Seabirds

Isles of Shoals Seabird Ecology and Conservation Program

PI: Dr. Elizabeth Craig (Director of Seabird Research, Shoals Marine Laboratory, UNH)

tagged tern
Photo by Tim Briggs

The Isles of Shoals Seabird Ecology and Conservation Program promotes the conservation of aquatic birds in the Gulf of Maine through monitoring, management, and student-driven research. As top predators in marine systems, seabirds are sentinels of marine ecosystem function and ocean health. They are threatened by environmental contamination, coastal habitat destruction, overharvesting of resources, and climate change. Our team applies insights from seabird ecology to identify conservation challenges and guide management action in the context of a changing ocean.

Focal species include terns, gulls, guillemots, cormorants, and long-legged wading birds (herons, egrets, and ibis). 

Opportunities to participate in this research program: 
Seabirds Ecology & Conservation undergraduate research internships
Seasonal Seabird Technician positions
SML Academic Programs

Research Topics

Presentation and Publication Highlights
*Graduate and **Undergraduate Students

Climate Change Impacts

butterfish
Photo by Tim Briggs


**Smith, O. and E. Craig. 2023. Impacts of Atlantic butterfish (Peprilus triacanthus) in the diet of common terns (Sterna hirundo): A case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine. Avian Conservation and Ecology 18(2):1.

**Smith, O. and E. Craig. 2020. Effects of climate-mediated changes in the diet of a threatened Gulf of Maine seabird. Waterbird Society Virtual Meeting. Special Student Paper Recognition.

Seabird Diet

Hake


**Yang, A., **N. Milsky, G. Clucas, and E. Craig. 2023. Chick diet composition and feeding frequency of black guillemots (Cepphus grylle) on Appledore Island. Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine Annual Science Meeting.

Legett, H., J. Lucas, E. Craig, and M. Staudinger. 2023. Variation in isotopic niche partitioning between adult roseate and common terns in the Northwest Atlantic. Endangered Species Research, 50, 235-247.

Clucas, G., A. Stillman, and E. Craig. 2023. From presence/absence to reliable prey proportions: A field test of fecal metabarcoding for characterizing seabird diets. The Waterbird Society annual meeting. Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Craig, E., M. Staudinger, M. Rubega, G. Clucas, C. Mostello, J. Walsh, and T. Wilson. 2021. Pilot monitoring of roseate tern foraging ecology: Lessons learned. Roseate Tern Recovery Team virtual meeting.

Clucas, G., E. Craig, D. Lyons, L. Welch, P. Shannon, A. Kovach, S. Kress, and J. Seavey. 2021. Quick and dirty -- but really useful! Monitoring seabird diets from faecal samples in the Gulf of Maine. Virtual World Seabird Conference.

Craig, E., A. Kovach, J. Seavey, and G. Clucas. 2018. Evaluating interspecific and age-based variation in the diet and foraging behavior of common and roseate terns breeding on the Isles of Shoals, NH. Waterbirds Society Meeting, Princess Anne, MD.

Craig, E., A. Kovach, J. Seavey, and G. Clucas. 2018. The upside to getting pooped on by terns – A fecal DNA analysis of tern diet on the Isles of Shoals, NH. Waterbird Society Meeting. Vancouver, BC, Canada. 

Contaminants

microfiber
Photo by Aliya Caldwell


**Caldwell, A., S. Brander, J. Wiedenmann, G. Clucas, and E. Craig. 2022. Incidence of microplastic fiber ingestion by common terns (Sterna hirundo) and roseate terns (S. dougallii) breeding in the Northwestern Atlantic. Marine Pollution Bulletin 177, 113560.

**Laird, L. 2022. Maternal transfer and biotransport of mercury in four seabird species in the Gulf of Maine. SML Undergraduate Research Symposium, Appledore Island, ME.

Dalton, E., L. Sette, and E. Craig. 2022. Using double-crested cormorant (Nannopterum auritum) colonies to pilot two methods for monitoring environmental health. Association of Field Ornithologists annual meeting, Plymouth, MA.

**McDowell, O., **C. Wardinski, **M. Cheng, *A. Caldwell, B. Brown, and E. Craig. 2021. Evaluating regurgitated pellets as indicators of microplastic ingestion by NH-breeding seabirds. Poster presentation for Virtual UNH Undergraduate Research Conference. Student poster award. 

**Caldwell, A., J. Seavey, and E. Craig. 2019. Foraging strategy impacts plastic ingestion risk in seabirds. Limnology and Oceanography Letters 5(1):163-168.

**Caldwell, A, J. Seavey, and E. Craig. 2018. Plastic consumption in seabirds on the Isles of Shoals. Poster presentation for the Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine. Portland, ME. 

Seabirds as Fisheries Indicators

Herring
Photo by Tim Briggs


Craig, E., J. Seavey, *A. Caldwell, *N. Hermann, and N. Furey. 2023. Seabirds as indicators of New Hampshire’s fisheries. NH Sea Grant Research Symposium, Durham, NH.

*Caldwell, A., N. Furey, J. Seavey, *N. Hermann, and E. Craig. 2020. Assessing the use of terns as forage fish population monitors in the Gulf of Maine. Roseate Tern Recovery Virtual Meeting.

Movement - Foraging and Migration

tern


*Caldwell, A. Furey, N., E. Craig. 2023. Satellite telemetry reveals high-resolution common tern (Sterna hirundo) migration and overwintering tracks. The Waterbird Society annual meeting. Fort Lauderdale, FL.

*Caldwell, A., E. Craig, *N. Hermann, and N. Furey. 2023. Spatiotemporal variation in common tern foraging movements. UNH School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering Graduate Research Symposium, Durham, NH. Best poster award.

*Caldwell, A., E. Craig, and N. Furey. 2022. common tern (Sterna hirundo) foraging movement: characterizing interannual and intraspecific variations. Waterbird Society meeting, Corpus Christi, TX.

Welch, L., E. Craig, and P. Loring. 2019. Using GPS loggers to track Arctic and common terns in the Gulf of Maine. Waterbirds Society Meeting, Princess Anne, MD.

Craig, E. and P. Curtis. 2016. A continental divide in migratory behavior: Conservation implications for the common tern. Poster presentation for the Waterbird Society Meeting. New Bern, NC.

Parental Behavior

Guillemot
Photo by Noah Milsky


**Duca, A., *A. Caldwell, and E. Craig. 2023. Food availability impacts aggression in common terns (Sterna hirundo) at a Gulf of Maine breeding colony. UNH COLSA Undergraduate Research Conference. Durham, NH.

**Dalehite, W., **Y. Park, G. Clucas, and E. Craig. 2022. Parental investment in black guillemots (Cepphus grylle) on the Isles of Shoals. Waterbird Society meeting, Corpus Christi, TX.

Nest Site Selection

Nest map


**Andruk, R., *A. Caldwell, and E. Craig. 2022. Location, location, location: common tern (Sterna hirundo) nest site selection on a Gulf of Maine island. Poster presentation for the UNH COLSA Undergraduate Research Conference. Best poster award.

**Park, Y., **W. Dalehite, G. Clucas, and E. Craig. 2022. Nest site selection and breeding success in black guillemots (Cepphus grylle). SML Undergradauate Research Symposium, Appledore Island, ME.

**Fugle, C. 2022. Variation in roseate tern productivity across Seavey Island. SML Undergraduate Research Symposium, Appledore Island, ME.

Investigator Disturbance

guillemot chick


**Milsky, N., **A. Yang, G. Clucas, and E. Craig. 2023. Assessing the impacts of investigator disturbance on the breeding success of black guillemots (Cepphus grylle). Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine Annual Science Meeting.

Adaptive Habitat Management

Tern habitat management
Photo by Aliya Caldwell


Craig, E., G. Moore, and J. Seavey. 2022. Hypersaline spray increases habitat heterogeneity and nesting density in an island-nesting seabird. Wildlife Society Bulletin 46. 

Population Monitoring and Conservation Management

Our program contributes to long-term population monitoring and conservation management of key aquatic bird populations on the Isles of Shoals, including terns, Alcids, long-legged wading birds, cormorants, and more. 

Isles of Shoals Tern Conservation Project


Supported by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the Isles of Shoals Tern Conservation Project has implemented restoration, management, and research of threatened and endangered terns on White and Seavey islands since 1997. These islands are New Hampshire’s primary breeding colony for common, roseate, and Arctic terns. This colony is the largest in the Gulf of Maine region and a key conservation focus for the state. Current and historic conservation efforts include predator control, habitat management, and the study of diet and foraging behavior to improve conservation outcomes for these seabird populations. In addition to innovation in research and conservation, this program offers SML students the opportunity to experience the world of seabird conservation firsthand through programming in many SML courses.

White Island

The Tern Conservation Project has been featured on:

Opportunities to participate: Seasonal Seabird Technician positions and SML Academic Programs.
Great egret

Wading Birds of Appledore Island


Shoals Marine Laboratory scientists have monitored nesting activity of long-legged wading birds on Appledore Island since the 1970s. While wading birds were extirpated from the Isles of Shoals by nest predators in the 1990s, they recolonized the island in 2020 and have re-established a thriving mixed-species nesting colony, including snowy egrets, great egrets, glossy ibis, and state-endangered black-crowned night-herons. The Seabird Ecology and Conservation Program manages human disturbance to sensitive nesting areas and monitors wading bird breeding activity, population size, and distribution annually.

During the spring and summer you can view the breeding colony live.
Guillemot chicks

Alcids on the Isles of Shoals


The Isles of Shoals is the southernmost breeding location of Alcids (typically Arctic breeding seabirds) along the Atlantic Coast. As such, monitoring and researching Alcids breeding on the Isles of Shoals (including their abundance, reproductive success, diet, and behavior) provides critical insight into how cold-adapted species fare in rapidly warming Gulf of Maine waters. The Seabird Ecology and Conservation Program began concerted research and monitoring efforts of black guillemots, our focal Alcid species, in 2017.

Seabird Ecology and Conservation Program Team


Director, Seabird Ecology and Conservation Program

tern census

Elizabeth Craig, Shoals Marine Laboratory


Research and Conservation Partners
 

Learn about our friends at the Gulls of Appledore
 

Students and Research Interns
 

  • Aliya Caldwell, UNH, current graduate researcher (Furey Lab) and 2018 SML undergraduate research intern
  • Valerie Eddington, UNH, current graduate researcher (Kloepper lab)
  • Nate Hermann, UNH, current graduate researcher (Furey lab)
  • Keenan Yakola, Oregon State University, current graduate researcher (Lyons Lab)
  • Grace Guo, Cornell University, 2024 SML undergraduate research intern
  • Kati Leitner, UC Santra Cruz, 2024 SML undergraduate research intern
  • Elizabeth Kupferberg, UNH, 2024 undergraduate research student
  • Kaylee Galvin, UNH, 2024 undergraduate research student
  • Dan Zogby, UNH, 2024 undergraduate research student (Kloepper lab)
  • Abbey Yang, Cornell University, 2023 SML undergraduate research intern
  • Noah Milsky, Colby College, 2023 SML undergraduate research intern 
  • Joe Brosseau, UNH, 2023 undergraduate research student (Kloepper lab)
  • Amelia Duca, UNH, 2023 undergraduate research student
  • Patrick Gritton, Cornell University, 2023 undergraduate research student (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
  • Willow Dalehite, Princeton University, 2022 SML undergraduate research intern 
  • Yuna Park, Cornell University, 2022 SML undergraduate research intern
  • Chloe Fugle, Dartmouth College, 2022 SML undergraduate research intern
  • Lenny Laird, Dartmouth College, 2022, SML undergraduate research intern
  • Ry Andruk, UNH, 2022 undergraduate research student
  • Max Miller, Cornell University, 2021-2022 undergraduate work study (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
  • Matt Cheng, UNH, 2021 undergraduate research student
  • Lauren McDowell, UNH, 2021 undergraduate research student
  • Cate Wardinsky, UNH, 2021 undergraduate research student
  • Olivia Smith, UNH, 2019 undergraduate research student and 2020 SML undergraduate research intern


Seabird Technicians
 

  • Joe Brosseau, 2024
  • Hope Caliendo, 2024
  • Willow Dalehite, 2023
  • Orena Wong, 2023
  • Theresa Rizza, 2022
  • Olivia Smith, 2021-2022
  • Beckley Stearns, 2020-2021
  • Aliya Caldwell, 2019-2020
  • Amber Litterer, 2018-2019
  • Caitlin Bowman, 2018
  • Taylor Ouelette, 2017
  • Elizabeth Ford, 2016-2017
  • Abbey Cramer, 2016

Support and Funding for the Seabird Ecology and Conservation Program
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