse and abundant seabird breeding populations. Both offshore islands provide excellent nesting habitat for surface-nesting boobies (Sula spp.) and terns but, of the two, only Moku Manu supports relatively large breeding populations of Sooty Tern (Onycho
Authors
Josh Adams, Emily C. Kelsey, Jennilyn Stenske, Jonathan J. Felis
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Abundance and productivity of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) off central California during the 2020 and 2021 breeding seasons

Marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) have been listed as “endangered” by the State of California and “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1992 in California, Oregon, and Washington. Information regarding marbled murrelet abundance, distribution, population trends, and habitat associations is critical for risk assessment, effective management, evaluation of conservation
Authors
Jonathan J. Felis, Josh Adams, Cheryl Horton, Emily C. Kelsey, Laney M. White
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Pink-footed Shearwater Ardenna creatopus

The Pink-footed Shearwater’s life history is tied to the Humboldt and California upwelling currents in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. It is larger than other shearwaters in its range, other than Flesh-footed Shearwater Ardenna carneipes. It is also distinct in appearance with pinkish bill and feet, pale underparts, and brown to grayish upperparts. It is known to breed on the Juan Fernández Islands and
Authors
Ryan D. Carle, Valentina Colodro, Jonathan J. Felis, Josh Adams, Peter J. Hodum
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Evaluation of MPA designs that protect highly mobile megafauna now and under climate change scenarios

Marine protected area (MPA) designs, including large-scale MPAs (LSMPAs; >150,000 km2), mobile MPAs (fluid spatiotemporal boundaries), and MPA networks, may offer different benefits to species and could enhance protection by encompassing spatiotemporal scales of animal movement. We sought to understand how well LSMPAs could benefit nine highly-mobile marine species in the tropics now and into the
Authors
Morgan Elizabeth Gilmour, Josh Adams, Barbara A. Block, Jennifer E. Caselle, A. M. Friedlander, Edward T. Game, E. L. Hazen, Nick D. Holmes, Kevin D. Lafferty, S. M. Maxwell, Douglas J. McCauley, E. M. Oleson, Kenneth H. Pollock, S. A. Shaffer, N. H. Wolff, Alex Wegmann
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Marine distribution and foraging habitat highlight potential threats at sea for Endangered Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow

Marine spatial planning relies on detailed spatial information of marine areas to ensure effective conservation of species. To enhance our understanding of marine habitat use by the highly pelagic Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow, we deployed GPS tags on 6 chick-rearing adults in April 2019 and constructed a habitat suitability model using locations classified as foraging to explore functional resp
Authors
André F Raine, Carina Gjerdrum, Isabeau Pratte, Jeremy Madeiros, Jonathan J. Felis, Josh Adams
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
USGS Scientists are Authors on New Framework for Seabirds and Offshore Wind Energy

USGS Scientists are Authors on New Framework for Seabirds and Offshore Wind Energy

Scientists from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) are authors on a new framework for addressing the impacts of offshore wind farms on...

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In Blue Water: Tracking Animals in the Open Ocean

In Blue Water: Tracking Animals in the Open Ocean

Scientists are attaching tracking tags to marine animals at Palmyra Atoll to learn how marine protected areas can best serve diverse species. 

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12 Days of Conifers: Where the Forest Meets the Sea: Seabirds, Conifers, and Wildfire

12 Days of Conifers: Where the Forest Meets the Sea: Seabirds, Conifers, and Wildfire

It’s Day 12 of 12 Days Of Conifers and today we feature a tale of land and sea, involving two conifers and the little seabird that nests in their...

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WERC Scientists Combine Bird Calls and Artificial Intelligence to Keep Tabs on the Elusive Ashy-Storm Petrel (Audubon magazine)

WERC Scientists Combine Bird Calls and Artificial Intelligence to Keep Tabs on the Elusive Ashy-Storm Petrel (Audubon magazine)

CALIFORNIA COAST – Artificial intelligence and acoustic sensors help scientists monitor seabirds

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A Day in the Life of a WERC Seabird Scientist

A Day in the Life of a WERC Seabird Scientist

In the featured photo, WERC scientists search for potential nesting habitat of seabirds like the Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) on False...

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Seabirds Recolonize Channel Islands, 100 Years Later

Seabirds Recolonize Channel Islands, 100 Years Later

The California common murre (Uria aalge californica) is a football-sized seabird with the tuxedo colors of penguins — except it can both fly in the...

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Aerial view of five gulls, with grey backs and wings and white heads and tails, flying over the ocean

Birds, Bats, and Beyond: Networked Wildlife Tracking in the Southern California Bight

Seabird and bat researchers from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center are teaming up to study how flying animals move through the marine environment. This Bureau of Ocean Energy Management supported project will add 25 remote telemetry stations to the existing global Motus Wildlife Tracking System, representing the largest single investment in coastal and offshore Motus infrastructure on...
By
Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Birds, Bats, and Beyond: Networked Wildlife Tracking in the Southern California Bight

Seabird and bat researchers from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center are teaming up to study how flying animals move through the marine environment. This Bureau of Ocean Energy Management supported project will add 25 remote telemetry stations to the existing global Motus Wildlife Tracking System, representing the largest single investment in coastal and offshore Motus infrastructure on...
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Yellowfin tuna swimming at the sea surface near, splashing as they break the surface

Palmyra Blue Water Research

In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center will track the at-sea movements of eight marine animal species at Palmyra Atoll with the goal of understanding the impact of the marine protected areas on species and ecosystems. The project is supported in part by The Nature Conservancy and the team of collaborating researchers...
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Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Palmyra Blue Water Research

In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, the Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center will track the at-sea movements of eight marine animal species at Palmyra Atoll with the goal of understanding the impact of the marine protected areas on species and ecosystems. The project is supported in part by The Nature Conservancy and the team of collaborating researchers...
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Three biologists on a boat look off to the left with binoculars

Marbled Murrelet Surveys off the Central California Coast

Since 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center has continued long-term at-sea surveys of federally threatened Marbled Murrelets in central California.
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Marbled Murrelet Surveys off the Central California Coast

Since 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center has continued long-term at-sea surveys of federally threatened Marbled Murrelets in central California.
Learn More
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A dark grey and white bird ('ua'u) lies on the ground in a grassy area

Assessing Mammalian Predator Control to Protect Endangered Birds at Haleakalā National Park

USGS researchers assessed trends in non-native mammalian predator trapping methods designed to protect endangered ʻuaʻu and nēnē at Haleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Assessing Mammalian Predator Control to Protect Endangered Birds at Haleakalā National Park

USGS researchers assessed trends in non-native mammalian predator trapping methods designed to protect endangered ʻuaʻu and nēnē at Haleakalā National Park, Hawaiʻi.
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Figure showing Pacific coast, a wind turbine, and identifying 3 ways birds may be affected by wind turbines

Seabird Vulnerability Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects

In 2017, the Western Ecological Research Center's seabird studies team developed a framework for quantifying seabird species vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf portion of the California Current region. This tool supports marine resource-use planning by identifying sites where seabirds are most vulnerable and predicts how different species...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Seabird Vulnerability Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects

In 2017, the Western Ecological Research Center's seabird studies team developed a framework for quantifying seabird species vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf portion of the California Current region. This tool supports marine resource-use planning by identifying sites where seabirds are most vulnerable and predicts how different species...
Learn More
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An enormous rock in the ocean viewed from above, with the coast behind and sunlight on the water.

Aerial Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys

The Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is conducting aerial photographic surveys of the ocean off central and southern California to create comprehensive maps of seabird and marine mammal distributions. The project is supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and will inform planning in advance of potential offshore wind energy development along the...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Aerial Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys

The Seabird Studies Team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is conducting aerial photographic surveys of the ocean off central and southern California to create comprehensive maps of seabird and marine mammal distributions. The project is supported by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and will inform planning in advance of potential offshore wind energy development along the...
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Brown booby with chick

Breeding Seabirds of the Main Hawaiian Islands

The seabird research team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is working with many partners to map the terrestrial and marine distributions of breeding seabirds of the main Hawaiian islands.
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Breeding Seabirds of the Main Hawaiian Islands

The seabird research team at the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is working with many partners to map the terrestrial and marine distributions of breeding seabirds of the main Hawaiian islands.
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Ashy storm-petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) with metal identification band being held by a USGS researcher

Ashy Storm-Petrel Range and Colony Attendance Behavior

Together with Federal and non-profit partners, WERC's Josh Adams and team are using cutting-edge technology to study the range and colony attendance patterns of the Ashy Storm-Petrel, an elusive seabird native to offshore rocks and islands along the California coast. Their research informs management and conservation for this threatened seabird species.
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Ashy Storm-Petrel Range and Colony Attendance Behavior

Together with Federal and non-profit partners, WERC's Josh Adams and team are using cutting-edge technology to study the range and colony attendance patterns of the Ashy Storm-Petrel, an elusive seabird native to offshore rocks and islands along the California coast. Their research informs management and conservation for this threatened seabird species.
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USGS WERC scientist Emily (Emma) Kelsey doing seabird monitoring research on Prisoner Rock

Seabird Health and Adaptive Management

Dr. Josh Adams and his science team at WERC study seabird health and support adaptive management by quantifying abundance patterns and behaviors associated with habitats at sea, where seabirds spend the overwhelming majority of their lives. Adams’s team also employs conservation science to support resource managers on land, where seabirds are obligated to nest. His group provides scientific...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Seabird Health and Adaptive Management

Dr. Josh Adams and his science team at WERC study seabird health and support adaptive management by quantifying abundance patterns and behaviors associated with habitats at sea, where seabirds spend the overwhelming majority of their lives. Adams’s team also employs conservation science to support resource managers on land, where seabirds are obligated to nest. His group provides scientific...
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White-tailed Tropicbird flying

Seabird Ecology and Marine Planning

Seabirds are Department of the Interior (DOI) Trust Species and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act. To support science-based decision capacity and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) among U.S. Government resource managers, Dr. Josh Adams and the WERC seabird team have partnered with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...
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Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Seabird Ecology and Marine Planning

Seabirds are Department of the Interior (DOI) Trust Species and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act. To support science-based decision capacity and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) among U.S. Government resource managers, Dr. Josh Adams and the WERC seabird team have partnered with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service...
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WERC Fisheries Database Info Photo

Pacific Coast Fisheries GIS Resource Database

Pacific Coast fisheries information is currently available only from wildlife agencies in disparate databases. To maximize the value of these data, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and U. S. Geological Survey have combined data from several of these sources into a single, comprehensive database. This gives resource managers a tool to easily extract species or...
By
Species Management Research Program, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Pacific Coast Fisheries GIS Resource Database

Pacific Coast fisheries information is currently available only from wildlife agencies in disparate databases. To maximize the value of these data, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement and U. S. Geological Survey have combined data from several of these sources into a single, comprehensive database. This gives resource managers a tool to easily extract species or...
Learn More
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Photo of scientist climbing an island off the coast of Big Sur

Santa Cruz Field Station

Scientists at the Santa Cruz Field Station study sea otters and seabirds in their environment. The USGS Western Ecological Research Center has two research missions based in the Santa Cruz region:
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Santa Cruz Field Station

Scientists at the Santa Cruz Field Station study sea otters and seabirds in their environment. The USGS Western Ecological Research Center has two research missions based in the Santa Cruz region:
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Digital Imagery Used for Aerial Counts for Surface-Nesting Seabirds at Lehua Island and Moku Manu Islet and Ulupa'u Crater, O'ahu in 2019

This data release is a product of Atlas of Breeding Seabirds of the Main Hawaiian Islands (https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/5fc0045cd34e4b9faad7ef37). Specific results and details about methods and additional information useful for interpreting these data can be found in the data series report: Adams, J., Kelsey, E.C., Stenske, J., and Felis, J.J., 2022, Aerial counts for surface-nesting s
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Annual Marbled Murrelet Abundance and Productivity Surveys Off Central California (Zone 6), 1999-2021 (ver. 4.0, May 2022)

Since 2017, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center (USGS WERC) partnered with California State Parks to continue long-term, annual at-sea surveys to estimate at-sea abundance and juvenile (i.e. hatch-year) productivity of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Zone 6 (central California: San Francisco Bay to Monterey Bay). Ma
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Catch-Per-Unit-Effort (CPUE), Banding, and Morphometric Data Collected During Nocturnal Mist-Netting Sessions to Evaluate Trends and Variability Among Storm-Petrels of the California Channel Islands (1994-2018)

Herein we provide a comprehensive database of storm-petrel (Oceanodroma spp.) morphometrics, banding, and associated mist-netting data collected within Channel Islands National Park (CHIS) from 1994 to 2018. The most abundant storm-petrel species in CHIS, the ashy storm-petrel (Hydrobates homochroa; ASSP), was the focal species in most mist-netting efforts, but data also were recorded for Leach's
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Population Estimates for Selected Breeding Seabirds at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauai, in 2019

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (KPNWR) is an important seabird breeding site located at the northeastern tip of Kauai in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). Despite the regional significance of KPNWR as one of the most important breeding sites for Red-tailed Tropicbirds (Phaethon rubricauda), Red-footed Boobies (Sula sula), and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna pacifica) in MHI, robust and ac
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

At-Sea Ranging Behavior of Seabirds Breeding in the Main Hawaiian Islands: Bio-logger Data Release (ver. 2.0, May 2020)

Due to recent interest in developing offshore wind energy infrastructure around the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) partnered with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) from 2013-2016 to study breeding Hawaiian seabird distributions, habitat utilizations, and ranging behaviors within near-island and outer continental shelf w
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Trap records used to analyze trends in mammalian predator control trapping events intended to protect ground-nesting, endangered birds at Haleakal? National Park, Hawai'i (2000 - 2014)

Predation and habitat degradation by non-native species are principal terrestrial threats to the federally endangered Hawaiian Petrel ('ua'u, Pterodroma sandwichensis) and Hawaiian Goose (nene, Branta sandvicensis) within Haleakala National Park (HALE), Maui, Hawai'i. Since 1981, HALE has maintained a network of live-traps to control invasive mammalian predators and protect these endangered birds.
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Data for calculating population, collision and displacement vulnerability among marine birds of the California Current System associated with offshore wind energy infrastructure (ver. 2.0, June 2017)

The U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) was requested by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to create a database for marine birds that would allow quantification and species ranking regarding vulnerability to offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI). This was needed so that resource managers could evaluate potential impacts associated with siting and
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

At-Sea Distribution and Abundance of Seabirds and Marine Mammals off Southern California GIS Resource Database: Aerial seabird and marine mammal surveys off southern California, 1999-2002

Background - Interest in developing alternative sources of renewable energy to reduce dependence on oil has increased in recent years. Some sources of renewable energy being considered will include power generation infrastructure and support activities located within continental shelf waters, and potentially within deeper waters off the U.S. Pacific coast and beyond state waters (i.e., outside thr
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Pacific Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment (PaCSEA) GIS Resource Database

The USGS Western Ecological Research Center conducted seabird and marine mammal surveys for the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Region to inform future alternative energy planning, development, and management in the northern California Current System (CCS). \r\n\r\nNamed the Pacific Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment (PaCSEA), the primary surve
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby for the Palmyra Blue Water project.

Learn more:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby

Biologists measure the bill length of a GPS-tagged Red-footed Booby for the Palmyra Blue Water project.

Learn more:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Underwater view of a reef manta ray
Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll
Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll
Underwater view of a reef manta ray

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta rays were one of 10 pelagic species tagged in a new effort to understand marine habitat use and the functionality of the large "blue water" marine protected area surrounding Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef in the central eastern Pacific Ocean.

Learn more:

By
Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Underwater view of a reef manta ray

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta ray at Palmyra Atoll

Reef manta rays were one of 10 pelagic species tagged in a new effort to understand marine habitat use and the functionality of the large "blue water" marine protected area surrounding Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef in the central eastern Pacific Ocean.

Learn more:

By
Ecosystems, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll.

Learn more about research at Palmyra Atoll:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll

Sunset over the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll.

Learn more about research at Palmyra Atoll:

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/werc/science/palmyra-blue-water-research

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Filter Total Items: 55

Carotenoid skin ornaments as flexible indicators of male foraging behavior in a marine predator: Variation among Mexican colonies of brown booby (Sula leucogaster)

Carotenoid-dependent ornaments can reflect animals’ diet and foraging behaviors. However, this association should be spatially flexible and variable among populations to account for geographic variation in optimal foraging behaviors. We tested this hypothesis using populations of a marine predator (the brown booby, Sula leucogaster) that forage across a gradient in ocean depth in and near the Gulf
Authors
Nathan P. Michael, Roxana Torres, Andreanna J. Welch, Jonathan J. Felis, Mario Erandi Bonillas-Monge, Josh Adams, Samantha Hodgson, Laura Lopez-Marques, Alejadro Martínez-Flores, Gala Enidh Castro-Mejias, Anne E. Wiley
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Are threatened seabird colonies of the pacific ocean genetically vulnerable? The case of the red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, as a model species

Oceanic seabirds have suffered population declines and extirpations due to human disturbance and still face multiple threats. Here, we assessed the potential genetic vulnerability of the red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, a seabird species threatened by human disturbance and listed as ‘least concern’ by the IUCN. Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) we evaluated the genetic popula
Authors
Andrea I. Varela, Katherina Brokordt, Juliana A. Vianna, María José Frugone, Stefanie M.H. Ismar-Rebitz, Chris P. Gaskin, Nicholas Carlile, Terence O'Dwyer, Josh Adams, Eric A. Vanderwerf, Guillermo Luna-Jorquera
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Predicted distribution of ‘ua‘u (Hawaiian petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis) nest sites on Haleakalā, Maui

Haleakalā National Park and montane areas on east Maui, Hawaiian Archipelago, support critical nesting habitat for endangered ‘ua‘u Hawaiian petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis. Habitat loss, non-native predators, and damage by feral ungulates are limiting factors for ground-nesting petrels at Haleakalā and throughout Hawai‘i. Because nesting habitats differ among the Hawaiian Islands, habitat distrib
Authors
Josh Adams, Jonathan J. Felis, Robert C. Klinger, Emily C. Kelsey, Joy Tamayose, Raina Kaholoa'a, Cathleen Natividad Bailey, Jay F. Penniman, Jennifer Learned, Ciara Ganter, John Medeiros, Huisheng Chen
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Status, trend, and monitoring effectiveness of Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) at sea abundance and reproductive output off central California, 1999–2021

Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) have been listed as “endangered” by the State of California and “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1992 in California, Oregon, and Washington. Information regarding murrelet abundance, distribution, and habitat associations is critical for risk assessment, effective management, evaluation of conservation efficacy, and ultimately, t
Authors
Jonathan Felis, Josh Adams, Benjamin H. Becker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Global assessment of marine plastic exposure for oceanic birds

Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during
Authors
Bethany L. Clark, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Elizabeth J. Pearmin, Marie-Morgane Rouyer, Thomas A Clay, Win Cowger, Richard A. Phillips, Andrea Manica, Carolina Hazin, Marcus Eriksen, Jacob González-Solís, Josh Adams, Yuri V. Albores-Barajas, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Maria Saldhanha Alho, Deusa Teixeira Araujo, José Manuel Arcos, John P. Y. Arnould, Nadito J. P. Barbosa, Christophe Barbraud, Annalea M. Beard, Jessie Beck, Elizabeth Bell, Della G. Bennet, Maud Berlincourt, Manuel Biscoito, Oskar K. Bjørnstad, Mark Bolton, Katherine A. Booth Jones, John J. Borg, Karen Bourgeois, Vincent Bretagnolle, Joël Bried, James V. Briskie, M. de L. Brooke, Katherine C. Brownlie, Leandro Bugoni, Licia Calabrese, Letizia Campioni, Mark J. Carey, Ryan D. Carle, Nicholas Carlile, Ana R. Carreiro, Paulo Catry, Teresa Catry, Jacopo G. Cecere, Filipe R. Ceia, Yves Cherel, Chang-Yong Choi, Marco Cianchetti-Benedetti, Rohan H. Clarke, Jaimie Cleeland, Valentina Colodro, Bradley C. Congdon, Jóhannis Danielsen, Federico De Pascalis, Zoe Deakin, Nina Dehnhard, Giacomo Dell’Omo, Karine Delord, Sébastien Descamps, Ben J. Dilley, Herculano A. Dinis, Jerome Dubos, Brendon J. Dunphy, Louise M. Emmerson, Ana Isabel Fagundes, Annette L. Fayet, Jonathan J. Felis, Johannes H. Fischer, Amanda Freeman, Aymeric Fromant, Giorgia Gaibani, David García, Carina Gjerdrum, Ivandra Soeli Gonçalves Correia Gomes, Manuela G. Forero, José Pedro Granadeiro, W. James Grecian, David Grémillet, Tim Guilford, Gunnar Thor Hallgrimsson, Luke R. Halpin, Erpur Snær Hansen, April Hedd, Morten Helberg, Halfdan H. Helgason, Leeann M. Henry, Hannah F. R. Hereward, Marcos Hernandez-Montero, Mark A. Hindell, Peter J. Hodum, Simona Imperio, Audrey Jaeger, Mark Jessopp, Patrick Jodice, Carl G. Jones, Christopher W. Jones, Jón Einar Jónsson, Adam Kane, Sven Kapelj, Yuna Kim, Holly Kirk, Yann Kolbeinsson, Philipp L. Kraemer, Lucas Krüger, Paulo Lago, Todd J. Landers, Jennifer L. Lavers, Matthieu Le Corre, Andreia Leal, Maite Louzao, Jeremy Madeiros, Maria Magalhães, Mark L. Mallory, Juan F. Masello, Bruno Massa, Sakiko Matsumoto, Fiona McDuie, Laura McFarlane Tranquilla, Fernando Medrano, Benjamin J. Metzger, Teresa Militão, William A. Montevecchi, Rosalinda C. Montone, Leia Navarro-Herrero, Verónica C. Neves, David G. Nicholls, Malcolm A. C. Nicoll, Ken Norris, Steffen Oppel, Daniel Oro, Ellie Owen, Oliver Padget, Vítor H. Paiva, David Pala, Jorge M. Pereira, Clara Péron, Maria V. Petry, Admilton de Pina, Ariete T. Moreira Pina, Patrick Pinet, Pierre A. Pistorius, Ingrid L. Pollet, Benjamin J. Porter, Timothée A. Poupart, Christopher D. L. Powell, Carolina B. Proaño, Júlia Pujol-Casado, Petra Quillfeldt, John L. Quinn, Andre F. Raine, Helen Raine, Iván Ramírez, Jaime A. Ramos, Raül Ramos, Andreas Ravache, Matt J. Rayner, Timothy A. Reid, Gregory J. Robertson, Gerard J. Rocamora, Dominic P. Rollinson, Robert A. Ronconi, Andreu Rotger, Diego Rubolini, Kevin Ruhomaun, Asunción Ruiz, James C. Russell, Peter G. Ryan, Sarah Saldanha, Ana Sanz-Aguilar, Mariona Sardà-Serra, Yvan G. Satgé, Katsufumi Sato, Wiebke C. Schäfer, Stefan Schoombie, Scott A. Shaffer, Nirmal Jivan Shah, Akiko Shoji, Dave Shutler, Ingvar A. Sigurðsson, Mónica C. Silva, Alison E. Small, Cecilia Soldatini, Hallvard Strøm, Christopher A. Surman, Akinori Takahashi, Vikash R. V. Tatayah, Graeme A. Taylor, Robert J. Thomas, David R. Thompson, Paul M. Thompson, Thorkell L. Thórarinsson, Diego Vicente-Sastre, Eric Vidal, Ewan D. Wakefield, Susan M. Waugh, Henri Weimerskirch, Heiko U. Wittmer, Takashi Yamamoto, Ken Yoda, Carlos B. Zavalaga, Francis J. Zino, Maria P. Dias
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Framework for assessing and mitigating the impacts of offshore wind energy development on marine birds

Offshore wind energy development (OWED) is rapidly expanding globally and has the potential to contribute significantly to renewable energy portfolios. However, development of infrastructure in the marine environment presents risks to wildlife. Marine birds in particular have life history traits that amplify population impacts from displacement and collision with offshore wind infrastructure. Here
Authors
Donald A Croll, Aspen A Ellis, Josh Adams, Aonghais S. C. P. Cook, Stefan Garthe, Morgan Wing Goodale, C. Scott Hall, Elliott L. Hazen, Bradford S. Keitt, Emily C. Kelsey, Jeffery B Leirness, Don E Lyons, Matthew W. McKown, Astrid Potiek, Kate R Searle, Floor H. Soudjin, R. Cotton Rockwood, Bernie R. Tershy, Martin Tinker, Eric A. Vanderwerf, Kathryn A Williams, Lindsay C. Young, Kelly Zilliacus
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Laysan albatross exhibit complex behavioral plasticity in the subtropical and subarctic North Pacific Ocean

Animals that regularly traverse habitat extremes between the subtropics and subarctic are expected to exhibit foraging behaviors that respond to changes in dynamic ocean habitats, and these behaviors may facilitate adaptations to novel and changing climates. During the chick-provisioning stage, Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis parents regularly undertake short- and long-distance foraging t
Authors
Morgan Elizabeth Gilmour, Jonathan J. Felis, Michelle M. Hester, Lindsay C. Young, Josh Adams
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Aerial counts for surface-nesting seabirds at Lehua Island and Moku Manu Islet and Ulupaʻu Crater, Oʻahu, in 2019

Among important seabird breeding sites in the main Hawaiian Islands, Lehua Island offshore Niʻihau and Moku Manu Islets offshore Oʻahu support diverse and abundant seabird breeding populations. Both offshore islands provide excellent nesting habitat for surface-nesting boobies (Sula spp.) and terns but, of the two, only Moku Manu supports relatively large breeding populations of Sooty Tern (Onycho
Authors
Josh Adams, Emily C. Kelsey, Jennilyn Stenske, Jonathan J. Felis
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Abundance and productivity of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) off central California during the 2020 and 2021 breeding seasons

Marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) have been listed as “endangered” by the State of California and “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1992 in California, Oregon, and Washington. Information regarding marbled murrelet abundance, distribution, population trends, and habitat associations is critical for risk assessment, effective management, evaluation of conservation
Authors
Jonathan J. Felis, Josh Adams, Cheryl Horton, Emily C. Kelsey, Laney M. White
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Pink-footed Shearwater Ardenna creatopus

The Pink-footed Shearwater’s life history is tied to the Humboldt and California upwelling currents in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. It is larger than other shearwaters in its range, other than Flesh-footed Shearwater Ardenna carneipes. It is also distinct in appearance with pinkish bill and feet, pale underparts, and brown to grayish upperparts. It is known to breed on the Juan Fernández Islands and
Authors
Ryan D. Carle, Valentina Colodro, Jonathan J. Felis, Josh Adams, Peter J. Hodum
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Evaluation of MPA designs that protect highly mobile megafauna now and under climate change scenarios

Marine protected area (MPA) designs, including large-scale MPAs (LSMPAs; >150,000 km2), mobile MPAs (fluid spatiotemporal boundaries), and MPA networks, may offer different benefits to species and could enhance protection by encompassing spatiotemporal scales of animal movement. We sought to understand how well LSMPAs could benefit nine highly-mobile marine species in the tropics now and into the
Authors
Morgan Elizabeth Gilmour, Josh Adams, Barbara A. Block, Jennifer E. Caselle, A. M. Friedlander, Edward T. Game, E. L. Hazen, Nick D. Holmes, Kevin D. Lafferty, S. M. Maxwell, Douglas J. McCauley, E. M. Oleson, Kenneth H. Pollock, S. A. Shaffer, N. H. Wolff, Alex Wegmann
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Marine distribution and foraging habitat highlight potential threats at sea for Endangered Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow

Marine spatial planning relies on detailed spatial information of marine areas to ensure effective conservation of species. To enhance our understanding of marine habitat use by the highly pelagic Bermuda petrel Pterodroma cahow, we deployed GPS tags on 6 chick-rearing adults in April 2019 and constructed a habitat suitability model using locations classified as foraging to explore functional resp
Authors
André F Raine, Carina Gjerdrum, Isabeau Pratte, Jeremy Madeiros, Jonathan J. Felis, Josh Adams
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
USGS Scientists are Authors on New Framework for Seabirds and Offshore Wind Energy

USGS Scientists are Authors on New Framework for Seabirds and Offshore Wind Energy

Scientists from the USGS Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) are authors on a new framework for addressing the impacts of offshore wind farms on...

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In Blue Water: Tracking Animals in the Open Ocean

In Blue Water: Tracking Animals in the Open Ocean

Scientists are attaching tracking tags to marine animals at Palmyra Atoll to learn how marine protected areas can best serve diverse species. 

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12 Days of Conifers: Where the Forest Meets the Sea: Seabirds, Conifers, and Wildfire

12 Days of Conifers: Where the Forest Meets the Sea: Seabirds, Conifers, and Wildfire

It’s Day 12 of 12 Days Of Conifers and today we feature a tale of land and sea, involving two conifers and the little seabird that nests in their...

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WERC Scientists Combine Bird Calls and Artificial Intelligence to Keep Tabs on the Elusive Ashy-Storm Petrel (Audubon magazine)

WERC Scientists Combine Bird Calls and Artificial Intelligence to Keep Tabs on the Elusive Ashy-Storm Petrel (Audubon magazine)

CALIFORNIA COAST – Artificial intelligence and acoustic sensors help scientists monitor seabirds

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A Day in the Life of a WERC Seabird Scientist

A Day in the Life of a WERC Seabird Scientist

In the featured photo, WERC scientists search for potential nesting habitat of seabirds like the Ashy Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma homochroa) on False...

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Seabirds Recolonize Channel Islands, 100 Years Later

Seabirds Recolonize Channel Islands, 100 Years Later

The California common murre (Uria aalge californica) is a football-sized seabird with the tuxedo colors of penguins — except it can both fly in the...

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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government

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