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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

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

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
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...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Palmyra Blue Water Research

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
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)
Marbled Murrelet Surveys off the Central California Coast

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

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
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)
Seabird Vulnerability Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects

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
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)
Aerial Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys

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

Aerial Imagery and Structure-from-Motion Derived Data Products from an Aerial Digital Photographic Survey of 10 Islands in the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex, OR, USA Aerial Imagery and Structure-from-Motion Derived Data Products from an Aerial Digital Photographic Survey of 10 Islands in the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex, OR, USA

This release presents hi-resolution structure-from-motion (SfM) habitat imagery suitable for GIS. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed SfM to become a low-cost technique for coastal change assessments. The software uses a combination of camera locations and ground control points to produce digital surface models (DSMs) and orthorectified imagery products. SfM products include...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Data for the Revised Marine Bird Collision and Displacement Vulnerability Index for Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Wind Energy Development Data for the Revised Marine Bird Collision and Displacement Vulnerability Index for Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Wind Energy Development

To better inform continued offshore wind energy development in the region, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) has updated the database of marine bird vulnerabilities to offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI) in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Region (POCS; waters within the Exclusive Economic Zone off California, Oregon, and Washington). The...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

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 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...
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) 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...
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) 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...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Population Estimates for Selected Breeding Seabirds at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauai, in 2019 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...
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: 58

Revised marine bird collision and displacement vulnerability index for U.S. Pacific Outer Continental Shelf offshore wind energy development Revised marine bird collision and displacement vulnerability index for U.S. Pacific Outer Continental Shelf offshore wind energy development

The installation of offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI) at sea may affect marine birds by increasing the risk of mortality from collision with OWEI (Collision Vulnerability) and causing disturbance and displacement from important habitats (Displacement Vulnerability). In 2017, we published the first comprehensive database quantifying marine bird Collision Vulnerability and...
Authors
Emma C. Kelsey, Jonathan J. Felis, David M. Pereksta, Josh Adams
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Multi-species telemetry quantifies current and future efficacy of a remote marine protected area Multi-species telemetry quantifies current and future efficacy of a remote marine protected area

Large-scale marine protected areas (LSMPAs; > 1000 km2) provide important refuge for large mobile species, but most do not encompass species' ranges. To better understand current and future LSMPA value, we concurrently tracked nine species (seabirds, cetaceans, pelagic fishes, manta rays, reef sharks) at Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef (PKMPA) in the U.S. Pacific Islands Heritage Marine...
Authors
Morgan Elizabeth Gilmour, Kydd Pollock, Josh Adams, Barbara A. Block, Jennifer E. Caselle, Alexander Filous, Alan M. Friedlander, Edward T. Game, Elliott L. Hazen, Marie Hill, Nick D. Holmes, Kevin D. Lafferty, Sara M. Maxwell, Douglas J. McCauley, Robert Schallert, Scott A. Shaffer, Nicholas H. Wolff, Alex Wegmann
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Carotenoid skin ornaments as flexible indicators of male foraging behavior in a marine predator: Variation among Mexican colonies of brown booby (Sula leucogaster) 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...
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 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...
Authors
Andrea I. Varela, Katherina Brokordt, Juliana A. Vianna, Maria Jose 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 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...
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 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...
Authors
Jonathan Felis, Josh Adams, Benjamin H. Becker
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...

Read Article
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. 

Read Article
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...

Read Article
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

Read Article
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...

Read Article
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...

Read Article

Science and Products

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

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
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...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
Palmyra Blue Water Research

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
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)
Marbled Murrelet Surveys off the Central California Coast

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

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
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)
Seabird Vulnerability Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects

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
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)
Aerial Seabird and Marine Mammal Surveys

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

Aerial Imagery and Structure-from-Motion Derived Data Products from an Aerial Digital Photographic Survey of 10 Islands in the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex, OR, USA Aerial Imagery and Structure-from-Motion Derived Data Products from an Aerial Digital Photographic Survey of 10 Islands in the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex, OR, USA

This release presents hi-resolution structure-from-motion (SfM) habitat imagery suitable for GIS. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed SfM to become a low-cost technique for coastal change assessments. The software uses a combination of camera locations and ground control points to produce digital surface models (DSMs) and orthorectified imagery products. SfM products include...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Data for the Revised Marine Bird Collision and Displacement Vulnerability Index for Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Wind Energy Development Data for the Revised Marine Bird Collision and Displacement Vulnerability Index for Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Wind Energy Development

To better inform continued offshore wind energy development in the region, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center (USGS-WERC) has updated the database of marine bird vulnerabilities to offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI) in the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Region (POCS; waters within the Exclusive Economic Zone off California, Oregon, and Washington). The...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

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 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...
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) 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...
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) 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...
By
Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Population Estimates for Selected Breeding Seabirds at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauai, in 2019 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...
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: 58

Revised marine bird collision and displacement vulnerability index for U.S. Pacific Outer Continental Shelf offshore wind energy development Revised marine bird collision and displacement vulnerability index for U.S. Pacific Outer Continental Shelf offshore wind energy development

The installation of offshore wind energy infrastructure (OWEI) at sea may affect marine birds by increasing the risk of mortality from collision with OWEI (Collision Vulnerability) and causing disturbance and displacement from important habitats (Displacement Vulnerability). In 2017, we published the first comprehensive database quantifying marine bird Collision Vulnerability and...
Authors
Emma C. Kelsey, Jonathan J. Felis, David M. Pereksta, Josh Adams
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Multi-species telemetry quantifies current and future efficacy of a remote marine protected area Multi-species telemetry quantifies current and future efficacy of a remote marine protected area

Large-scale marine protected areas (LSMPAs; > 1000 km2) provide important refuge for large mobile species, but most do not encompass species' ranges. To better understand current and future LSMPA value, we concurrently tracked nine species (seabirds, cetaceans, pelagic fishes, manta rays, reef sharks) at Palmyra Atoll and Kingman Reef (PKMPA) in the U.S. Pacific Islands Heritage Marine...
Authors
Morgan Elizabeth Gilmour, Kydd Pollock, Josh Adams, Barbara A. Block, Jennifer E. Caselle, Alexander Filous, Alan M. Friedlander, Edward T. Game, Elliott L. Hazen, Marie Hill, Nick D. Holmes, Kevin D. Lafferty, Sara M. Maxwell, Douglas J. McCauley, Robert Schallert, Scott A. Shaffer, Nicholas H. Wolff, Alex Wegmann
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Carotenoid skin ornaments as flexible indicators of male foraging behavior in a marine predator: Variation among Mexican colonies of brown booby (Sula leucogaster) 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...
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 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...
Authors
Andrea I. Varela, Katherina Brokordt, Juliana A. Vianna, Maria Jose 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 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...
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 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...
Authors
Jonathan Felis, Josh Adams, Benjamin H. Becker
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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