Cheryl Horton is a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Ecological Research
Center.
Her work focuses on the distribution, abundance, habitat associations, seasonal variation, and
species composition of seabirds and marine mammals. She is interested in the application of technology
and novel analytic methods to inform marine spatial planning and renewable energy development. As
part of the Seabird Studies Team, Cheryl contributes to projects using digital aerial photography,
tracking data, acoustic monitors, and traditional surveys to study seabirds and the marine environment.
Education
MSc, Wildlife Science, Oregon State University 2014
BS, Natural Resources: Applied Ecology, Cornell University 2006
Research Interests:
- Seabird Ecology, Breeding Biology and Food Web Dynamics
- Tracking and Movement Ecology
- Marine Spatial Planning
- Data Science and Machine Learning
Science and Products
Aerial Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys
Santa Cruz Field Station
Abundance and productivity of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) off central California during the 2020 and 2021 breeding seasons
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
Science and Products
- Science
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...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: - Publications
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 - Data
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