#belugafact: Did you know that tail shape can help differentiate male and female belugas?

As males mature, their tail become more curved and heart-shaped❤️, while female tails remain relatively straight at the bottom edge. Figure adapted from Vladykov (1944)

Counting beluga surface behaviours on the Churchill River to understand the impacts of noise!

Does underwater noise affect how often belugas show their tails when diving, a behaviour that may be linked to feeding? Excited to find out! @raincoast.org @uwindsor.bsky.social
Photo: Marie-Ana Mikus

Out on the @explore.org @polarbearsinternational.org beluga boat with Captain Tera yesterday!

Really challenging conditions but crystal-clear waters allowed for some amazing observations.

Thanks to Frontiers North Adventures, @raincoast.org and Oceans North! #BelugaResearch #adayinthefield

So thrilled to be back in Churchill, learning about beluga vocal and social behaviour. Marie-Ana and I are here for the first field season of my postdoc project in collaboration with @raincoast.org, Frontiers North Adventures, Oceans North, @uwindsor.bsky.social, and @dmennill.bsky.social

The Savannah Sparrows are officially nesting on Kent Island! Our team found the first nest yesterday with 4 eggs 🥚. The happy couple is N.WB & B.RN, returning birds from 2024. Check in as we find more! @dmennill.bsky.social @ryannorrissci.bsky.social @jaclynaubin.bsky.social @nelsyninor.bsky.social

Meet LO.N, a male Savannah Sparrow living on Kent Island, NB, Canada. We know he hatched ~11 mon. ago, on this very island. We know his parents. We know his song. We even know the exact male he learned his song from! Can't wait to learn more about LO.N as the season continues! #longtermdata #birds

Very pleased to announce that I have successfully defended my doctoral dissertation! Huge thanks to my supervisory committee, @dmennill.bsky.social, @marine-valeria.bsky.social, @lrendell.bsky.social, Robert Michaud, Christina Semeniuk, Nigel Hussey, and Aaron Fisk! @uwindsor.bsky.social

Tremendous news! Our paper "Fly with care: belugas show evasive responses to low altitude drone flights" (doi.org/10.1111/mms....) was recently recognized as a top ten most-cited article in Marine Mammal Science for 2023. Thanks to everyone who made this work possible! #TopCitedArticle