Head of Marine Research
Liz's current job is to develop research projects principally concerned with wetland and marine issues. Her most recent work has focused on understanding the impacts of the renewable industry on seabirds. Previously to joining the BTO, Liz's main research interests involved quantifying the factors that determine the foraging performance and energetics of seabirds.
As well as her commitments to the Wetland & Marine team within the BTO, Liz also worked on a diverse range of topics including machair, urban and woodland ecology. She has also worked on a number of policy relevant projects including the management of goose management populations in Scotland.
Other Information
Honorary Lecturer, SBES, University of Stirling
Former editor of the Seabird Group Newsletter and member of its Executive Committee
European representative of the World Seabird Union
BSc (Hons) Environmental Biology, University of St Andrews, 1991-1995 MSc Ecology, University of Aberdeen, 1997-1998. PhD Kittiwake Foraging and Energetics, University of Stirling, 1998-2002.
Recent BTO Publications
- Cook, A.S.C.P., Masden, E.A., Humphreys, E.M. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. Cumulative barriers to renewable energy development: can we adjust our perspective and approach to benefit biodiversity? 10.1002/2688-8319.70010 View at journal website( DOI:10.1002/2688-8319.70010 )
- Johnston, D.T., Humphreys, E.M., Davies, J.G., Evans, T., Howells, R.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. Current understanding of how climate change affects seabirds varies between regions and species in the North-East Atlantic 10.3354/meps14785 View at journal website( DOI:10.3354/meps14785 )
- O’Hanlon, N.J., Clewley, G.D., Davies, J.G., Johnston, D.T., Booth Jones, K.A., Green, R.M.W., Weston, E., Humphreys, E.M. & Cook, A.S.C.P. Trial of the use of silicone cord leg-loop harnesses on Black-legged Kittiwake during the 2023 breeding season View at journal website( DOI: )
- van Bemmelen, R., Moe, B., Schekkerman, H., Hanssen, S.A., Snell, K., Humphreys, L., Mäntylä, E., Hallgrimsson, G.T., Gilg, O., Ehrich, D., Calladine, J., Hammer, S., Harris, S., Lang, J., Vignisson, S., Kolbeinsson, Y., Kimmo, N., Sillanpää, M., Sittler, B., Sokolov, A., Klaassen, R., Phillips, R. & Tulp, I. Synchronous timing of return to breeding sites in a long-distance migratory seabird with ocean-scale variation in migration schedules 10.1186/s40462-024-00459-9 View at journal website( DOI:10.1186/s40462-024-00459-9 )
- O’Hanlon, N.J., van Bemmelen, R.S.A., Conway, G.J., Thaxter, C.B., Aiton, H., Aiton, D., Balmer, D.E., Calladine, J.R., Harris, S.J. & Humphreys, E.M. New insights into the migration and wintering areas of Scottish-breeding Arctic Skuas View at journal website( DOI: )
- Macgregor, C.J., Gillings, S., Balmer, D.E., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Harris, S.J., Hereward, H.F.R., Humphreys, E.M., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Taylor, R.C., Troost, G. & Atkinson, P.W. Impacts of highly pathogenic avian influenza on seabird populations in the North Sea are detectable in sea-watchers’ migration counts 10.1080/00063657.2024.2440826 View at journal website( DOI:10.1080/00063657.2024.2440826 )
- Davies, J.G., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Clewley, G.D., Humphreys, E.M., O’Hanlon, N.J., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Thaxter, C.B., Weston, E. & Cook, A.S.C.P. Influence of wind on kittiwake Rissa tridactyla flight and offshore wind turbine collision risk 10.1007/s00227-024-04508-0 View at journal website( DOI:10.1007/s00227-024-04508-0 )
- Harris, S.J., Baker, H., Balmer, D.E., Bolton, M., Burton, N.H.K., Caulfield, E., Clarke, J.A.E., Dunn, T.E., Evans, T.J., Hereward, H.R.F., Humphreys, E.M., Money, S. and O’Hanlon, N.J. Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986–2023 View at journal website( DOI: )
- O’Hanlon, N.J., Thaxter, C.B., Clewley, G.D., Davies, J.G., Humphreys, E.M., Miller, P.I. Pollock, C.J., Shamoun-Baranes, J., Weston, E. & Cook, A.S.C.P. Challenges in quantifying the responses of Black-legged Kittiwake to habitat variables and local stressors due to individual variation 10.1080/00063657.2024.2305169 View at journal website( DOI:10.1080/00063657.2024.2305169 )
- O'Hanlon, N.J., van Bemmelen, R.S.A., Snell, K.R.S., Conway, G.J, Thaxter, C.B., Aiton, H., Aiton, D., Balmer, D.E., Are Hanssen, S., Calladine, J.R., Hammer, S., Harris, S.J., Moe, B., Schekkerman, H., Tulp, I. & Humphreys, E.M. Atlantic populations of a declining oceanic seabird have complex migrations and weak migratory connectivity to staging areas 10.3354/meps14533 View at journal website( DOI:10.3354/meps14533 )