Kite aerial photography: a low‐cost method for monitoring seabird colonies |
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Authors: | Karine Delord Gildas Roudaut Christophe Guinet Christophe Barbraud Sophie Bertrand Henri Weimerskirch |
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Institution: | 1. Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR, Villiers en Bois, France;2. Laboratoire des sciences de l'environnement marin, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR LEMAR, Brest, France;3. Centre de Recherche Halieutique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR‐EME, Sète, France |
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Abstract: | Obtaining aerial high‐resolution images of bird nesting colonies using remote‐sensing technology such as satellite‐based remote sensing, manned aircraft, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles might not be possible for many researchers due to financial constraints. Kite Aerial Photography (KAP) provides a possible low‐cost alternative. We collected digital images of ground‐nesting seabirds (i.e., cormorants and penguins) in two different ecosystems using a kite‐based platform equipped with consumer‐grade digital cameras with time‐lapse capability to obtain estimates of breeding population size. KAP proved to be an efficient method for acquiring high‐resolution aerial images. We obtained images of colonies of seabirds ranging in size from hundreds to several hundreds of thousands breeding pairs during flights lasting from a few minutes up to three hours, from flat to very steep areas, and in contrasted wind conditions (from 0.5 to 6 Beaufort force). KAP is an efficient low‐cost method for acquiring high‐resolution aerial images and an alternative to ground‐based censuses, especially useful in rugged areas. |
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Keywords: | census monitoring colonial seabirds high resolution image kite‐based platform |
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