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

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)
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. 2024. Challenges in quantifying the responses of Black-legged Kittiwake to habitat variables and local stressors due to individual variation. Bird Study View at journal website (DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2024.2305169)

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. 



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