Camryn Vestby

she/her

Masters Student

University of Saskatchewan

Discipline

Community Ecology, Conservation, Population Dynamics, Reproductive Biology & Life History, Migration & Movement Ecology

Regional Focus

Karrak Lake, Nunavut, Canada

Years Active

0-2 years

Species Focus

Sea ducks and allies (Anatidae)

Tell us about your work with seabirds.

My graduate research focuses on sea duck conservation in Canada. I am studying the environmental factors that explain variation in the population dynamics of king eiders (KIEI) in the Canadian Arctic. Additionally, I will compare the influence of a large lesser snow goose and Ross's goose colony on components of KIEI reproductive success. The geese and eiders are nesting in close proximity, which creates an interesting set of ecological questions about space use and potential costs/benefits of ecosystem interactions.

What advice would you offer to individuals aspiring to pursue a career as seabird scientists?

Do not be afraid of the things you do not yet know. Many sea ducks and seabirds spend their entire life in remote and often beautiful regions. Get out there, ask questions, find your people, enjoy the beauty!

Camryn holding a female king eider in Nunavut, Canada. At this location, king eider nests have been monitored for 25 years to assess king eider reproductive success. In this image, Camryn has just finished catching the female on her nest and taken her morphometric measurements.

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@camrynvestby