Rachael Orben

Research Interests

Marine predator foraging ecology, species–habitat relationships, food web dynamics, marine spatial planning 

Publications

50. Baylis, A. M. M., Jones, K., Orben, R. A. (2023) Intraguild predation in pinnipeds: Southern Sea lions predating on South American fur seals at the Falkland Islands. Marine Mammal Science. 1-14. doi.org/10.1111/mms.13098

49. Ardağ, D., Wilson, G., Lerczak, J. A., Winters, D. S., Peck-Richardson, A., Lyons, D. E. & Orben, R. A. (2023). Multivariate Data Assimilation at a Partially Mixed Estuary. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 40(9), 1007–1022. doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-22-0101.1

48. Riaz, J., Orben, R. A., Jones, K. A., Shapiro, M., Winter, A., Brickle, P. & Baylis, A. M. M. (2023). Spatial overlap between South American fur seal foraging effort and commercial trawl fisheries in the Falkland Islands. Global Ecology and Conservation, e02615. doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02615

47. Beal, M., Catry, P., Phillips, R. A., Oppel, S., Arnould, J. P. Y., Bogdanova, M. I., Bolton, M., Carneiro, A. P. B., Clatterbuck, C. ‡, Conners, M., Daunt, F., Delord, K., Elliott, K., Fromant, A., Granadeiro, J. P., Green, J. A., Halsey, L., Hamer, K. C., Ito, M., Jeavons, R., Kim, J.-H., Kokubun, N., Koyama, S., Lane, J.V., Lee, W.Y., Matsumoto, S., Orben, R. A., Owen, E., Paiva, V. H., Patterson, A., Pollock, C. J., Ramos, J. A., Sagar, P., Sato, K., Shaffer, S. A., Soanes, L., Takahashi, A., Thompson, D. R., Thorne, L., Torres, L., Watanuki, Y., Waugh, S. M., Weimerskirch, H., Whelan, S., Yoda, K., Xavier, J.C., Dias, M. P. (2023). Quantifying annual spatial consistency in chick-rearing seabirds to inform important site identification. Biological Conservation, 281, 109994. doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2023.109994

46. Kralj, J., Ponchon, A., Oro, D., Amadesi, B., Arizaga, J., Baccetti, N., Boulinier, T., Cecere, J. G., Corcoran, R. M., Corman, A.-M., Enners, L., Fleishman, A. ‡, Garthe, S., Grémillet, D., Harding, A., Igual, J. M., Jurinović, L., Kubetzki, U., Lyons, D. E., Orben, R. A., Paredes, R., Pirrello, S., Recorbet, B., Shaffer, S., Schwemmer, P., Serra, L., Spelt, A., Tavecchia, G., Tengeres, G., Tome, G., Williamson, C., Windsor, S., Young, H., Marco Zenatello, M., Fijn, R. (2023). Active breeding seabirds prospect alternative breeding colonies. Oecologia, 201(2), 341–354. doi.org/10.1007/s00442-023-05331-y

45. Quillfeldt, P., Bange, A., Boutet, A., Orben, R. A. & Baylis, A. M. M. (2022). Breeding Thin-Billed Prions Use Marine Habitats Ranging from Inshore to Distant Antarctic Waters. Animals, 12(22), 3131.doi.org/10.3390/ani12223131

44. Thompson, A. R., Bjorkstedt, E. P., Bograd, S. J., Fisher, J. L., Hazen, E. L., Leising, A., Santora, J. A., Satterthwaite, E. V., Sydeman, W. J., Alksne, M., Auth, T. D., Baumann-Pickering, S., Bowlin, N. M., Burke, B. J., Daly, E. A., Dewar, H., Field, J. C., Garfield, N. T., Giddings, A., Goericke, R., Hildebrand, J., Horton, C. A., Jacobson, K. C., Jacox, M. G., Jahncke, J., Johns, M., Jones, J., Kudela, R. M., Melin, S. R., Morgan, C. A., Nickels, C. F., Orben, R. A., Porquez, J. M., Portner, E. J., Preti, A., Robertson, R. R., Rudnick, D. L., Sakuma K. M., Schroeder, I. D., Snodgrass, O. E., Thompson, S. A., Trickey, J. S., Warzybok, P., Watson, W. & Weber, E. D. (2022). State of the California Current Ecosystem in 2021: Winter is coming? Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 958727. doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.958727

43. Hildebrand, L., Sullivan, F., Orben, R. A., Derville, S. & Torres, L. (2022). Trade-offs in prey quantity and quality in gray whale foraging. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 695, 189–202. doi.org/10.3354/meps14115

42. Chastel, O., Fort, J., Ackerman, J. T., Albert, C., Angelier, F., Basu, N., Blévin, P., Brault-Favrou, M., Bustnes, J. O., Bustamante, P., Danielsen, J., Descamps, S., Dietz, R., Erikstad, K. E., Eulaers, I., Ezhov, A., Fleishman, A. B. ‡, Gabrielsen, G. W., Gavrilo, M., Gilchrist G, Gilg O, Gíslason S, Golubova E, Goutte A, Grémillet D, Hallgrimsson GT, Hansen ES, Hanssen, S. A., Hatch, S., Huffeldt, N. P., Jakubas, D., Jónsson, J.E., Kitaysky, A. S., Kolbeinsson, Y., Krasnov, Y., Letcher, R.J., Linnebjerg, J. F., Mallory, M., Merkel, F. R., Moe, B., Montevecchi, W. J., Mosbech, A., Olsen, B., Orben, R. A., Provencher, J. F., Ragnarsdottir, S. B., Reiertsen T. K., Rojek, N., Romano, M., Søndergaard, J,, Strøm, H., Takahashi, A., Tartu, S., Thórarinsson, T. L., Thiebot, J.-B., Will, A. P., Wilson, S., Wojczulanis-Jakubas, K.,  Yannic, G. (2022). Mercury contamination and potential health risks to Arctic seabirds and shorebirds. Science of The Total Environment, 844, 156944. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156944

41. Conners, M. G., Sisson, N. B., Agamboue, P. D., Atkinson, P. W., Baylis, A. M. M., Benson, S. R., Block, B. A., Bograd, S. J., Bordino, P., Bowen, W. D., Brickle, P., Bruno, I. M., González Carman, V., Champagne, C. D., Crocker, D. E., Costa, D. P., Dawson, T. M., Deguchi, T., Dewar, H., Doherty, P. D., Eguchi, T., Formia, A., Godley, B. J., Graham, R. T., Gredzens, C., Hart, K. M., Hawkes, L. A., Henderson, S., Henry, R. W., Hückstädt, L. A., Irvine, L. M., Kienle, S. S., Kuhn, C. E., Lidgard, D., Loredo, S. A. ‡, Mate, B. R., Metcalfe, K., Nzegoue, J., Kouerey Oliwina, C. K., Orben, R.A., Ozaki, K., Parnell, R., Pike, E. P., Robinson, P. W., Rosenbaum, H. C., Sato, F., Shaffer, S.A., Shaver, D. J., Simmons, S. E., Smith, B. J., Sounguet, G.-P., Suryan, R. M., Thompson, D. R., Tierney, M., Tilley, D., Young. H. S., Warwick-Evans, V., Weise, M. J., Wells, R. S., Wilkinson, B. P., Witt, M. J. & Maxwell, S. M. (2022). Mismatches in scale between highly mobile marine megafauna and marine protected areas. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 897104. doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.897104

40. Goetz, K. T., Stephenson, F., Hoskins, A., Bindoff, A. D., Orben, R. A., Sagar, P. M., Torres, L. G., Kroeger, C. E., Sztukowski, L. A., Phillips, R. A., Votier, S. C., Bearhop, S., Taylor, G. A. & Thompson, D. R. (2022). Data Quality Influences the Predicted Distribution and Habitat of Four Southern-Hemisphere Albatross Species. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9, 782923. doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.782923

39. Thompson, D. R., Goetz, K. T., Sagar, P. M., Torres, L. G., Kroeger, C. E., Sztukowski, L. A., Orben, R. A., Hoskins, A. J. & Phillips, R. A. (2021). The year-round distribution and habitat preferences of Campbell albatross (Thalassarche impavida). Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst., 31(10), 2967–2978. doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3685

38. Weber, E. D., Auth, T. D., Baumann-Pickering, S., Baumgartner, T. R., Bjorkstedt, E. P., Bograd, S. J., Burke, B. J., Cadena-Ramírez, J. L., Daly, E. A., de la Cruz, M., Dewar, H., Field, J. C., Fisher, J. L., Giddings, A., Goericke, R., Gomez-Ocampo, E., Gomez-Valdes, J., Hazen, E. L., Hildebrand, J., Horton, C. A., Jacobson, K. C., Jacox, M. G., Jahncke, J., Kahru, M., Kudela, R. M., Lavaniegos, B. E., Leising, A., Melin, S. R., Miranda-Bojorquez, L. E., Morgan, C. A., Nickels, C. F., Orben, R. A., Porquez, J. M., Portner, E. J., Robertson, R. R., Rudnick, D. L., Sakuma, K. M., Santora, J. A., Schroeder, I. D., Snodgrass, O. E., Sydeman, W. J., Thompson, A. R., Thompson, S. A., Trickey, J. S., Villegas-Mendoza, J., Warzybok, P., Watson, W. &  Zeman, S. M. (2021). State of the California Current 2019–2020: Back to the Future With Marine Heatwaves? Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, 709454. doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.709454

37. Baylis, A. M. M., deLecea, A., Tierney, M. & Orben, R. A. (2021). Overlap between marine predators and proposed Marine Managed Areas on the Patagonian Shelf. Ecological Applications, 31, 1–16. doi.org/10.1002/eap.2426

36. Drummond, B. A., Orben, R. A., Christ, A. M., Fleishman, A. B., Renner, H. M., Rojek, N. A. & Romano, M. D. (2021). Comparing non-breeding distribution and behavior of red-legged kittiwakes from two geographically distant colonies. PLOS ONE, 16(7), e0254686. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254686

35. Clatterbuck, C. A., Lewison, R. L., Orben, R. A., Ackerman, J. T., Torres, L. G., Suryan, R. M., Warzybok, P., Jahncke, J. & Shaffer, S. A. (2021). Foraging in marine habitats increases mercury concentrations in a generalist seabird. Chemosphere, 279, 130470. doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130470

34. Orben, R. A., Adams, J., Hester, M. M., Shaffer, S. A., Suryan, R. M., Deguchi, T., Ozaki, K., Sato, F., Young, L., Conners, M. G., Kroodsma, D. A. & Torres, L. G. (2021). Across borders: External factors and prior behaviour influence North Pacific albatross associations with fishing vessels. Journal of Applied Ecology, 58(6), 1272–1283. doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13849  

33. Conners, M. G., Michelot, T., Heywood, E. I., Orben, R. A., Phillips, R. A., Vyssotski, A. L., Shaffer, S. A. & Thorne, L. H. (2021). Hidden Markov models identify major movement modes in accelerometer and magnetometer data from four albatross species. Movement Ecology, 9(1), 7. doi.org/10.1186/s40462-021-00243-z

32. Albert, C., Helgason, H. H., Brault-Favrou, M., Robertson, G. J., Descamps, S., Amélineau, F., Danielsen, J., Dietz, R., Elliott, K. H., Erikstad, K. E., Eulaers, I., Ezhov, A., Fitzsimmons, M. G., Gavrilo, M., Golubova, E., Grémillet, D., Hatch, S. A., Huffeldt, N. P., Jakubas, D., Kitaysky, A. S., Kolbeinsson, Y., Krasnov, Y., Lorentsen, S.-H., Lorentzen, E., Mallory, M. L., Merkel, B., Merkel, F. R., Montevecchi, W., Mosbech, A., Olsene, B., Orben, R. A., Patterson, A., Provencher, J., Plumejeaud, C., Pratte, I., Reiertsen, T. K., Renner,  H., Rojek, N., Romano, M., Strøm, H., Systad, G. H., Takahashi, A., Thiebot, J.-B., Thórarinsson, T. L.,  Will, A. P., Wojczulanis-Jakubas, K., Bustamante, P. & Fort, J. (2021). Seasonal variation of mercury contamination in Arctic seabirds: A pan-Arctic assessment. Science of the Total Environment, The, 750, 142201. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142201

31. Kroeger, C. E., Crocker, D. E., Orben, R. A., Thompson, D. R., Torres, L. G., Sagar, P. M., Sztukowski, L. A., Andriese, T., Costa, D. P. & Shaffer, S. A. (2020). Similar foraging energetics of two sympatric albatrosses despite contrasting life histories and wind-mediated foraging strategies. Journal of Experimental Biology, 223(23), 1–13. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.228585

30. Jones, K. A., Baylis, A. M. M., Orben, R. A., Ratcliffe, N., Votier, S. C., Newton, J. & Staniland, I. J. (2020). Stable Isotope Values in South American Fur Seal Pup Whiskers as Proxies of Year-round Maternal Foraging Ecology. Marine Biology, 167(148). doi.org/10.1007/s00227-020-03760-4

29. Baylis, A. M. M., Tierney, M., Orben, R. A., Gonzalez de la Pena, D. & Brickle, P. (2020). Non‐breeding movements of gentoo penguins at the Falkland Islands. Ibis, 163(2), 507–518. doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12882

28. Thompson, A. R., Schroeder, I. D., Bograd, S. J., Hazen, E. L., Jacox, M. G., Leising, A., Wells, B. K., Fisher, J. L., Jacobson, K., Zeman, S. M., Bjorkstedt, E. P., Robertson, R. R., Kahru, M., Goericke, R., Peabody, C. E., Baumgartner, T. R., Lavaniego, B. E., Miranda, L. E., Gomez-Ocampo, E., Gomez-Valdes, J., Gomex-Valdes, J., Ault, T. R., Daly, E. A., Morgan, C. A., Burke, B. J., Field, J. C., Sakuma, K. M., Weber, E., D., Watson, W., Porquez, J. M., Dolliver, J., Lyons, D., Orben, R. A., Zaman, J. E., Warzybok, P., Jahncke, J., Santora, J. A., Thompson, S.-A., Hoover, B., Sydeman, W. & Merlin, S. R. (2019). State of the California Current 2018–19: A novel anchovy regime and a new marine heat wave? CalCOFI Rep., 60, 1–66.

27. Fleishman, A. B. ‡, Orben, R. A., Kokubun, N., Will, A. P., Paredes, R., Takahashi, A., Kitaysky, A. S. & Shaffer, S. A. (2019). Wintering in the Western Subarctic Pacific Increases Mercury Contamination of Red-Legged Kittiwakes. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(22), 13398–13407. doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b03421

26. Baylis, A. M. M., Orben, R. A., Arkhipkin, A. A., Barton, J., Brownell Jr, R. L., Staniland, I. J. & Brickle, P. (2019). Re‐evaluating the population size of South American fur seals and conservation implications. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 29(11), 1988–1995. doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3194

25. Loredo, S. A. ‡, Orben, R. A., Suryan, R. M., Lyons, D. E., Adams, J. & Stephensen, S. W. (2019). Spatial and temporal diving behavior of non-breeding common murres during two summers of contrasting ocean conditions. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 517, 13–24. doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2019.05.009

24. Baylis, A. M. M., Tierney, M., Orben, R. A., Warwick-Evans, V., Wakefield, E. D., Grecian, W. J., Trathan, P. N., Reisinger, R., Ratcliffe, N., Croxall, J. P., Campioni, L., Catry, P., Crofts, S., Boersma, P. D., Galimberti, F., Granadeiro, J. P., Handley, J., Hayes, S., Hedd, A., JF Masello, WA Montevecchi, K Putz, P Quillfeldt, GA Rebstock, S Sanvito, IJ Staniland, Brickle, P. (2019). Important At-Sea Areas of Colonial Breeding Marine Predators on the Southern Patagonian Shelf. Scientific Reports, 9, 8517. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44695-1

23. Orben, R. A., Fleishman, A. B., Borker, A. L., Bridgeland, W., Gladics, A. J., Porquez, J., Sanzenbacher, P., Stephensen, S. W., Swift, R., McKown, M. W. & Suryan, R. M. (2019). Comparing imaging, acoustics, and radar to monitor Leach’s storm-petrel colonies. PeerJ, 7, e6721. doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6721

22. Cockerham, S., Lee, B., Orben, R. A., Suryan, R. M., Torres, L. G., Warzybok, P., Bradley, R., Jahncke, J., Young, H. S., Ouverney, C. & Shaffer, S. A. (2019). Microbial Ecology of the Western Gull (Larus occidentalis). Microbial Ecology, 78, 665–676. doi.org/10.1007/s00248-019-01352-4

21. Baylis, A. M. M., Tierney, M., Orben, R. A., Staniland, I. J. & Brickle, P. (2018). Geographic variation in the foraging behaviour of South American fur seals. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 596, 233–245. doi.org/10.3354/meps12557

20. Orben, R. A., Kokubun, N., Fleishman, A. B., Will, A. P., Yamamoto, T., Shaffer, S. A., Paredes, R., Takahashi, A. & Kitaysky, A. S. (2018). Persistent annual migration patterns of a specialist seabird. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 593, 231–245. doi.org/10.3354/meps12459

19. Orben, R. A., O’Connor, A., Suryan, R., Ozaki, K., Sato, F. & Deguchi, T. (2018). Ontogenetic changes in at-sea distributions of immature short-tailed albatrosses Phoebastria albatrus. Endangered Species Research, 35, 23–37. doi.org/10.3354/esr00864

18. Baylis, A. M. M., Tierney, M., Orben, R. A., Staniland, I. J. & Brickle, P. (2018). Geographic variation in the foraging behaviour of South American fur seals. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 596, 233–245. doi.org/10.3354/meps12557

17. Young, R. C., Orben, R. A., Will, A. P. & Kitaysky, A. S. (2017). Relationship between telomere dynamics and movement and behavior during winter in the thick‑billed murre. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 578, 253–261. doi.org/10.3354/meps12022

16. Torres, L. G., Orben, R. A., Tolkova, I. & Thompson, D. R. (2017). Classification of Animal Movement Behavior through Residence in Space and Time. PLOS ONE, 12(1), e0168513. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168513

15. Baylis, A. M. M., Kowalski, G. J., Voigt, C. C., Orben, R. A., Trillmich, F., Staniland, I. J. & Hoffman, J. I. (2016). Pup Vibrissae Stable Isotopes Reveal Geographic Differences in Adult Female Southern Sea Lion Habitat Use during Gestation. PLoS ONE, 11(6), e0157394. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0157394

14. Hückstädt, L. A., Tift, M. S., Riet-Sapriza, F., Franco-Trecu, V., Baylis, A. M. M., Orben, R. A., Arnould, J. P. Y., Sepúlveda, M., Santos-Carvallo, M., Burns, J. M. & Costa, D. P. (2016). Regional variability in diving physiology and behavior in a widely distributed air-breathing marine predator, the South American sea lion (Otaria byronia). The Journal of Experimental Biology, 219(15), 2320–2330. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.138677  

13. Humphries, G. R. W., Flemming, S. A., Gladics, A. J., Hammer, S., Hart, K., Hirata, K., Antolos, M. A., Kappes, P. J., Magnusdottir, E., Major, H. I., Mcduie, F., McOmber, K., Orben, R. A., Schmid, M. S. & Wille, M. 2016. Bridging the gap from student to senior scientist: Recommendations for engaging early career scientists in professional biological societies. Marine Ornithology 44:157-166.

12. Baylis, A. M. M., Orben, R. A., Costa, D. P., Arnould, J. P. Y. & Staniland, I. J. (2016). Sexual segregation in habitat use is smaller than expected in a highly dimorphic marine predator, the southern sea lion. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 554, 201–211. doi.org/10.3354/meps11759

11. Baylis, A. M. M., Orben, R. A., Arnould, J. P. Y., Peters, K., Knox, T., Costa, D. P. & Staniland, I. J. (2015). Diving deeper into individual foraging specializations of a large marine predator, the southern sea lion. Oecologia, 1–13. doi.org/10.1007/s00442-015-3421-4

10. Orben, R. A., Paredes, R., Roby, D. D., Irons, D. B. & Shaffer, S. A. (2015). Body size affects individual winter foraging strategies of thick‐billed murres in the Bering Sea. Journal of Animal Ecology, 84(6), 1589–1599. doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12410

9. Paredes, R., Orben, R. A., Roby, D. D., Irons, D. B., Young, R., Renner, H. M., Tremblay, Y., Will, A., Harding, A. M. A. & Kitaysky, A. S. (2015). Foraging ecology during nesting influences body size in a pursuit-diving seabird. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 533, 261–276. doi.org/10.3354/meps11388  

8. Orben, R. A., Paredes, R., Roby, D. D., Irons, D. B. & Shaffer, S. A. (2015). Wintering North Pacific black-legged kittiwakes balance spatial flexibility and consistency. Movement Ecology, 3(1), 36. doi.org/10.1186/s40462-015-0059-0

7. Baylis, A. M. M., Orben, R. A., Arnould, J. P. Y., Christiansen, F., Hays, G. C. & Staniland, I. J. (2015). Disentangling the cause of a catastrophic population decline in a large marine mammal. Ecology, 96(10), 2834–2847. doi.org/10.1890/14-1948.1

6. Orben, R. A., Irons, D. B., Paredes, R., Roby, D. D., Phillips, R. A. & Scott A Shaffer. (2015). North or south? Niche separation of endemic red-legged kittiwakes and sympatric black-legged kittiwakes during their non-breeding migrations. Journal of Biogeography, 42, 401–412. doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12425

5. Baylis, A. M. M., Orben, R. A., Pistorius, P., Brickle, P., Staniland, I. & Ratcliffe, N. (2015). Winter foraging site fidelity of king penguins breeding at the Falkland Islands. Marine Biology, 162(1), 99–110. doi.org/10.1007/s00227-014-2561-0

4. Paredes, R., Orben, R. A., Suryan, R. M., Irons, D. B., Roby, D. D., Harding, A. M. A., Young, R. C., Benoit-Bird, K. J., Ladd, C., Renner, H., Heppell, S., Phillips, R. A. & Kitaysky, A. S. (2014). Foraging Responses of Black-Legged Kittiwakes to Prolonged Food-Shortages around Colonies on the Bering Sea Shelf. PLoS ONE, 9(3), e92520. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092520.s001

3. Young, R. C., Kitaysky, A. S., Haussmann, M. F., Descamps, S., Orben, R. A., Elliott, K. H. & Gaston, A. J. (2013). Age, Sex, and Telomere Dynamics in a Long-Lived Seabird with Male-Biased Parental Care. PLoS ONE, 8(9), e74931. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0074931.g002

2. Harding, A., Paredes, R., Suryan, R., Roby, D., Irons, D., Orben, R. A., Renner, H., Young, R., Barger, C., Dorresteijn, I. & Kitaysky, A. (2013). Does location really matter? An inter-colony comparison of seabirds breeding at varying distances from productive oceanographic features in the Bering Sea. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 94, 178–191. doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.03.013

1. Paredes, R., Harding, A. M. A., Irons, D. B., Roby, D. D., Suryan, R. M., Orben, R. A., Renner, H. M., Young, R. & Kitaysky, A. S. (2012). Proximity to multiple foraging habitats enhances seabirds’ resilience to local food shortages. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 471, 253–269.  doi.org/10.3354/meps10034