South Carolina Project
Tracking Atlantic and Caribbean Seabirds
January 2014 - December 2023
Personnel
Participating Agencies
- SE Region
- CESU
- Clemson University Institute for Parks
- Neotropical Bird Club
- FWS R4

The Caribbean and Bahamas support ~ 25 species of breeding seabirds. Despite the regions importance to seabird conservation and diversity, seabirds there have been very understudied particularly with respect to migratory connectivity throughout the Atlantic. Our goal has been to steadily increase baseline data on the spatial ecology of seabirds in the region by partnering with local NGOs to build local capacity.
To date, we have collected tracking data from several species of pelagic seabirds in Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, St Eustatius and Tobago in collaboration with federal agencies, and local Universities and NGOs. One particular focus of our research in the region has been to expand research and baseline data on the endangered Black-capped Petrel. The species is endemic to the region, nesting at only a few sites on Hispaniola. Considered globally endangered, the species is under review for listing by the US FWS. We are conducting research on movement ecology, diet, and reproductive ecology with local partners and to date have conducted the only tracking efforts for this species.
Research Publications | Publication Date |
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Jodice, P.G.R., R.A. Ronconi, E. Rupp, G.E. Wallace, Y. Satge. 2015. First satellite tracks of the endangered Black-capped Petrel. Endangered Species Research 29:23-33. doi: 10.3354/esr00697 | Abstract | Download | November 2015 |
Zaluski, S., L.M. Soanes, J.A. Bright, A. George, P.G.R. Jodice, K. Meyer, N. Woodfield-Pascoe, J.A. Green. 2019. Potential threats facing a globally important population of the magnificent frigatebird. Tropical Zoology 32: 188-201. /doi/full/10.1080/03946975.2019.1682352 | Download | December 2019 |
Wilkinson, B.P., A.M. Haynes-Sutton, L. Meggs, and P.G.R Jodice. 2020. High spatial fidelity among foraging trips of Masked Boobies from Pedro Bank, Jamaica. PLoOS ONE 15(4): e0231654. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231654 | Download | April 2020 |
Poli, C.L., A-L. Harrison, A. Vallarino, P.D. Gerard, Jodice, P.G.R. 2017. Dynamic oceanography predicts fine scale foraging behavior of Masked Boobies in the Gulf of Mexico. PLoS ONE 12(6): e0178318. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178318 | April 2017 |
Ramos, R., N. Carlile, J. Madeiros, I. Ramirez, V. Paiva, H. Dinis, F. Zino, M. Biscoito, G. Leal, L. Bugoni, P.G.R. Jodice, P.G. Ryan, J. Gonzalez-Solis. 2017. The time for oceanic seabirds: tracking year-round distribution of gadfly petrels across the Atlantic Ocean. Diversity and Distributions. | May 2017 |
Ramos, R., V.H. Paiva, Z. Zajkova, C. Precheur, A.I. Fagundes, P.G.R. Jodice, W. Mackin, V. Neves, F. Zino, V. Bretagnolle, J. Gonzalez-Solis. 2020. Spatial ecology of closely related taxa: the case of the little shearwater complex in the North Atlantic Ocean. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society XX 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa045 | Download | May 2020 |
Satgé, Y.G., E. Rupp, A. Brown, and P.G.R Jodice. 2020. Habitat modelling locates nesting areas of the Endangered Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata on Hispaniola and identifies habitat loss. Bird Conservation International 1-18. doi:10.1017/S0959270920000490 | Download |
November 2020 |
Satgé, Y.G., E. Rupp, and P.G.R. Jodice. 2019. A preliminary report of ongoing research of the ecology of Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata) in Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic – I: GPS tracking of breeding adults. Unpublished Report, South Carolina Cooperative Research Unit, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA. | June 2019 |
Madden, H., M. Leopold, F. Rivera-Milan, K. Verdel, E. Eggermont, P.G.R. Jodice. Reproductive success of Red-billed Tropicbirds on St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands is affected by temporal and oceanographic factors, but not by factors at the nest site. Waterbids. | Download | December 2022 |
Madden, H., Y.G. Satgé, B.P. Wilkinson, P.G.R. Jodice. 2022. Foraging ecology of Red-billed Tropicbirds in the Caribbean during early chick-rearing revealed by GPS tracking. Marine Ornithology 50:165-175. | Download | November 2022 |
Jodice, P.G.R., P.E. Michael, J.S. Gleason, J.C. Haney, Y.G. Satgé. 2021. Revising the marine range of the endangered black-capped petrel Pterodroma hasitata: Occurrence in the northern Gulf of Mexico and exposure to conservation threats. Endangered Species Research. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr001143. | Abstract | Download |
September 2021 |
Presentations | Presentation Date |
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Jodice, P.G.R., W. Mackin, Y. Satge, C. Poli*, A-L. Harrison, R.A Phillips. 2014. Bahamian seabirds transition from Caribbean to mid-latitude and pelagic waters between the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Pacific Seabird Group Annual Meeting, Juneau, Alaska. | February 2014 |
Mackin, W., Narang, D., P.G.R. Jodice. 2016. Incubation and diving depths of Audubon’s Shearwaters and Red-billed Tropicbirds at Little Tobago Island, Trinidad and Tobago. The Waterbird Society, New Bern, North Carolina. | September 2016 |
Jodice, P.G.R., M. Woodrey, and A. Fournier. 2018. Movement ecology of seabirds: Multi-scale and multi-taxa approaches to addressing conservation needs in the Gulf of Mexico. Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Mobile, Alabama. | October 2018 |
Jodice, P.G.R., J. Gleason, J.C. Haney, Y. Satgé, P. Michael, C. Gaskin, B. Keitt. 2021. Revising the marine range of the endangered Black-capped Petrel. 6th World Seabird Twitter Conference. | May 2021 |
Satgé, Y.G.^, J.S. Lamb, and P.G.R. Jodice. 2019. Using near real-time nighttime light imagery to locate existent seabird exposure to active oil and gas extraction. 43rd Annual Conference of the Waterbird Society Annual Meeting, Maryland, USA. | November 2019 |
Satgé, Y.^, E. Rupp., and P.G.R. Jodice. 2019. Individual tracking informs exposure of the endangered Black-capped Petrel to marine threats during the breeding season. Pacific Seabird Group Meeting, Lihue, HI, USA | March 2019 |
Satgé, Y., and P.G.R. Jodice. 2020. Looking for the devil's nest: Modelling the nesting habitat of the endangered Black-capped Petrel in the Caribbean. 6th World Seabird Twitter Conference. | May 2020 |
Jodice, P. G. R., Y.G. Satgé, B. Keitt, C. Gaskin. 2019. First successful capture and satellite tagging of Black-capped Petrels at sea and subsequent movement patterns. 43rd Annual Conference of the Waterbird Society 43rd Annual Conference and General Meeting, Salisbury, Maryland. | November 2019 |
Harrison, A-L., C. Poli, P.G.R. Jodice. 2014. Multi-scale habitat modeling in seabirds provides opportunities for conservation action. North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Missoula, Montana | July 2014 |
Theses and Dissertations | Publication Date |
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Poli, C. 2014. Spatial Ecology of Pelecaniformes. MS Thesis Clemson University | December 2014 |
Madden, H. 2017. Reproductive Ecology of Red-billed Tropicbirds. University of West Indies. | December 2017 |