Effects of geolocators on hatching success, return rates, breeding movements, and change in body mass in 16 species of Arctic-breeding shorebirds

摘要: Geolocators are useful for tracking movements of long-distance migrants, but potential negative effects on birds have not been well studied. We tested geolocators (0.8–2.0 g total, representing 0.1–3.9 % mean body mass) 16 species migratory shorebirds, including five with 2–4 subspecies each a total 23 study taxa. Study spanned range sizes (26–1091 g) and eight genera, were tagged at breeding nonbreeding sites. compared performance return rates to control groups while controlling confounding variables. detected tags three small-bodied species. reduced annual two taxa: by 63 % semipalmated sandpipers 43 % the arcticola dunlin. High resighting effort geolocator could masked additional effects. more likely negatively affect if mass color markers was 2.5–5.8 % than 0.3–2.3 % mass. Carrying nest success 42 % tripled probability partial clutch failure in western sandpipers. mounted perpendicular leg flag had stronger parallel band. However, parallel-band reduce cause injuries leg. No found or changes Among-site variation effect size high, suggesting that local factors important. Negative occurred only smallest our dataset, substantial when present. Future studies mitigate impacts reducing protruding parts minimizing use markers. Investigators maximize recovery strategically deploying males, previously marked individuals, successful breeders, though targeting subsets population bias resulting movement data some