Success for seabirds

A story of rare good news for seabirds, thanks to conservationists in Mexico.

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Guadalupe Murrelet, one of the many seabird species benefiting from spectacular conservation efforts on islands of northwest Mexico (story for Living Bird Magazine @CornellBirds): https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/mexicos-conservation-efforts-spur-dramatic-recoveries-for-20-species-of-seabirds/ #seabirds #conservation #birds #nature #science #animals #ocean #islands #mexico #art #drawing #painting #sketch #seabirdstory

A post shared by Abby McBride (@sketchbiologist) on Jun 19, 2020 at 4:17am PDT

Old albatross

Today I start my desultory multiday trip from Maine to New Zealand, where I intend to sketch a lot of seabirds. My overseas flight isn't until this weekend, so in the meantime here's an albatross sketch from the archives!

A post shared by Abby McBride (@sketchbiologist) on Sep 5, 2017 at 5:03am PDT

Actually this was a drawing (based on photographic references) of THE oldest known living bird, Wisdom the Laysan Albatross, who continues to lay eggs and raise chicks at age 66-plus.

Endangered Not-a-Seagull

World's most endangered gull, found only in New Zealand (Black-billed Gull)

A post shared by Abby McBride (@sketchbiologist) on Jul 25, 2017 at 8:04pm PDT

This endangered black-billed gull debuted in my 2012 graduate thesis, titled “Don't Call It a Seagull," but is now a fitting ambassador for my next project on New Zealand seabird conservation.