Bridled Terns as indicators of ecosystem health, connectivity, and recovery

To inform seabird conservation, my PhD involves deploying tracking devices on Bridled Terns (Onychoprion anaethetus) to elucidate island connectivity in the Timor Sea and to understand at-sea threats. Despite breeding on over seventy islands in Western Australia, the species’ movements remain largely unknown [4]. Understanding at-sea distributions is crucial for effective island restoration (e.g. colonisation capacity) and seabird conservation strategies (e.g. population
connectivity) [5]. My research findings will aid seabird resilience in the region and inform future management decisions whilst improving knowledge of tropical seabird ecology.