Scientific Publication Library
BRI staff actively contribute to the global scientific community by publishing their findings in a wide range of peer-reviewed journals spanning multiple disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach allows us to share valuable insights across many fields of study. To date, BRI staff have collectively authored and published more than 390 peer-reviewed publications that have over 25,000 citations.
What sets BRI Apart: Institution-level Metrics (Last 5 Years)
BRI is unusual among nonprofits in that our impact levels are comparable to large research universities.
Program Strength by Field
Mercury & Ecotoxicology: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Elite
Global leader; informs the Minamata Convention
Loons & Long-Term Wildlife Monitoring: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Premiere
Most influential loon research group worldwide
Offshore Wind Development & Wildlife: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High
Active from Maine to the Carolinas; major federal and private funding
Raptors & Apex Predators: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High
Emerging global datasets
Climate Change & Seabirds: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High
Strong collaborations in the Gulf of Maine and the Arctic
Bottom Line
Despite being far smaller ins staff than federal agencies or large nonprofits, BRI consistently produces top-tier, global-impact science—especially in contaminants, waterbirds, and offshore wind.
See BRI’s most recent, featured publications below, or use the search bar at the bottom oft the page to find peer reviewed publications by author name, title, or keywords
Featured Publications:
New research utilizing spatially explicit density models on aerial survey data of Eastern Bering Sea beluga whales provides more accurate and detailed estimates of their abundance and distribution compared to conventional analysis methods.
Specialized insectivores drive differences in avian community composition between primary and secondary forest in Central AfricaThe human population of sub-Saharan Africa is projected to triple by 2100, drastically increasing anthropogenic pressure on biodiversity. When rainforest is disturbed by anthropogenic drivers, species respond heterogeneously; these patterns have rarely been quantified for Congo rainforest fauna. The objective in this paper was to understand how community composition changed with human disturbance—with particular interest in the guilds and species that indicate primary rainforest.
Animal coloration patterns are wildly variable. Despite this, there are plumage traits that occur similarly across taxonomic groups, suggesting the possible action of widespread selective regimes. Here, we investigate why so many avian species have “flash” plumage signals—color patches that are not visible when an animal is still but become visible with movement.
Trends in Richness and Occupancy of Ugandan Birds and Relation to Local Tree Cover
Changes in vegetation cover are occurring across sub-Saharan Africa and can have substantial effects on ecological communities, but limited data make understanding status and trends difficult for many taxa. This paper explores bird survey data from time to detection surveys across Uganda, 1985 to 2011. Species richness increased at 75% of sites through the study period, and generalist bird species were most likely to be increasing in occupancy. Forest specialist bird species, and to a lesser extent generalists, responded positively to tree cover.
Opportunistic Vessel-Based Detections of Migratory Bats in the Gulf of Maine
This paper explores the use acoustic monitoring from vessels opportunistically transiting through the Gulf offers as a method to capture bat activity further offshore and across both spatial and temporal gradients. Acoustic bat detectors were deployed on marine vessels in the Gulf and collected data during periods from April through May and August through October 2024. A total of 69 offshore bat passes were recorded, including calls from Lasiurus cinereus (Hoary Bat), Lasionycteris noctivagans (Silver-haired Bat), and Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bat).
