Comparison of the Effects and Performance of Four Types of Radiotransmitters for Use With Scoters

Iverson, Samuel A.; Boyd, W. Sean; Esler, Daniel; Mulcahy, Daniel M.; Bowman, Timothy D.

doi:10.2193/0091-7648(2006)34[656:coteap]2.0.co;2

Cited by 47 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The reduction in short-term survival rates of female Mallards of up to 23% in Paquette et al [60], which was only significant in one out of five study sites, indicated that tags attached with subcutaneous anchors may sometimes affect adult birds. Other studies using subcutaneous implants found no effect on short-term survival of Lesser Scaups Aythya affinis [12], Surf Scoters Melanitta perspicillata and White-winged Scoters Melanitta deglandi [40] or on annual survival of Wood Ducks Aix sponsa [36]. Subcutaneous attachments have been found to negatively affect reproduction in some cases.…”

Section: Subcutaneous Attachmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction in adverse effects of tracking devices on waterfowl requires better measuring and reporting

Lameris

Kleyheeg

2017

Anim Biotelemetry

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Since the first studies in the mid-twentieth century, lightweight electronic tracking devices have been increasingly used to study waterfowl movements. With half a century of experience and growing sample sizes, it has become clear that the attachment of a tracking device can affect a bird's behaviour and fitness. This becomes problematic when it introduces uncertainty about whether the recorded data represent natural behaviour. Waterfowl may be particularly prone to tag effects, since many species are migratory and tracking devices can disrupt their waterproof plumage. The primary aim of this paper is to identify how tracking devices may affect waterfowl survival, migration and reproduction, and how better measuring and reporting of such effects can improve our understanding of the risks, providing a first step towards reducing their impact in future studies. We reviewed literature on electronic tracking of waterfowl to create an overview of currently recognized effects of harness-attached backpacks, implants, subcutaneous attachments and neck collars. Additionally, we analysed developments in the use of attachment methods, the weight of tracking devices relative to bird body mass, and the reporting rate of effects of tracking devices in 202 original tracking studies. We found that although the number of waterfowl tracking studies described in peer-reviewed literature has steeply increased over the past decades, reporting rates of potential effects have decreased from 65.0 to 26.5%. Meanwhile, the mean weight of the tracking devices relative to the bird's body mass remained stable around 2.0%. Major negative effects were reported in 17% of all studies and were found for all attachment methods. Overall, large differences exist in the occurrence and type of negative effects between species and studies, even if the same tracking methods were used. Inconsistent reporting of effects, lack of control groups to measure effects and incomplete descriptions of the methodology hamper the identification of factors contributing to these effects. To accomplish a reduction in adverse effects of tracking, it is necessary to improve the measuring and reporting of effects. We propose a framework for standardized reporting of methods in primary tracking studies and standardized protocols to measure effects of tracking devices on waterfowl.

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Section: Subcutaneous Attachmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduction in adverse effects of tracking devices on waterfowl requires better measuring and reporting

Lameris

Kleyheeg

2017

Anim Biotelemetry

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“…The VHF radiotransmitters, weighing <12 g (-1% of average molting body mass), were attached using subcutaneous prongs and superglue (Iverson et al 2006). The foraging effort of each radiomarked individual was monitored multiple times throughout remigial molt for 1-h intervals during different parts of the day, including nocturnal observations.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in body mass and foraging effort of Barrow’s Goldeneyes (Bucephala islandica) during remigial molt

Hogan

Esler

Thompson

2013

The Auk

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Molt is a metabolically demanding process in the annual cycle of birds, particularly for species that undergo simultaneous remigial molt because nutritional and energetic costs occur during a short period. Birds that molt remiges simultaneously utilize many different body-mass and foraging strategies to meet the nutritional and energetic costs of remigial molt, and documentation of interspecific variation has contributed to understanding species-specific risks associated with molt. However, little is known about intraspecific variation in body-mass and foraging strategies among birds that molt remiges simultaneously. We documented body-mass dynamics and foraging effort of Barrow's Goldeneyes {Bucephala islándica) during simultaneous remigial molt at two important postbreeding sites, including a large, hypereuthrophic lake and a small, mesotrophic lake in Alberta, to determine whether strategies for meeting nutritional costs of remigial molt varied across sites, years, and cohorts. Average body mass of all age and sex cohorts on both lakes increased during remigial molt in both 2009 and 2010. Birds were heavier on the smaller lake, and heavier in 2010 than in 2009, and adult males were heavier than subadult males. Radiomarked adult males exhibited similar foraging effort on each lake in each year (approximately 120-140 min day"'); however, birds foraged primarily diurnally on the large lake and nocturnally on the small lake. We conclude that Barrow's Goldeneyes exhibit considerable intraspecific variation in body-mass and foraging dynamics during remigial molt across sites, years, and cohorts, which suggests that these components of molt strategy are plastic and responsive to local environmental conditions. Variation de la masse corporelle et de l'effort d'alimentation de Bucephala islándica lors de la mue des rémiges RÉSUMÉ.-La mue est un processus du cycle annuel des oiseaux qui est exigeant sur le plan métabolique, particulièrement chez les espèces qui subissent une mue simultanée des rémiges car les coûts nutritionnels et énergétiques se produisent sur une courte période. Les oiseaux dont les rémiges muent simultanément utilisent diverses stratégies de masse corporelle et alimentaires afin d'assumer les coûts nutritionnels et énergétiques de la mue des rémiges. La documentation sur la variation interspécifique a contribué à la compréhension des risques spécifiques associés à la mue. Toutefois, on en sait peu sur la variation intraspécifique de la masse corporelle et les stratégies alimentaires chez les oiseaux qui subissent une mue simultanée des rémiges. Nous avons documenté la dynamique de la masse corporelle et l'effort d'alimentation de Bucephala islándica au cours de la mue simultanée des rémiges à deux importants sites de mue postnuptiale, soit un grand lac hypereuthrophe et un petit lac mésotrophe en Alberta, afin de déterminer si les stratégies pour assumer les coûts nutritionnels de la mue des rémiges varient entre les sites, les années et les cohortes. La masse corporelle moyenne de toutes les cohort...

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“…The birds were implanted with PTT satellite-transmitters following standard procedures (Mulcahy & Esler 1999). The implantation method has been shown to perform well for scoters (Iverson et al 2006). Birds were released after a recovery period of at least 1 h. Individuals that did not leave winter areas, died, or experienced radio failure during migration were not included in analyses.…”

Section: Captures and Fitting Of Transmittersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal associations between Pacific herring spawn and surf scoter spring migration: evaluating a ‘silver wave’ hypothesis

Lok

Esler²,

Takekawa³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Comparison of the Effects and Performance of Four Types of Radiotransmitters for Use With Scoters

Cited by 47 publications

References 22 publications

Reduction in adverse effects of tracking devices on waterfowl requires better measuring and reporting

Reduction in adverse effects of tracking devices on waterfowl requires better measuring and reporting

Variation in body mass and foraging effort of Barrow’s Goldeneyes (Bucephala islandica) during remigial molt

Spatiotemporal associations between Pacific herring spawn and surf scoter spring migration: evaluating a ‘silver wave’ hypothesis

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