Downsized: gray whales using an alternative foraging ground have smaller morphology

KC Bierlich, A Kane, L Hildebrand, CN Bird… - Biology …, 2023 - royalsocietypublishing.org
Describing individual morphology and growth is key for identifying ecological niches and
monitoring the health and fitness of populations. Eastern North Pacific ((ENP), approximately …

Three decades of nearshore surveys reveal long-term patterns in gray whale habitat use, distribution, and abundance in the Northern California Current

DR Barlow, CS Strong, LG Torres - Scientific Reports, 2024 - nature.com
The nearshore waters of the Northern California Current support an important seasonal
foraging ground for Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG) gray whales. We examine gray …

Intermittent upwelling impacts zooplankton and their gray whale predators at multiple scales

A Dawn, L Hildebrand, FA Sullivan, D Barlow… - Marine Ecology …, 2025 - int-res.com
Coastal upwelling dynamics influence the abundance and distribution of marine
zooplankton; however, knowledge of how intermittent upwelling patterns impact nearshore …

[HTML][HTML] The variable influence of anthropogenic noise on summer season coastal underwater soundscapes near a port and marine reserve

SM Haver, J Haxel, RP Dziak, L Roche… - Marine Pollution …, 2023 - Elsevier
Monitoring soundscapes is essential for assessing environmental conditions for soniferous
species, yet little is known about sound levels and contributors in Oregon coastal regions …

[HTML][HTML] Growing into it: evidence of an ontogenetic shift in grey whale use of foraging tactics

CN Bird, E Pirotta, L New, KC Bierlich, M Donnelly… - Animal Behaviour, 2024 - Elsevier
Highlights•We used drones to measure behaviour and morphology of eastern grey
whales.•Whale foraging behaviours were associated with morphology and habitat …

Modeling individual growth reveals decreasing gray whale body length and correlations with ocean climate indices at multiple scales

E Pirotta, KC Bierlich, L New, L Hildebrand… - Global Change …, 2024 - Wiley Online Library
Abstract Changes in body size have been documented across taxa in response to human
activities and climate change. Body size influences many aspects of an individual's …

Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) post-mortem findings from December 2018 through 2021 during the Unusual Mortality Event in the Eastern North Pacific

S Raverty, P Duignan, D Greig, JL Huggins… - Plos one, 2024 - journals.plos.org
Beginning in December 2018, increased numbers of gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
strandings were reported along the west coast of Mexico, the United States, and Canada …

Using accelerometry tags to quantify gray whale foraging behavior

KM Colson, E Pirotta, L New, DE Cade… - Marine Mammal …, 2024 - Wiley Online Library
High‐resolution tri‐axial accelerometry biologging tags have quantitatively described
behaviors in baleen whale species that forage using lunges and continuous ram filtration …

Variation in faecal testosterone levels in male gray whales on a foraging ground relative to maturity and timing

A Fernandez Ajó, CL Buck, KE Hunt… - Conservation …, 2025 - academic.oup.com
Understanding wildlife reproductive seasonality is crucial for effective management and long-
term monitoring of species. This study investigates the seasonal variability of testosterone in …

Bubble blasts! An adaptation for buoyancy regulation in shallow foraging gray whales

CN Bird, E Pirotta, L New, KC Bierlich… - Ecology and …, 2024 - Wiley Online Library
Foraging efficiency is key to animal fitness. Consequently, animals evolved a variety of
kinematic, morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations for efficient locomotion …