I am a young research ecologist with a passion for bird migration and exploring how our changing environment is influencing avian populations, particularly long-distance migrants. My research interests focus on investigating the ecological drivers of survival and productivity, and relating events across the annual cycle to changes in the demographic processes influencing population change.

I have 10 years of research experience in wildlife ecology, with practical experience in ecological project design, management, and implementation. I've had the opportunity to conduct field research in some amazing locations, from a remote seabird island off the coast of British Columbia to the tundra of the Alaskan Arctic. I am a firm convert to the R statistical environment, and enjoy giving introductory workshops on how to analyse ecological data in R.

I am currently based in East Anglia in the United Kingdom, where I work as a research ecologist for the British Trust for Ornithology. In my spare time, my partner David and I enjoy birding, nature photography, hiking, canoeing, camping, and orienteering.

PhD, Simon Fraser University, Canada (2012): Population connectivity and the causes and consequences of differential migration in a long distance migratory shorebird, the Western Sandpiper.

BSc Honours in Zoology, University of Toronto, Canada (2005)

Peer-reviewed Publications

  1. Franks, S. E., G. Fernández, D. J. Hodkinson, T. K. Kyser, and D. B. Lank. (2013). The long and the short of it: no dietary specialisation between male and female western sandpipers despite strong bill size dimorphism. PLoS ONE 8(11): e79835. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0079835.
  2. Bugajski, A., M. Reudink, J. L. Doucette, S. E. Franks, B. Wissel, and C. M. Somers. (2013). The complexity of cormorants: stable isotopes reveal multiple prey sources and feeding site switching. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 70: 271-279.
  3. Franks, S. E., D. R. Norris, T. K. Kyser, G. Fernández, B.Schwarz, R. Carmona, M. A. Colwell, J. C. Sandoval, A. Dondua, H. R. Gates, B. Haase, D. J. Hodkinson, A. Jiménez, R. B. Lanctot, B. Ortego, B. K. Sandercock, F. Sanders, J. Y. Takekawa, N. Warnock, R. C. Ydenberg, and D. B. Lank. (2012). Range-wide patterns of migratory connectivity in the western sandpiper Calidris mauri. Journal of Avian Biology 43:155-167.
  4. Franks, S. E., D. B. Lank, D. R. Norris, B. K. Sandercock, C. M. Taylor, and T. K. Kyser. (2009). Stable isotope analysis discriminates age classes of Western, Least, and Semipalmated sandpipers when plumage methods are unreliable. Journal of Field Ornithology 80:51-63.

Other Publications

Franks, S. E. (2013). Migratory connectivity of Western Sandpipers Calidris mauri using the Fraser Estuary. Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Technical Data Report. Hemmera Envirochem Inc.

Franks, S. E., D. B. Lank, W. H. Wilson. Western Sandpiper. The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. in press.