Abnormal Behavior of Canvasbacks Equipped with Radio Transmitters

Perry, Matthew C.

doi:10.2307/3808723

Cited by 61 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Over the years, it has become clear that apart from the burden of carrying a heavy device, harness backpacks themselves are probably the main cause of deleterious effects on the birds carrying them. The main problematic features of harness backpacks are that they are relatively large external structures causing abrasion and drag, disrupt waterproof plumage and that the harness may be too loose or too tight, partly depending on the bird's body stores, which can vary greatly over the year especially in migrants [30,43,61,62]. Effects on survival are most often detected by low return rates of tagged birds to breeding or staging sites compared to ring-marked individuals.…”

Section: Harness-attached Backpackmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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: Harness-attached Backpackmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Disturbed behaviour shortly after tag deployment is reported regularly, involving increased maintenance behaviour and reduced foraging [6,30,32,62,65,70]. In some studies, these effects diminished over time ( [32], E.K.…”

Section: Harness-attached Backpackmentioning

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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Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An extreme case, for example, was reported by Perry [7], when wild canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) equipped with radio transmitters greatly increased maintenance behavior, so that some birds spent about three-fourths of the daylight hours on shore pulling on the transmitter. Such abnormal behavior was observed for up to 2 weeks after transmitter attachment [7]. In a similar study on captive mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and blue-winged teal (Anas discors) equipped with back-mounted radio packs, birds increased preening behavior, while the number of birds engaging in swimming and diving behavior decreased [36].…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most substantial effects were increased energetic costs, a reduced likelihood for nesting, and in extreme cases mortality. Alterations in energy budgets when carrying devices can result from changes in behavior (e.g., time spent foraging, maintenance behavior [7,8]), increased locomotion costs (e.g., increased mass and/ or drag affect flight/diving energetics [9][10][11][12]), changes in thermoregulation (e.g., plumage disruption increasing heat loss [7,13,14]), and potential changes in metabolism associated with 'stress' [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Two methods of radio transmitter attachment and their effects on the behavior and energetics of captive long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) during winter

et al. 2015

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Background: Attachment of external devices can have negative consequences for the health and fitness of subjects, but these effects are often overlooked. In preparation for a field study with small sea ducks, we investigated the effects of two types of external radio transmitter attachments on activity budgets and energetics of captive longtailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) during winter. Methods:We conducted behavioral observations on 15 ducks over 3 months and measured oxygen consumption rates while resting on water and during preening. Ducks were either sham handled ('Control') or had transmitters attached with subcutaneous anchors ('Prongs') or Tesa tape/sutures ('Tesa'). Results:Following transmitter attachment, the activity budgets of Prong and Tesa birds changed significantly, while Controls remained largely unchanged. Prong and Tesa birds reduced locomotor activity (−58 and −54 %, respectively) and the proportion of time spent in water (−48 and −35 %, respectively), while they concomitantly increased time allocated to maintenance behavior (+98 and +151 %, respectively). Tesa birds recovered from these changes over time, at least partially, but Prong birds did not. Also, two of the five Prong birds developed a bacterial infection that spread from the attachment site. Retention time of transmitters was significantly greater for the Prong attachments (4 of 5 tags were retained for the entire 59-day study) than the Tesa technique (26.0 ± 3.2 days). Energy metabolism of ducks resting on water did not change significantly after transmitter attachment. Preening, the primary maintenance behavior, increased oxygen consumption rates by ~70 % over resting. The greater allocation of time to maintenance behavior after transmitter attachment most likely increased daily energy expenditure in these ducks, although the concurrent reduction in locomotor activity might have mitigated this effect. Ducks in our study had food ad libitum and were able to reduce locomotion after transmitter attachment without compromising food intake and, hence, energy balance. In the wild, this strategy might not be viable. Conclusions: Given the short retention time, the tape-based attachment technique we applied is not suitable if monitoring periods greater than ~2 to 3 weeks are desired. Both methods resulted in significant behavioral changes with energetic consequences that should be considered when planning to attach external transmitters to small sea ducks in the wild.

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Effects of radio transmitter weight on a small nocturnal primate

Gursky

1999

Am. J. Primatol.

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An increasing number of primatologists have begun using radio telemetry to study the behavioral ecology of nocturnal prosimian primates. Radio telemetry has enabled the collection of data on these nocturnal and cryptic prosimians that was previously difficult or impossible to otherwise obtain. A critical assumption of studies employing radio telemetry is that the radio transmitters have no appreciable negative effects on the study animals and the data being collected are not being biased by the presence of radio transmitters. This assumption is made because comparable data from a non‐radio‐collared control group are impossible to obtain. In an attempt to determine the tolerable weight limit for radio collars for a small nocturnal primate, the spectral tarsier, Tarsius spectrum, a comparison of the behavior and body weight of individuals wearing collars of two different weights was conducted. This study was conducted in Tangkoko Dua Saudara Nature Reserve in Sulawesi, Indonesia. A total of 16 individuals from seven groups were trapped in mist nets, radio‐collared, and observed using focal follow sampling between April 1994 and June 1995. Each individual was observed for 4–6 months depending on the life span of the radio‐collar battery. The two radio‐collar weights appeared not to affect spectral tarsiers differentially. Average body masses in neither set of subjects differed between the days collars were attached and 6 months later, when they were removed. No differences in activity patterns, home range size, or prey capture rate were detectable between subjects wearing the different transmitters. These results suggest that the heavier radio collars used in this study did not have any appreciable effects on the behavioral patterns of this primate. Am. J. Primatol. 46:145–155, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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Abnormal Behavior of Canvasbacks Equipped with Radio Transmitters

Cited by 61 publications

References 10 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

Two methods of radio transmitter attachment and their effects on the behavior and energetics of captive long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) during winter

Effects of radio transmitter weight on a small nocturnal primate

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