Revealing unexpected uses of space by wintering Aquila pomarina : how does satellite telemetry identify behaviour at different scales?
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley Online
Abstract
Little
is understood about the dispersion and movements of Palaearctic migrant raptors while wintering in southern Africa.
The high temporal and spatial resolution of GPS telemetry data provided the opportunity to describe how space is used
by one such migratory raptor in its wintering range, the lesser spotted eagle Aquila pomarina. Kernel density estimation
was used to map the distribution of three individuals at various spatial scales. In addition to their extremely large overall
wintering range (up to 112 000 km2), three finer levels of spatial concentration were identified: favoured activity zones
where the birds spent much of the winter, smaller core areas to which the birds returned each year, and tiny intensive foraging
clusters. Philopatry was demonstrated by one bird which revisited core areas over eight wintering seasons. The same
core areas, particularly the Waterberg, Grootfontein (Namibia) and the eastern and western sides of the Okavango Delta
(Botswana), were visited by two other eagles in 2012/2013, although not simultaneously. Such results potentially provide
important information on areas where conservation activities might be focused to mitigate human degradation of habitat.
Description
CITATION: Meyburg, B., Mendelsohn, S., Mendelsohn, J. & De Klerk, H.M. 2015. Revealing unexpected uses of space by wintering Aquila pomarina: How does satellite telemetry identify behaviour at different scales? Journal of Avian Biology, 46(6):648–657, doi:10.1111/jav.00670.
The original publication is available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com
The original publication is available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Keywords
Aquila pomarina, Eagles -- Africa, Southern, Migratory birds -- Africa, Southern, Eagles -- Migration -- Africa, Southern, Eagles -- Wintering -- Africa, Southern, Eagles -- Dispersal --Africa, Southern
Citation
Meyburg, B., Mendelsohn, S., Mendelsohn, J. & De Klerk, H.M. 2015. Revealing unexpected uses of space by wintering Aquila pomarina: How does satellite telemetry identify behaviour at different scales? Journal of Avian Biology, 46(6):648–657, doi:10.1111/jav.00670.