Kirsty Ann Franklin

she/her

Senior Conservation Scientist

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

Discipline

Behaviour, Conservation, Population Dynamics, Migration & Movement Ecology

Regional Focus

Scotland, UK; Round Island, Mauritius

Years Active

6-10 years

Species Focus

Auks (Alcidae), Storm-Petrels (Hydrobatidae & Oceanitidae), Gulls and Terns (Laridae), Petrels and Shearwaters (Procellariidae), Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae)

Tell us about your work with seabirds.

I work on a range of offshore wind focused seabird tracking projects with the aim of understanding the potential impacts of these developments on UK seabird populations. When I'm not report writing, or conducting stats, I'm fortunate to get to spend my time conducting fieldwork, whether that be tracking tiny European storm petrels or the much (much) larger Northern gannet!
I'm also very active in the research of Pterodroma petrels and other seabirds on Round Island (Mauritius), and the wider Indian Ocean, following the completion of my PhD.

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

Take every opportunity you can that comes your way, and run with it! You don't know what you'll enjoy, or excel at, until you try it. And never be afraid to ask for help - I've quickly learnt that who you know in the seabirding world is important for the opportunities that come up, and making collaborations early on opens lots of doors. But most importantly, have fun!

Kirsty Franklin wearing a blue hazmat suit, goggles, and cap, while weighing a Northern Gannet on Bass Rock, Scotland, before GPS tagging. Behind are nesting and flying Gannets, and the wall of the Chapel.

Email:

kirsty.franklin@rspb.org.uk

Website:

Twitter:

@kirstyyfranklin

Instagram:

@kirstyyfranklin