Non-permanent radiotelemetry leg harness for small birds |
| |
Authors: | Dylan C Kesler |
| |
Institution: | Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, 1105 E. Rollins Street, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA |
| |
Abstract: | I developed a modified leg harness for mounting radiotelemetry transmitters to small birds, which includes a weak link that allows telemetry equipment to be shed. Over 4 years, I mounted 62 transmitters on 49 Tuamotu kingfishers (Todiramphus gambieri) using weak-link harnesses. Kingfishers retained 86% of transmitters for the duration of monitoring periods (23–66 days) whereas 22 of 23 transmitters were shed from birds resighted after 6–15 months. Apparent mortality was no higher for radio-marked birds than for birds without transmitters. The weak-link harness is an improvement to existing transmitter attachment techniques and provides a useful, effective, and ethical means of studying bird movements. © 2011 The Wildlife Society. |
| |
Keywords: | endangered harness kingfisher radiotelemetry radio telemetry survival Todiramphus gambieri |
|
|