Jeff White
@jeffwwhite.bsky.social
Postdoctoral Researcher at Cornell and with the Tawaki Trust. Seabird foraging ecology. Stable isotopes. Diving physiology. Population dynamics. he/him 🏳️🌈 #firstgen
A couple of weeks ago I had a great chat with Mary from the All About Penguins podcast about crested penguins, conservation, and field work. The episode is now available! Check out her website at www.lifeguin.com
open.spotify.com/episode/1pOr...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
open.spotify.com/episode/1pOr...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
September 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
A couple of weeks ago I had a great chat with Mary from the All About Penguins podcast about crested penguins, conservation, and field work. The episode is now available! Check out her website at www.lifeguin.com
open.spotify.com/episode/1pOr...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
open.spotify.com/episode/1pOr...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...
New open access paper out! We evaluated the population structure and conservation needs for 3 crested penguin species in NZ. Read it here: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
August 28, 2025 at 9:09 PM
New open access paper out! We evaluated the population structure and conservation needs for 3 crested penguin species in NZ. Read it here: journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
Happy World Penguin Day!
April 25, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Happy World Penguin Day!
Steeple Jason Island. Home to the largest Black-browed Albatross colony in the world. I spent a week in March sampling albatrosses, penguins, giant petrels, shags, and more as part of our work to understand the dynamics of HPAI in the Falklands seabird community
April 20, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Steeple Jason Island. Home to the largest Black-browed Albatross colony in the world. I spent a week in March sampling albatrosses, penguins, giant petrels, shags, and more as part of our work to understand the dynamics of HPAI in the Falklands seabird community
After over 5 months in the field I'm back in Ithaca and ready to begin processing samples for #stableisotopes and other dietary analyses. Stay tuned for field recaps from the Falklands/Malvinas and updates from the lab!
April 3, 2025 at 4:40 PM
After over 5 months in the field I'm back in Ithaca and ready to begin processing samples for #stableisotopes and other dietary analyses. Stay tuned for field recaps from the Falklands/Malvinas and updates from the lab!
In the Falklands/Malvinas my focus is understanding food web dynamics for native predators/scavengers and their interactions with both native seabirds and introduced mammals through tracking, stable isotopes, and fecal DNA. Looking forward to a great season over the next few months.
February 3, 2025 at 3:26 AM
In the Falklands/Malvinas my focus is understanding food web dynamics for native predators/scavengers and their interactions with both native seabirds and introduced mammals through tracking, stable isotopes, and fecal DNA. Looking forward to a great season over the next few months.
Spent some time sampling and admiring the penguins of Saunders Island last week.
February 3, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Spent some time sampling and admiring the penguins of Saunders Island last week.
I forgot to include the shags. But just look how stunning they are.
January 23, 2025 at 12:36 PM
I forgot to include the shags. But just look how stunning they are.
Of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't also post about all the fantastic penguins and shags I'm seeing (and also sampling) including a Northern Rockhopper that seems to have made a friend with one of the local Southern Rockhoppers. All this from just one island.
January 23, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't also post about all the fantastic penguins and shags I'm seeing (and also sampling) including a Northern Rockhopper that seems to have made a friend with one of the local Southern Rockhoppers. All this from just one island.
Last week I arrived in the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas for field campaign #2 of the season. This time I'm focused on the foraging ecology of scavengers on islands +/- introduced mammals. Lots of GLS to deploy on skuas and of course lots of stable isotopes to come!
January 23, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Last week I arrived in the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas for field campaign #2 of the season. This time I'm focused on the foraging ecology of scavengers on islands +/- introduced mammals. Lots of GLS to deploy on skuas and of course lots of stable isotopes to come!
Just a week ago we were packing and prepping for pick up from Antipodes Island. 2.5 months of exhausting field work flew by with this amazing team. Couldn’t ask for better people to study penguins with. Thanks for another great season @tawaki-project.org
December 21, 2024 at 3:11 AM
Just a week ago we were packing and prepping for pick up from Antipodes Island. 2.5 months of exhausting field work flew by with this amazing team. Couldn’t ask for better people to study penguins with. Thanks for another great season @tawaki-project.org
Somehow 2.5 months on Antipodes has come to an end. We said goodbye to that stunning island and the incredible birds that call it home, and sailed back to the South Island. Hopefully expanding the work to other islands next season. 🐧🇳🇿#seabirds
December 18, 2024 at 6:52 AM
Somehow 2.5 months on Antipodes has come to an end. We said goodbye to that stunning island and the incredible birds that call it home, and sailed back to the South Island. Hopefully expanding the work to other islands next season. 🐧🇳🇿#seabirds
Ever wonder what a penguin colony sounds like at night? This is from our southern study colony on Antipodes. Our camp is located about 50 ft away so we get to hear (and smell) them all night long.
December 13, 2024 at 1:52 AM
Ever wonder what a penguin colony sounds like at night? This is from our southern study colony on Antipodes. Our camp is located about 50 ft away so we get to hear (and smell) them all night long.
Crèching is imminent for the erect-crested penguin chicks. But being too big to fit under dad means that they are now exposed to the sun. On bright sunny days the colonies can get very warm, so the chicks resort to rather dramatic panting to stay cool. I’m sure they are relieved when night comes.
December 12, 2024 at 8:35 PM
Crèching is imminent for the erect-crested penguin chicks. But being too big to fit under dad means that they are now exposed to the sun. On bright sunny days the colonies can get very warm, so the chicks resort to rather dramatic panting to stay cool. I’m sure they are relieved when night comes.
This big erect-crested penguin chick has figured out how to game the system. That’s not its dad beside it. This chick belongs to a neighbor. Over several days we watched it get fed by its mom and then waddle over to the neighbor and successfully get fed a second time by another chick’s mom.
December 10, 2024 at 6:16 PM
This big erect-crested penguin chick has figured out how to game the system. That’s not its dad beside it. This chick belongs to a neighbor. Over several days we watched it get fed by its mom and then waddle over to the neighbor and successfully get fed a second time by another chick’s mom.
It’s been a very rainy few weeks here on Antipodes. Many of the erect-crested penguin chicks are now too big to hide from the rain under their parents. They don’t seem thrilled by this new development.
December 5, 2024 at 7:34 AM
It’s been a very rainy few weeks here on Antipodes. Many of the erect-crested penguin chicks are now too big to hide from the rain under their parents. They don’t seem thrilled by this new development.
In other skua news, the skua nest beside our main study colony has a very cute chick currently
December 2, 2024 at 12:43 AM
In other skua news, the skua nest beside our main study colony has a very cute chick currently
We often stop for a break in this gully when crossing the central plateau of Antipodes Island. Thjs time we had the privilege of being visited by a very curious pair of skuas. They were busy testing our boots and packs for at least 20 minutes before we had to continue our walk.
December 2, 2024 at 12:21 AM
We often stop for a break in this gully when crossing the central plateau of Antipodes Island. Thjs time we had the privilege of being visited by a very curious pair of skuas. They were busy testing our boots and packs for at least 20 minutes before we had to continue our walk.
Eastern Rockhoppers face a bleak future. Since the 1940s they have declined by 90% or more across their New Zealand range. Entire colonies have disappeared. Seeing the first chicks of the season really reminds me that they aren’t gone yet so we should keep fighting to protect them and their habitat
December 1, 2024 at 4:44 AM
Eastern Rockhoppers face a bleak future. Since the 1940s they have declined by 90% or more across their New Zealand range. Entire colonies have disappeared. Seeing the first chicks of the season really reminds me that they aren’t gone yet so we should keep fighting to protect them and their habitat
The first Eastern Rockhopper chicks are hatching here on Antipodes Island!
December 1, 2024 at 4:06 AM
The first Eastern Rockhopper chicks are hatching here on Antipodes Island!
Those crests are really stunning when they catch the sunlight.
November 30, 2024 at 2:33 AM
Those crests are really stunning when they catch the sunlight.
While we were fighting to walk over the ridge in 40 knot winds, these northern giant petrels were having the time of their life. They really are amazing seabirds. #antipodesisland
November 29, 2024 at 8:03 PM
While we were fighting to walk over the ridge in 40 knot winds, these northern giant petrels were having the time of their life. They really are amazing seabirds. #antipodesisland
Caught a sweet moment today while doing nest checks.
November 23, 2024 at 11:57 PM
Caught a sweet moment today while doing nest checks.
The erect-crested penguin chicks are growing fast. While the males stay home keeping the chicks warm and safe from skuas, the females go out to sea to find enough krill to feed themselves and their chicks. It looks like this chick’s mom is doing a great job so far.
November 23, 2024 at 11:55 PM
The erect-crested penguin chicks are growing fast. While the males stay home keeping the chicks warm and safe from skuas, the females go out to sea to find enough krill to feed themselves and their chicks. It looks like this chick’s mom is doing a great job so far.