Getting Scientists Out
Looking over the crowd listening intently to someone describe plankton blooms for 15 minutes it was hard not to wonder whether I was trapped in a room [...]
Science Fair Project ideas
Science Fairs are just around the corner. Here are some links to some great project ideas related to birds, seabirds, marine biology and conservation. (1) How does [...]
The weight of 50 elephants
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) picked up enough marine debris to equal the weight of 50 elephants in only one month. Imagine how much debris that [...]
Sweaters for penguins
How do you design a sweater for a penguin? A novel response to an oil spill in New Zealand Click here to read more
Seabird Bycatch
Fisheries bycatch is the greatest threat to many seabird populations (tuna long-liner pictured above), especially albatross. Seabirds are attracted to fishing boats because of the bait and discarded [...]
Marine Plastic Debris
We’re leaning about seabird conservation issues this month. Seabirds face a range of dangers, including plastic debris in the ocean. Plastic eaten by albatross chick: © ecogreen4us, Creative [...]
Marine Conservation Lesson
January's lesson on Marine Conservation now online
Seabird Learning expands
Yay! Students at St. George are starting to learn more about seabirds this winter through regular Skype meetings with the two oldest students - Carmen Philemonoff and [...]
Edible Seabird Nests
Students on St. Paul make edible seabird nests. Enjoy! Edible Bird Nest Recipe: 8 marshmallows; 4 regular/4 coconut 2 tablespoons butter ½ cup rice krispies 1½ cup Chinese [...]
Answers for St. Paul
Great to receive all your questions! Keep them coming! 1) Jaycee: Yes, you are right: there are lots of similarities between black guillemots and common murres. [...]
Emperor Penguin video
Check out this incredible footage of emperor penguins both underwater and exiting the water at top speed!
Sea-ice extent effects seabird
Black guillemots breeding in an Arctic Alaska colony feed their chicks on polar cod. These small fish are associated with the polar pack ice, and therefore may [...]
Seabird breeding videos
This month, we're learning about seabird breeding Below are some links to videos for a number of breeding seabirds. Look at the diversity in nesting habitat. Which [...]
Seabird breeding questions
Students on the Pribilofs are learning about seabird breeding this month. Each student has chosen a seabird species that breeds on the Pribilof Islands, and they will [...]
Parakeet & Crested Auklet
The Parakeet Auklet and Crested Auklet both nest on the Pribilof Islands. They are similar in size, but you can easily tell these two species apart. Can [...]
Bird Island Field Work
Jerry Gillham has recently started a new job studying penguins and giant petrels on Bird Island. Bird Island is a British Territory in South Georgia. Thousands of [...]
Questions.. answers
Answers to a couple of questions asked this week: How many eggs do Fulmars lay? Fulmars lay a single white egg. How long do Least Auklets live? [...]
Foraging Skype Meeting
Today we had our second seabird Skype meeting with St. Paul students. This month’s topic is seabird diet and feeding behavior. The class has been working on their [...]
Marine Important Bird Areas
Bird Life International (a global conservation organization) has recently launched the E-Atlas of Marine Important Bird Areas. Seabirds present tricky conservation problems because many species spend their [...]
How much food do puffins eat?
HORNED PUFFINS deliver food to their chick at the colony by holding the prey cross-wise in their bill. It’s fairly easy for scientists to catch puffins and [...]
What is a gizzard?
Students at St. Paul have been learning about the physiology of birds by dissecting ducks brought in by a 9th grade hunter. A strange organ was found [...]
Marc Romano, Wildlife Biologist
I am a Wildlife Biologist for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I work at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, which is based in Homer, [...]
Skype Lesson with St. Paul
Tonia Kushin has been introducing seabirds to her 6th/7th grade class over the last week. These sessions have included learning about what makes a seabird a seabird, [...]