scholarly journals Ranging behaviour and habitat use in Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargus in extensive farmland of Eastern Poland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Krupiński ◽  
Dorota Kotowska ◽  
Mariano R. Recio ◽  
Michał Żmihorski ◽  
Przemysław Obłoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Ranging Behaviour ◽  
Montagu’S Harrier ◽  
Montagu's Harrier ◽  
Daily Distance

AbstractAgriculture intensification drives changes in bird populations but also in the space use by farmland species. Agriculture in Eastern Europe still follows an extensive farming model, but due to policy shifts aimed at rural restructuring and implementation of government subsidies for farmers, it is being rapidly intensified. Here, we aimed to document the ranging behaviour and habitat use of a declining farmland bird of prey—Montagu’s Harrier—and to compare it to findings from Western Europe. In 2011–2018, 50 individuals were followed with GPS loggers in Eastern Poland to study species spatial ecology. We found home ranges (kernel 90%) to be considerably large: 67.3 (± 42.3) km2 in case of males, but only 4.9 (± 6.1) km2 in females. Home ranges overlapped by 40%, on average, with other males in colonies and by 61%, on average, between consecutive breeding seasons of a particular male. The average daily distance travelled by males and females reached, respectively, 94.5 and 45.3 km, covering a daily home range of 32.3 and 3.1 km2. Individuals foraged up to 35 km from nests (3.5 km on average). Daily distance travelled and daily home ranges varied across the breeding season, in case of females being shortest in July, but sharply increasing in August. Also, individuals with breeding success had higher daily distance travelled but smaller daily home ranges. Average harriers’ distance to nest was generally increasing over the season, but was also changing over time of day: birds were closest to nest during night time, but at the end of the season, males roosted up to 16 km from the nest. While foraging males slightly preferred grasslands, higher elevation and smaller land-use patches, they avoided slopes and proximity of roads. We conclude that the surprisingly large home ranges of breeding harriers may suggest reduced prey availability or high fragmentation of hunting areas, both driving birds to utilise large areas and potentially contributing to population decline.

scholarly journals Spatial ecology of lions in a small, semi-fenced park surrounded by dense human populations: the case study of Nairobi National Park, Kenya

Mammalia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-207
Author(s):  
Francis Lesilau ◽  
Stijn Verschueren ◽  
Maarten van’t Zelfde ◽  
Kees C. J. M. Musters ◽  
Geert R. de Snoo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Ranging Behavior ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Buffer Zones ◽  
Nairobi National Park

Abstract Human population growth near protected areas often results in detrimental edge effects for apex carnivores, such as the African lion. Urbanization leads to new scenarios of the human–lion conflict, thus understanding ranging patterns close to urban environments is crucial to inform future management strategies. We collected GPS data from 12 collared lions between 2014 and 2018 in Nairobi National Park, which borders the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi city. We estimated home ranges, calculated daily distance traveled and tested for differences between sex, season and pride. Additionally, we investigated how disturbance from Nairobi and surrounding human settlements affected space-use of lions, and tested for differences between sex, season and time of day. Lions showed restricted movements (4.5 km/day) and had small home ranges (49 km2). Male lions had larger ranges than females, but avoidance behavior of disturbed areas was similar. Lions took advantage during times of low human activity, i.e., during the night, to extend ranging behavior in search for resources. Risk for livestock depredation also increased during the wet season when lions roamed longer, more frequently, and deeper into the community lands. We recommend the establishment of buffer zones to maintain a viable lion population and reduced risk for conflict.

scholarly journals The Effects of Suburban Development and Wolf (Canis lupis) Recolonization on Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

1998 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 15-19
Author(s):  
Stanley Anderson ◽  
Doug Wachob ◽  
Rachel Wigglesworth ◽  
Nathan McClennen
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Jackson Hole ◽  
Agricultural Areas

A comparative study of coyote (Canis latrans) home range, activity, habitat use, and diet in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) and residential/agricultural areas surrounding Jackson, Wyoming was begun in May 1998 and will continue until August 1999. Twenty-seven coyotes were captured and fitted with radio collars equipped with activity and mortality sensors. Eleven of the coyotes reside in and around the residential/agricultural areas while 15 of the coyotes range from Moran Junction south to the National Elk Refuge. One coyote has remained in Bridger-Teton National Forest near Upper Slide Lake. Marked coyotes were monitored three times a week in the summer and two times a week during the winter via radio telemetry. Preliminary data suggests that the home range size of coyotes in GTNP is larger than that of coyotes in developed areas. Activity levels appear to be lower in residential/agricultural areas during daylight hours. Coyote diet is currently being assessed via scat dissection, and prey availability was determined using Sherman live traps during the summer and early fall. Habitat use will be determined by overlaying coyote home ranges onto habitat maps. Vegetation plots were conducted in five habitat types (aspen, conifer, grass, riparian, sage) to determine vegetation structure. All of the above methods will be repeated in summer 1999. During winter 1999, telemetry surveys and scat collection will continue. Additionally, snow tracking surveys and coyote observations will be conducted to determine coyote group size and behavior. If time allows, relative density estimates and social organization will be determined. The intention of this study is also to collect baseline data on coyotes before and during wolf (Canis lupus) recolonization of Jackson Hole.

scholarly journals Changing places: spatial ecology and social interactions of female and male Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) in the Spanish Extremadura

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitte Berger-Geiger ◽  
Georg Heine ◽  
Ajayrama Kumaraswamy ◽  
C. Giovanni Galizia
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Breeding Area ◽  
Circus Pygargus ◽  
Local Site ◽  
Montagu’S Harrier ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cereal Fields ◽  
Montagu's Harrier

AbstractThe ground nesting raptor Montagu’s Harrier breeds in loose colonies in cereal fields in the Spanish Extremadura. It is unclear how and whether birds in different colonies interact and how harriers spend time before and after nesting, before starting migration. We used GPS–GSM tags deployed on ten females and three males, some over multiple seasons, to follow bird movements with unprecedented detail. Arriving from spring migration, all males and most females returned to their old nest site, and spent between 13 and 25 days in mate choice and local site inspection. During incubation and early nesting female movements were strongly reduced, but increased significantly during late nesting and post-fledging periods. After fledging or after breeding failure, females increased their flying radius. Some of them visited other colonies, for single days or for longer periods, or flew long distances within Spain. These visits might have included help in breeding attempts of other pairs (adoptions). Four out of six females returned to their own breeding site before starting migration. Several females repeatedly used common roosts in this phase. Non-breeding females were active in defending nests in the colony against predators. Females with successful brood initiated migration earlier and spent less time in Spain than non-breeders or those with predated nests. Unlike females, daily distances in males were more uniform. While all males remained in the breeding area for the entire season, their activity centres shifted more within that area than those of females.

scholarly journals Manual Acoustic Tracking Reveals the Spatial Ecology of Giant Trevally at a Remote South Pacific Atoll, with Implications for Their Management

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Filous ◽  
Robert J. Lennox ◽  
Andy J. Danylchuk ◽  
Alan M. Friedlander
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
P Value ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Spatial Overlap ◽  
Catch And Release ◽  
Wide Scale

<div>Giant trevally (<i>Caranx ignobilis</i>) are important predators on the reefs of the tropical Indo-Pacific and research into their spatial ecology is needed to improve our understanding of their behavior and assist fisheries management. We used active acoustic telemetry to describe the fine-scale movements of giant trevally at Tetiaroa Atoll, including their home range, site fidelity, habitat use and spatial overlap with a small (21 km2) Marine Protected Area (MPA). The home ranges of giant trevally were small but varied among individuals (Minimum Convex Polygon 𝑋𝑋 = 3.2 ± 2.5 km2). All giant trevally exhibited site fidelity to their respective home ranges with a 31% average overlap in daily space use, but there was limited overlap in home ranges among individuals, with intra-individual spatial overlap significantly greater than inter-individual overlap (t = -4.93, df = 16.87, p-value = <0.001). There was only modest overlap (19 ± 19%) of giant trevally home ranges within the MPA and high spatial overlap of home ranges with deep lagoon habitats (90 ± 0.09 %). Our results indicate that MPAs could be an effective tool for the conservation of this species if they are implemented on an atoll-wide scale. However, in the case of managing recreational catch-and-release fisheries, rotational smallscale temporal closures could be effective in regulating the angling pressure imposed upon giant trevally, provided post-release mortality is minimized. The results of this study provide the first detailed account of habitat use in this species and highlight the need for additional research on the factors contributing to the survival of caught-and-released giant trevally in predator dominated atolls, especially as their popularity as a target of recreational fisheries continues to grow, and fishing operations and agencies are faced with the need to manage their fisheries.</div>

Home range, habitat use and movements by the little raven (Corvus mellori) in a coastal peri-urban landscape

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Desley A. Whisson ◽  
Michael A. Weston ◽  
Kelly Shannon
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Coastal Wetland ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Convex Polygons ◽  
Natural Habitats

Context In peri-urban environments, high availability of anthropogenic resources may result in relatively high abundances of some species, with potentially negative implications for other native biota. Effective management of such impacts requires understanding of the spatial ecology of problem species. However, home range and habitat use have not been described for the little raven (Corvus mellori), a superabundant native predator that occurs in urban and natural habitats, including those where threatened shorebirds breed. Aims The aim of this study was to provide basic information on little raven home range, habitat use and movements in a coastal peri-urban landscape. Methods Between October 2011 and January 2012 we radio-tracked 20 little ravens captured in a coastal wetland (near Melbourne, Australia). Key results Little ravens were highly mobile, moving up to 9.9 km in an hour (median = 2 km), and had large ranges: Minimum Convex Polygons were 1664–9989 ha (median = 3362 ha). Although most birds used both anthropogenic and natural habitats, some birds strongly selected for coastal wetland habitat. Birds used multiple roosts during the study period, most of which occurred in grassland (58.7%) or urban (22.3%) areas. Movement of up to 8.3 km (median = 2.2 km) between roosts during the night was also detected. Conclusions Ravens were highly mobile and used large home ranges and a variety of habitats, with habitat preferences varying between birds. Implications Considering the large home ranges and inter-individual variation in habitat preferences of little raven populations, localised management to reduce their impacts on breeding shorebirds is unlikely to be successful.

scholarly journals Spatial and temporal ecology of the Lusitanian pine vole (Microtus lusitanicus) in a Mediterranean polyculture

2010 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Lourenço ◽  
António Mira ◽  
Sara Santos ◽  
Maria da Luz Mathias
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Kernel Method ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Males And Females

AbstractIn this study we report the first data on the spatial ecology of the Lusitanian pine vole (Microtus lusitanicus). Data report to the breeding season and to a traditional Mediterranean agricultural landscape in Central Portugal, using radio-telemetry methods. We documented large home range areas with values of 1042 m2 for males and 862 m2 for females (MCP method; 95% kernel method with values of 229 m2 and 159 m2 for males and females, respectively). Although no significant differences between sexes or reproductive status were found, longer daily movements were observed in reproductively inactive males. Pair bonding and home range overlap was observed between males and females, as well as between females and sub-adults. Voles showed no distinct preference for day or night for activity periods and movements. However, this result was dependent on sex, reproductive status and time of day. Voles revealed habitat preference for both spatial scales of analysis: they selected verges, vines and olives, within the study area, and used more verges within their home ranges, when compared to the other habitat types. The use of space by Microtus lusitanicus, in comparison with other microtines, suggests the occurrence of spatial associations between males and females in monogamous pairs. The importance of verges and linear habitats within an agricultural context is apparent, once they provide food and shelter from predators and human interventions.

scholarly journals Manual Acoustic Tracking Reveals the Spatial Ecology of Giant Trevally at a Remote South Pacific Atoll, with Implications for Their Management

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Filous ◽  
Robert J. Lennox ◽  
Andy J. Danylchuk ◽  
Alan M. Friedlander
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
P Value ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Spatial Overlap ◽  
Catch And Release ◽  
Wide Scale

<div>Giant trevally (<i>Caranx ignobilis</i>) are important predators on the reefs of the tropical Indo-Pacific and research into their spatial ecology is needed to improve our understanding of their behavior and assist fisheries management. We used active acoustic telemetry to describe the fine-scale movements of giant trevally at Tetiaroa Atoll, including their home range, site fidelity, habitat use and spatial overlap with a small (21 km2) Marine Protected Area (MPA). The home ranges of giant trevally were small but varied among individuals (Minimum Convex Polygon 𝑋𝑋 = 3.2 ± 2.5 km2). All giant trevally exhibited site fidelity to their respective home ranges with a 31% average overlap in daily space use, but there was limited overlap in home ranges among individuals, with intra-individual spatial overlap significantly greater than inter-individual overlap (t = -4.93, df = 16.87, p-value = <0.001). There was only modest overlap (19 ± 19%) of giant trevally home ranges within the MPA and high spatial overlap of home ranges with deep lagoon habitats (90 ± 0.09 %). Our results indicate that MPAs could be an effective tool for the conservation of this species if they are implemented on an atoll-wide scale. However, in the case of managing recreational catch-and-release fisheries, rotational smallscale temporal closures could be effective in regulating the angling pressure imposed upon giant trevally, provided post-release mortality is minimized. The results of this study provide the first detailed account of habitat use in this species and highlight the need for additional research on the factors contributing to the survival of caught-and-released giant trevally in predator dominated atolls, especially as their popularity as a target of recreational fisheries continues to grow, and fishing operations and agencies are faced with the need to manage their fisheries.</div>

scholarly journals Habitat use and ranging behaviour of juvenile Golden EaglesAquila chrysaetoswithin natal home ranges in boreal Sweden

Bird Study ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin Sandgren ◽  
Tim Hipkiss ◽  
Holger Dettki ◽  
Frauke Ecke ◽  
Birger Hörnfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Ranging Behaviour ◽  
Natal Home

scholarly journals Effects of seed-rich habitat provision on territory density, home range and breeding performance of European Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
JENNY C. DUNN ◽  
ANTONY J. MORRIS ◽  
PHILIP V. GRICE ◽  
WILL J. PEACH
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Food Limitation ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Breeding Performance ◽  
Ranging Behaviour ◽  
Local Abundance ◽  
Turtle Dove ◽  
Human Habitation ◽  
Territory Density ◽  
Streptopelia Turtur

Summary Conservation measures providing food-rich habitats through agri-environment schemes (AES) have the potential to affect the demography and local abundance of species limited by food availability. The European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur is one of Europe’s fastest declining birds, with breeding season dietary changes coincident with a reduction in reproductive output suggesting food limitation during breeding. In this study we provided seed-rich habitats at six intervention sites over a 4-year period and tested for impacts of the intervention on breeding success, ranging behaviour and the local abundance of territorial turtle doves. Nesting success and chick biometrics were unrelated to the local availability of seed-rich habitat or to the proximity of intervention plots. Nestling weight was higher close to human habitation consistent with an influence of anthropogenic supplementary food provision. Small home ranges were associated with a high proportion of non-farmed habitats, while large home ranges were more likely to contain seed-rich habitat suggesting that breeding doves were willing to travel further to utilize such habitat where available. Extensively managed grassland and intervention plot fields were selected by foraging turtle doves. A slower temporal decline in the abundance of breeding males on intervention sites probably reflects enhanced habitat suitability during territory settlement. Refining techniques to deliver sources of sown, natural, and supplementary seed that are plentiful, accessible, and parasite-free is likely to be crucial for the conservation of turtle doves.

scholarly journals Impact of natural salt lick on the home range of Panthera tigris at the Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan Andrew Lazarus ◽  
Azlan Che-Amat ◽  
Muhammad Muzammil Abdul Halim Shah ◽  
Azwan Hamdan ◽  
Hasliza Abu Hassim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Nutritional Ecology ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Panthera Tigris ◽  
Health Maintenance ◽  
Salt Lick ◽  
Save Energy ◽  
Salt Licks

AbstractNatural salt lick (sira) is a strategic localisation for ecological wildlife assemblage to exhibit geophagy which may act as a population dynamic buffer of prey and predators. Undoubtedly, many agree that geophagy at natural licks is linked to nutritional ecology, health and assembly places facilitating social interaction of its users. Overall, natural salt licks not only save energy of obtaining nutrient leading to health maintenance but also forms the basis of population persistence. The Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia (Royal Belum) is a typical tropical rainforest in Malaysia rich in wildlife which are mainly concentrated around the natural salt lick. Since this is one of the most stable fauna ecology forest in Malaysia, it is timely to assess its impact on the Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris) home range dynamics. The three-potential home ranges of the Malayan tiger in this rainforest were selected based on animal trails or foot prints surrounding the salt lick viz (e.g. Sira Kuak and Sira Batu; Sira Rambai and Sira Buluh and Sira Papan) as well as previous sightings of a Malayan tiger in the area, whose movement is dependent on the density and distribution of prey. Camera traps were placed at potential animal trails surrounding the salt lick to capture any encountered wildlife species within the area of the camera placements. Results showed that all home ranges of Malayan tiger were of no significance for large bodied prey availability such as sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), and smaller prey such as muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjac) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). Interestingly, all home range harbour the Malayan tiger as the only sole predator. The non-significance of prey availability at each home range is attributed to the decline of the Malayan tiger in the rainforest since tigers are dependant on the movement of its preferred prey surrounding natural salt licks. Thus, the information from this study offers fundamental knowledge on the importance of prey-predator interaction at salt lick which will help in designing strategy in rewilding or rehabilitation programs of the Malayan tiger at the Royal Belum Rainforest.

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