Optimizing Radio Retention and Minimizing Radio Impacts in a Field Study of Upland Sandpipers

摘要: Abstract Two challenges in wildlife telemetry are optimizing the duration of transmitter attachment and minimizing impacts radios on behavior demography study animal. We tested 4 methods radio for a breeding population upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) under natural conditions at tallgrass prairie site Kansas, USA. To estimate retention weekly survival rates, we used nest model Program MARK. Radio was lowest start end period. The expected 1.8 years leg-loop harness, 40 days glued to clipped feathers, 26 directly 7 bare skin. Few radiomarked birds died during our study, but 8 mortality events were discovered within one week radiomarking. Both glue harnesses increased predation risk immediately after attachment. probability high a...