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Effects of flipper bands and injected transponders on the survival of adult Little Penguins Eudyptula minor
Citation
Dann, P and Sidhu, LA and Jessop, R and Renwick, L and Healy, M and Dettmann, B and Baker, B and Catchpole, EA, Effects of flipper bands and injected transponders on the survival of adult Little Penguins Eudyptula minor, Ibis, 156, (1) pp. 73-83. ISSN 0019-1019 (2014) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2014 British Ornithologists' Union
Official URL: http://bou-online.blogspot.com.au/
Abstract
Tagging is essential for many types of ecological and behavioural studies, and it is generally
assumed that it does not affect the fitness of the individuals being examined. However,
the tagging of birds has been shown to have negative effects on some aspects of
their lives. Here we investigate the influence of tagging on apparent survival. We examined
the effects of flipper bands and injected transponders on the apparent survival of
adult Little Penguins by comparing the survival probabilities of 2483 Little Penguins
marked at Phillip Island, Australia, between 1995 and 2001 in one of three ways: with
bands, with transponders or with both. The design of the study and our method of analysis
allowed us to estimate tag loss and ensured that tag loss did not bias the survival estimates.
Birds marked with flipper bands had lower survival probabilities than those
marked with transponders (with apparent survival probabilities in the first year after
tagging of 75% for banded birds and 80% for birds fitted with transponders, and in subsequent
years of 87% for banded birds and 91% for birds fitted with transponders). We estimated
both band and transponder loss probabilities for the first time, and found that
transponder loss probabilities were substantially higher than band loss probabilities,
particularly in the first year after marking when the tag loss probability was 5% for
transponders and 0.7% for bands. Survival probabilities were lower in the first year after
marking than in subsequent years for all birds. Studies of penguins that have used flipper
bands to identify individuals may have underestimated annual adult survival probabilities,
as banded penguins were likely to have lower than average survival probabilities than
those of unbanded birds. The higher annual survival probabilities of individuals marked
with transponders indicate that this should be the preferred marking technique for Little
Penguins. However, future studies will, like ours, need to consider the higher rates of
transponder loss when estimating survival, possibly by double-tagging some birds.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | Little Penguins, seabirds, marking and tagging techniques |
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Ecology |
Research Field: | Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Management of Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments |
Objective Field: | Biodiversity in Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments |
UTAS Author: | Baker, B (Dr Barry Baker) |
ID Code: | 92506 |
Year Published: | 2014 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 13 |
Deposited By: | IMAS Research and Education Centre |
Deposited On: | 2014-06-20 |
Last Modified: | 2017-10-31 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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