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. 2025. Cumulative barriers to renewable energy development: can we adjust our perspective and approach to benefit biodiversity?. Ecological Solutions and Evidence 6: doi:10.1002/2688-8319.70010
- O'Hanlon, N.J., Clewley, G.D., Johnston, D.T., Thaxter, C.B., Langlois Lopez, S., Quinn, L.R., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Masden, E.A., Daunt, F., Wilson, J., Burton, N.H.K. & Humphreys, E.M. 2025. Partial niche partitioning in three sympatric gull species through foraging areas and habitat selection. Ecology and Evolution 15: doi:10.1002/ece3.71577
- Johnston, D.T., Atkinson, P.W., Leech, E.I., Burton, N.H.K., Humphreys, E.M., Robinson, R.A., Blackburn, J.R., Blackburn, A.C., Brides, K., Boland, H., Burke, B., Daunt, F., Davies, J.C., Edwards, P.J., Furness, R.W., Holman, D., Redfern, C.P.F., Swann, R.L., Roper, P., Stansfield, S.D., Walsh, A.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W 2025. Using ring (band) recovery data to examine the impact of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) on wild bird populations. Bird Study 72: 39-50 doi:10.1080/00063657.2025.2491797
- Hereward, H.F.R., El Haddad, H., Humphreys, E.M., Taylor, R.C. & Upton, A.J. 2025. BTO Northern Ireland Marine Bird Evidence Review 2024: marine bird spatial use in the Celtic Seas. BTO Research Report 792:
- Bennett, S., Rhoades, J., Boersch-Supan, P., Humphreys, E.M., Davies, J. & Upton, A. 2025. Modelled changes to seabird presence and abundance across the MarPAMM region in response to predicted changes in climatic and oceanographic variables. BTO Research Report 767:
- Johnston, D.T., Humphreys, E.M., Davies, J.G., Evans, T., Howells, R.J. & Pearce-Higgins, J.W. 2025. Current understanding of how climate change affects seabirds varies between regions and species in the North-East Atlantic. Marine Ecology Progress Series 755: 163-177 doi:10.3354/meps14785
- Wetherhill, A., Carss, D.N., Heward, C.J., Humphreys, E.M., Hunt, J., Wilson, M.J. & Calladine, J. 2025. Tracking of Goosanders Mergus merganser in Scotland. Bird Study doi:10.1080/00063657.2025.2513544
- Rhoades, J., Johnston, D.T., Humphreys, E.M. & Boersch-Supan, P.H. 2025. Review of methods used to calculate scale of artificial nesting structures proposed as a compensation measure for Kittiwake mortality at offshore wind farms. BTO Research Report 788:
- Atkinson, P.A., Balmer, D.E., Banyard, A.C., Duggan, J., Falchieri, M., Frost, T.M., Humphreys, E.M., Jones, R., Langlois Lopez, S., Miles, W.T.S., Murphy, M., Owens, R., Pearce-Higgins, J.W., Reid, S.M., Smith C. & Tremlett, C.J. 2025. Evaluating the use of carcass and testing data to assess the high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) related mortality in wild birds in the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies between 2021–2023. Bird Study 72: 20-38 doi:10.1080/00063657.2025.2492902
- O’Hanlon, N.J., Jardine, D.C., Lennon, J., Svobodova, D., Swann, R.L., Ward, R.M., Humphreys, E.M. & Morrissey, B.J. 2025. Diet analysis of Kittiwake and Shag using DNA metabarcoding of faeces. Seabird 37: doi:10.61350/sbj.37.5