Nina O’Hanlon

Senior Research Ecologist

Nina is a Senior Research Ecologist and part of the Wetland and Marine Research Team, based within BTO Scotland. Her role involves reporting, analysis and fieldwork with a focus on marine birds. 

Interests & Responsibilities

Nina has a broad interest in ornithology and conservation, with a particular interest in anthropogenic threats to marine birds and their environment. 

Nina has experience working on seabird foraging ecology, diet, movement behaviour and monitoring, involving a range of techniques, fieldwork and analysis of data, including tracking data. 

Qualifications

  • PhD, University of Glasgow: ‘Spatial variation in Herring gull traits’, 2016
  • MRes Ecology and Environmental Management, University of York, 2011
  • BSc (Hons) Zoology, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 2005

Recent BTO Publications

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. 2024. Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986–2023, the annual report of the Seabird Monitoring Programme. British Trust for Ornithology ISBN: 2976-8950
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. 2024. Trial of the use of silicone cord leg-loop harnesses on Black-legged Kittiwake during the 2023 breeding season. Research Report no. 772. BTO, Thetford, Norfolk ISBN: 978-1-912642-69-4 21pp
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. 2024. Influence of wind on kittiwake Rissa tridactyla flight and offshore wind turbine collision risk. Marine Biology 171 View at journal website (DOI: 10.1007/s00227-024-04508-0)
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. 2024. New insights into the migration and wintering areas of Scottish-breeding Arctic Skuas. British Birds 117 : 488-497 Link to publication
O’Hanlon, N.J., Harris, S.J., Thaxter, C.B., Boersch-Supan, P.H., Robinson, R.A., Balmer, D.E. & Burton, N.H.K. 2024. Seabird population and demographic monitoring in the UK: a review and recommendations for future sampling. Research Report no. 754. ISBN: 978-1-912642-49-6
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. 2024. Atlantic populations of a declining oceanic seabird have complex migrations and weak migratory connectivity to staging areas. Marine Ecology Progress Series 730 : 113-129 View at journal website (DOI: 10.3354/meps14533)

Other Publications

O’Hanlon, N.J., Bond A.L., Lavers, J.L., Masden, E.A., James, N.A. 2019. Monitoring nest incorporation of anthropogenic debris by Northern Gannets across their range. Environmental Pollution, 255: 113152. 
O’Hanlon N.J., Alonso, S., Miller, J.A.O., McGill R.A.R., Nager R.G. 2019. Landscape‐mediated variation in diet is associated with egg size and maculation in a generalist forager. IBIS. 
O’Hanlon, N.J., Nager, R.G. 2018. Identifying habitat-driven spatial variation in colony size of Herring Gulls Larus argentatus. Bird Study, 65:3, 306-316. 
Finch, T., O’Hanlon, N., Dudley, S.P. 2017. Tweeting birds: online mentions predict future citations in ornithology. Royal Society Open Science, 4: 171371. 
O’Hanlon, N.J., James, N.A., Masden, E.A., Bond A.L. 2017. Seabirds and marine plastic debris in the northeastern Atlantic: a synthesis and recommendations for monitoring and research. Environmental Pollution, 231: 1291-1301. 
O’Hanlon N.J., McGill R.A.R., Nager R.G. 2017. Increased use of intertidal resources benefits breeding success in a generalist gull species. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 574: 193-210. 
O’Hanlon, N.J., Lambert, M.S. 2017. Investigating brown rat Rattus norvegicus egg predation using experimental nests and camera traps. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 63: 18. 
Nager, R.G., O’Hanlon, N.J. 2016. Changing numbers of three gull species in the British Isles. Waterbirds, 39: 15-28. 
Gillingham, P.G., Bradbury, R.B., Roy, D.B., Anderson, B.J., Baxter, J.M., Bourne, N.A.D., Crick, H, Q., Findon, R.A., Fox, R., Franco, A., Hill, J.K., Hodgson, J.A., Holt, A.R., Morecroft, M.D., O’Hanlon, N.J., Oliver, T.H., Pearce-Higgins, J, W., Procter, D.A., Thomas, J.A., Walker, K.J., Walmsley, C.A., Wilson, R.J., Thomas, C.D. 2015. The effectiveness of protected areas in the conservation of species with changing geographical ranges. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 115: 707-717. 
Thomas, C.D., Gillingham, P.G., Bradbury, R.B., Roy, D.B., Anderson, B.J., Baxter, J.M., Bourne, N.A.D., Crick, H, Q., Findon, R.A., Fox, R., Hodgson, J.A., Holth, A.R., Morecroft, M.D., O’Hanlon, N.J., Oliver, T.H., Pearce-Higgins, J, W., Procter, D.A., Thomas, J.A., Walker, K.J., Walmsley, C.A., Wilson, R.J., Hill, J.K. 2012. Protected areas facilitate species’ range expansions. PNAS, 109: 14063-14068. 



Content Related to Nina O’Hanlon