Ecological specialization to fluctuating resources prevents long-distance migratory raptors from becoming sedentary on islands

[Background]: The adaptive transition between behavioral strategies, such as the shift from migratoriness to sedentariness, remains an outstanding question in evolutionary ecology. Density-dependent variation in the age of first breeding has been proposed as a feasible mechanism through which long-lived migratory birds with deferred sexual maturity should become sedentary to persist on islands. Although this pattern seems to hold for most raptors and herons, a few exceptions have been identified. One of these exceptions is the Eleonora's falcon, a long-distance migratory bird, which shows one of the most peculiar adaptations in the timing of reproduction and food requirements among raptors.…

Winter movement patterns of a globally endangered avian scavenger in south-western Europe

AbstractPartial migration, whereby some individuals migrate and some do not, is relatively common and widespread among animals. Switching between migration tactics (from migratory to resident or vice versa) occurs at individual and population levels. Here, we describe for the first time the movement ecology of the largest wintering population of Egyptian Vultures (Neophron percnopterus) in south-west Europe. We combined field surveys and GPS tracking data from December to February during four wintering seasons (2014–2018). The wintering population consisted on average of 85 individuals (range 58–121; 76% adults and 24% subadults). Individuals were counted at five different roosting sites lo…

Spatial ecology and habitat use of adult Booted eagles (Aquila pennata) during the breeding season: implications for conservation.

Fast-moving technological advances, such as satellite tracking technologies, are providing in-depth information of aspects of avian ecology hitherto unknown. In fact, detailed information about movement ecology and ranging behaviour of birds is important not only from the perspective of the basic ecology, but also from the conservation point of view. This is particularly important in European countries where agricultural intensification, land abandonment and the withdrawal of traditional management agro-forestry practices pose a threat to biodiversity. The Booted Eagle, likewise other forest raptors, is an adequate bioindicator of human-dominated agro-forestry Mediterranean landscapes in wh…

Pre-Migratory Movements of Adult Montagu's HarriersCircus pygargus

Pre-migratory and migratory movements of Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus, a long-distance migrant, are poorly documented by ring recoveries and observations. In the present study, we tagged 10 adult Montagu's Harriers in NE Spain with satellite transmitters and tracked their movements until their arrival on the wintering grounds. To identify the end of the breeding season and the onset of the migration based on our satellite-telemetry data we developed and applied a statistical approach, defining the time period between these two events as the pre-migratory stage. We then compared habitat preferences during the breeding season and the pre-migratory stage. The duration of the pre-migratory…

Interspecific comparison of the performance of soaring migrants in relation to morphology, meteorological conditions and migration strategies.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al.

Dispersal of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus: the first case of long-distance relocation of an individual from France to Sicily.

ABSTRACTKnowledge of juvenile dispersal is important for understanding population dynamics and for effective conservation, particularly of geographically isolated raptor populations. Here, we report the first documented case of a long-distance movement of an Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus from the French population to Sicily. This observation opens a new perspective for the conservation of the small and endangered Sicilian population of this species, providing evidence that persistence of the Italian population may be aided by new input from other countries.

Understanding the coexistence of competing raptors by Markov chain analysis enhances conservation of vulnerable species.

Understanding ecological interactions among protected species is crucial for correct management to avoid conflicting outcomes of conservation planning. The occurrence of a superior competitor may drive the exclusion of a subordinate contestant, as in Sicily where the largest European population of the lanner falcon is declining because of potentially competing with the peregrine falcon. We measured the coexistence of these two ecologically equivalent species through null models and randomization algorithms on body sizes and ecological niche traits. Lanners and peregrines are morphologically very similar (Hutchinson ratios <1.3) and show 99% diet overlap, and both of these results predict …

Wind effects on the migration routes of trans-Saharan soaring raptors: geographical, seasonal, and interspecific variation

Wind is among the most important environmental factors shaping birds’ migration patterns. Birds must deal with the displacement caused by crosswinds and their behavior can vary according to different factors such as flight mode, migratory season, experience, and distance to goal areas. Here we analyze the relationship between wind and migratory movements of three raptor species which migrate by soaring–gliding flight: Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, booted eagle Aquila pennata, and short-toed snake eagle Circaetus gallicus. We analyzed daily migratory segments (i.e., the path joining consecutive roosting locations) using data recorded by GPS satellite telemetry. Daily movements of E…

Use of digital trail cameras to study Bonelli's eagle diet during the nestling period

Abstract The study of avian diet is one of the most commonly discussed topics in Ornithology. Different methods such as direct observations of hunting, analysis of pellets and collection of prey remains have usually been employed to study avian diet. Fortunately, digital technologies have rapidly advanced in recent years, allowing researchers to increase our understanding of avian behaviour. Here we report the outcomes of a pilot project to study the diet of Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata, Syn = Hieraaetus fasciatus) during the nestling period using digital trail cameras. We describe the monitoring system, provide results on dietary composition and discuss advantages and shortcomings of t…

Large birds travel farther in homogeneous environments

Aim: Animal movement is an important determinant of individual survival, population dynamics and ecosystem structure and function. Nonetheless, it is still unclear how local movements are related to resource availability and the spatial arrangement of resources. Using resident bird species and migratory bird species outside the migratory period, we examined how the distribution of resources affects the movement patterns of both large terrestrial birds (e.g., raptors, bustards and hornbills) and waterbirds (e.g., cranes, storks, ducks, geese and flamingos). Location: Global. Time period: 2003–2015. Major taxa studied: Birds. Methods: We compiled GPS tracking data for 386 individuals across 3…

Holidays? Not for all. Eagles have larger home ranges on holidays as a consequence of human disturbance

Human-wildlife conflicts are the object of raising concern in conservation biology. People living in urban areas are rapidly increasing worldwide and consequently the temporal pattern of occupation of natural areas for recreation is changing as well, resulting in an ever-increasing concentration of people during weekends and holidays. This is particularly evident in affluent societies, where more recreationists visit natural areas on holidays and weekends, causing disturbance to wildlife in the so-called “weekend effect”. Here, we tested the response to disturbance of 30 Bonelli's eagles tracked by high-frequency GPS/GSM telemetry. We analysed daily home-range size, a measure of changing be…

Wintering habitats of Eleonora's FalconsFalco eleonoraein Madagascar

[Capsule]: Eleonora's Falcons wintering in Madagascar selected degraded humid forests and cultivated areas close to pristine humid forest. [Aims]: To identify the habitat preferences of Eleonora's Falcon Falco eleonorae on their wintering grounds in Madagascar, and to use this information to gain insights into the conservation priorities of this species. [Methods]: A total of 11 Eleonora's Falcons were captured in Spain in 2007 and 2008 and equipped with solar-powered satellite transmitters. We obtained information on five complete wintering events for three birds, two of them tracked for two consecutive years. Data were analyzed using geographic information system-based cartography. [Resul…

Diurnal timing of nonmigratory movement by birds: the importance of foraging spatial scales

Timing of activity can reveal an organism's efforts to optimize foraging either by minimizing energy loss through passive movement or by maximizing energetic gain through foraging. Here, we assess whether signals of either of these strategies are detectable in the timing of activity of daily, local movements by birds. We compare the similarities of timing of movement activity among species using six temporal variables: start of activity relative to sunrise, end of activity relative to sunset, relative speed at midday, number of movement bouts, bout duration and proportion of active daytime hours. We test for the influence of flight mode and foraging habitat on the timing of movement activit…

Ecological correlates of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos breeding occurrence in Sardinia

Capsule Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos in Sardinia are clustered across the main mountain ranges of the island, with a preference for undisturbed and homogeneous inland habitats. Aims To analyse habitat preferences of the Golden Eagle in Sardinia, Italy, at the landscape and home range spatial scales. Methods Landscape scale habitat preferences were analysed using the 10 × 10 km Universal Transverse Mercator grid and the home range scale was based on the spatial distribution of breeding territories. Generalized linear models were fitted with three different sets of environmental predictors (topographic, bioclimatic and land use variables) to analyse the spatial distribution of Golden Eagle…

Snake richness predicts breeding distribution of short-toed snake eagle in central Italy.

Birds of prey, as top predators, play a key role in ecosystem functioning by regulating prey populations and, by means of cascade effects, promoting biodiversity. This makes them adequate sentinels of ecosystem health. Here we analyse the relationship between the occurrence of breeding short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) and both the richness of potential prey species and landscape characteristics by taking into account two different spatial scales (i.e. nest-site scale and landscape scale). The short-toed snake eagle offers an interesting case study for investigating the relationships between top predators, prey diversity, and habitats, because it is an extremely specialised raptor…

Non-Invasive Sex Determination of Nestlings and Adult Bonelli’s Eagles Using Morphometrics

Biometric analysis allows the sexing of most vertebrates, particularly birds. Birds of prey, and, especially, the Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata), show reverse sexual dimorphism (i.e., females are usually larger than males). In contrast to blood sampling, the use of morphometrics allows sex determination using a non-invasive method, and, therefore, it facilitates fieldwork. By means of a linear discriminant analysis of biometric variables, we obtained different equations that allow the sexing of nestlings and adult Bonelli’s eagles. We sampled 137 Bonelli’s eagles, 82 nestlings and 55 adults in eastern Spain during the period 2015–2022. The sexes obtained after lin…

Applying economic and ecological criteria to design cost-effective monitoring for elusive species

Abstract Monitoring programs of long-lived and elusive species often incur high costs in terms of field effort and economical budget, but both components are often considered separately. Also, there is scant information on the use of reliable detectability estimates under imperfect detection conditions based on environmental factors, which is key to accurately estimate financial costs and define optimum monitoring strategies. In this study, we use an intensive survey program (2017–2018) of the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus population in Bizkaia (northern Spain) to model detectability at nests taking into account imperfect detection. Our main goal is to estimate both the number and …

Spatial and Temporal Variability in Migration of a Soaring Raptor Across Three Continents

Disentangling individual- and population-level variation in migratory movements is necessary for understanding migration at the species level. However, very few studies have analyzed these patterns across large portions of species' distributions. We compiled a large telemetry dataset on the globally endangered egyptian vulture neophron percnopterus (94 individuals, 188 completed migratory journeys), tracked across similar to 70% of the species' global range, to analyze spatial and temporal variability of migratory movements within and among individuals and populations. We found high migratory connectivity at large spatial scales (i.e., different subpopulations showed little overlap in winte…

Living on the edge: assessing the extinction risk of critically endangered Bonelli’s eagle in Italy

Background: The population of Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) has declined drastically throughout its European range due to habitat degradation and unnatural elevated mortality. There are less than 1500 breeding pairs accounted for in Europe, and the species is currently catalogued as Critically Endangered in Italy, where the 22 territories of Sicily, represent nearly 95% of the entire Italian population. However, despite national and European conservation concerns, the species currently lacks a specific conservation plan, and no previous attempts to estimate the risk of extinction have been made. Methodology/Principal Findings: We incorporated the most updated demographic information ava…

Individual repeatability in timing and spatial flexibility of migration routes of trans-Saharan migratory raptors

Satellite-tracking technology has allowed scientists to make a quantum leap in the field of migration ecology. Nowadays, the basic description of migratory routes of many species of birds has been reported. However, the investigation of bird migration at individual level (i.e. repeatability in migratory routes and timing) still remains seldom explored. Here, we investigated repeated migratory trips of a trans-Saharan endangered migratory raptor, the Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, tracked by GPS satellite telemetry. We compared between- and within-individual variation in migratory routes and timing in order to assess the degree of repeatability (or conversely, the flexibility) in mi…

Food predictability determines space use of endangered vultures: implications for management of supplementary feeding.

Understanding space use of free-living endangered animals is key to inform management decisions for conservation planning. Like most scavengers, vultures have evolved under a context of unpredictability of food resources (i.e. exploiting scattered carcasses that are intermittently available). However, the role of predictable sources of food in shaping spatial ecology of vultures has seldom been studied in detail. Here, we quantify the home range of the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus), a long-lived raptor which has experienced severe population decline throughout its range and is qualified as endangered worldwide. To this end six adults were tracked by satellite telemetry in Spain d…

Assessing reintroduction outcome: comparison of the juvenile post-fledging dependence period between wild and reintroduced Bonelli’s eagles in two Mediterranean islands

Abstract Islands are key areas for biodiversity; however, they are extremely sensitive to anthropic actions. This has led to local species extinctions, especially large predators such as raptors. Consequently, reintroduction and conservation projects aimed at reversing population decline of endangered species have recently gained popularity. Nevertheless, their relatively elevated cost and chance of failure make them controversial, hence assessing their effectiveness is essential. Within the early stages of raptors, the post-fledging dependency period (PFDP) is the one in which individuals must face dangers without having completely developed their skills. Thereby, comparing PFDP patterns c…

Adult coloration of the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) in the Pyrenees: relation to sex, mating system and productivity.

Cosmetic coloration is not a common phenomenon among bird species. Adult Bearded Vultures Gypaetus barbatus typically show orange coloration in head, chest, belly and tarsus feathers that is the result of mud baths in ferruginous substrates. Several non-mutually exclusive visual signalling hypotheses can be proposed to explain this phenomenon. Coloration could be used to signal: (1) dominance towards conspecifics, with darker birds being dominant (status signalling hypothesis); (2) sex (gender signalling hypothesis) because females are usually more intensely coloured; (3) individual quality for mate choice (quality signalling hypothesis); or (4) different reproductive strategies between ind…

Post-fledging dependence period and onset of natal dispersal in Bearded Vultures (Gypaetus barbatus): new insights from GPS satellite telemetry.

Utilizamos telemetría satelital para estudiar el periodo de dependencia post emplumamiento de tres individuos silvestres y seis individuos cautivos de Gypaetus barbatus. El primer vuelo tuvo lugar cuando los pollos tenían 126 ± 7 días de edad (rango  =  111–134 días) y el inicio de la dispersión ocurrió a los 193 ± 40 días desde el primer vuelo (rango  =  143–231 días). Los jóvenes permanecieron en sus áreas natales (o de liberación, en el caso de aves criadas en cautiverio) durante los primeros dos meses desde la fecha de emplumamiento. Luego, comenzaron a incrementar progresivamente la distancia a sus áreas natales; durante este tiempo, la mayoría de los desplazamientos de larga distancia…

Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T17:44:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-01-26 Robert Bosch Foundation Animal movement is fundamental for ecosystem functioning and species survival, yet the effects of the anthropogenic footprint on animal movements have not been estimated across species. Using a unique GPS-tracking database of 803 individuals across 57 species, we found that movements of mammals in areas with a comparatively high human footprint were on average one-half to one-third the extent of their movements in areas with a low human footprint. We attribute this reduction to behavioral changes of individual animals and to the exclusion of species with long-…

Geographical assemblages of European raptors and owls

Abstract In this work we look for geographical structure patterns in European raptors (Order: Falconiformes) and owls (Order: Strigiformes). For this purpose we have conducted our research using freely available tools such as statistical software and databases. To perform the study, presence–absence data for the European raptors and owl species (Class Aves) were downloaded from the BirdLife International website. Using the freely available “pvclust” R-package, we applied similarity Jaccard index and cluster analysis in order to delineate biogeographical relationships for European countries. According to the cluster of similarity, we found that Europe is structured into two main geographical…

Regional and age-dependent differences in the effect of wind on the migratory routes of Eleonora's Falcon.

During migration, birds can show different responses to wind in relation to distance to the goal, experience, ecological barriers and visibility of landmarks. We analysed the effect of wind (tailwinds and crosswinds) on daily movement rates (forward and perpendicular) of Eleonora’s falcons using ARGOS satellite telemetry, during their trans-continental autumn migration to Madagascar, in relation to the different crossed regions and individuals’ age class. Our results showed that the effect of wind on daily movement rates was not uniform, being stronger in the farthest region from the migration goal, the Sahara desert, with adults being more affected than juveniles in this region. In the Sah…

Population size and breeding performance of the Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus in Sicily: conservation implications

Capsule: We report a significant reduction in population size and breeding success for the Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus in Sicily, its biggest stronghold in Europe, since the latest coordinated survey. Aims: To provide updated information on current population size of Lanner Falcon in Sicily and to compare breeding parameters with those obtained in previous studies. Methods: We performed an intensive coordinated field survey and literature review of breeding success parameters across the species range. Results: Overall, we monitored 126 territories throughout Sicily where the species had been reported in the last 15 years. Lanner Falcons were present only in 60 of them. Mean nest productiv…

Individual-Based Tracking Systems in Ornithology: Welcome to the Era of Big Data

Technological innovations have led to exciting fast-moving developments in science. Today, we are living in a technology-driven era of biological discovery. Consequently, tracking technologies have facilitated dramatic advances in the fundamental understanding of ecology and animal behaviour. Major technological improvements, such as the development of GPS dataloggers, geolocators and other bio-logging technologies, provide a volume of data that were hitherto unconceivable. Hence we can claim that ornithology has entered the era of big data. In this paper, which is particularly addressed to undergraduate students and starting researchers in the emerging field of movement ecology, I summaris…

A Case of Predation of a Eurasian Eagle-Owl by a Bonelli's Eagle

Although some of these hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, in light of our field observations and experience with both species in the study area, we would favor the first hypothesis as food availability is low in our study area (P. López-López, C. García-Ripollés, J. Giménez, and V. Urios unpubl. data). The second and third hypotheses could also account for this behavior, especially considering previous events of nestling Bonelli's Eagles being killed by eagle-owls (Real and Manosa 1990). Notwithstanding, if the''predatorremoval hypothesis'' were true, the frequency of lethal interactions among both species would be probably much higher and thus previously reported in the literature. Unf…

Differential survival throughout the full annual cycle of a migratory bird presents a life‐history trade‐off

1. Long‐distance migrations are among the most physically demanding feats animals perform. Understanding the potential costs and benefits of such behaviour is a fundamental question in ecology and evolution. A hypothetical cost of migration should be outweighed by higher productivity and/or higher annual survival, but few studies on migratory species have been able to directly quantify patterns of survival throughout the full annual cycle and across the majority of a species’ range. 2. Here, we use telemetry data from 220 migratory Egyptian vultures Neophron percnopterus, tracked for 3,186 bird months and across approximately 70% of the species’ global distribution, to test for differences …

Positive demographic effects of nest surveillance campaigns to counter illegal harvest of the Bonelli's eagle in Sicily (Italy)

Illegal trade in wildlife has been identified as one of the main challenges to wildlife conservation. In 2010, an illegal trade-ring trafficking in birds of prey was uncovered in Sicily (southern Italy). This illegal trade targeted the three most endangered species in Italy: Bonelli's eagle Aquila fasciata, Lanner falcon Falco biarmicus and Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus, all of them long-lived territorial raptors threatened with extinction across their European distribution. Illegal harvest primarily involved young birds and eggs taken from nests. After the discovery of these activities, surveillance camps and camera traps connected to the mobile Global System for Mobile communicat…

Solving Man-Induced Large-Scale Conservation Problems: The Spanish Imperial Eagle and Power Lines

[Background] Man-induced mortality of birds caused by electrocution with poorly-designed pylons and power lines has been reported to be an important mortality factor that could become a major cause of population decline of one of the world rarest raptors, the Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti). Consequently it has resulted in an increasing awareness of this problem amongst land managers and the public at large, as well as increased research into the distribution of electrocution events and likely mitigation measures.

Long-term changes in the breeding period diet of Bonelli

Context Dietary analyses are essential to achieve a better understanding of animal ecology. In the case of endangered species, assessing dietary requirements is crucial to improve their management and conservation. The Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) has experienced a severe decline throughout its breeding range in Europe and, in Italy, fewer than 50 pairs remain, and only in Sicily. This species is subject to major threats, including changes in landscape composition and, consequently, prey availability, which is further aggravated by the occurrence of viral diseases in the case of rabbits. Aims To provide current data on the diet of the Bonelli’s eagle in Sicily during the breeding peri…

Tri-axial accelerometry shows differences in energy expenditure and parental effort throughout the breeding season in long-lived raptors

Cutting-edge technologies are extremely useful to develop new workflows in studying ecological data, particularly to understand animal behavior and movement trajectories at the individual level. Although parental care is a well-studied phenomenon, most studies have been focused on direct observational or video recording data, as well as experimental manipulation. Therefore, what happens out of our sight still remains unknown. Using high-frequency GPS/GSM dataloggers and tri-axial accelerometers we monitored 25 Bonelli’s eagles Aquila fasciata during the breeding season to understand parental activities from a broader perspective. We used recursive data, measured as number of visits and resi…

Estimating the onset of dispersal in endangered Bonelli's Eagles Hieraaetus fasciatus tracked by satellite telemetry: a comparison between methods

This project was funded by the Terra Natura Foundation. L.C. and P.L.-L. are supported by FPU grants of the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (references AP2001-1444 and AP2005-0874, respectively).

Nest Site Selection by Kentish Plover Suggests a Trade-Off between Nest-Crypsis and Predator Detection Strategies

Predation is one of the main causes of adult mortality and breeding failure for ground-nesting birds. Micro-habitat structure around nests plays a critical role in minimizing predation risk. Plovers nest in sites with little vegetation cover to maximize the incubating adult visibility, but many studies suggest a trade-off between nest-crypsis and predator detection strategies. However, this trade-off has not been explored in detail because methods used so far do not allow estimating the visibility with regards to critical factors such as slope or plant permeability to vision. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Kentish plovers select exposed sites according to a predator detection strategy,…

The First Case of Successful Breeding of a Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosTracked from Birth by Satellite Telemetry

The natal dispersal of a Golden Eagle from its natal eyrie to the site where it reproduced for the first time was monitored. After covering > 16 000 km2 in its three years of juvenile dispersal, and despite flying > 130 km from its natal site, the eagle finally settled in a vacant territory just 26 km away from the place where it had hatched. Almost 95% of the total dispersal area was visited for the first time during the first year of tracking; less than 40% of the disper- sal area was used during the remainder of the dispersal period. During dispersal the eagle regularly visited territories occupied by adult Golden Eagles. Previous records of the occupancy of the territory the eagle curre…

Parental investment asymmetries of a globally endangered scavenger: unravelling the role of gender, weather conditions and stage of the nesting cycle

Capsule: In Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus, both sexes invested similar parental effort throughout the breeding period. However, there was variation in the degree of intensity of parental ...

First cases of polygyny for the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus in the central Pyrenees

ABSTRACTWe report the first cases of polygyny for the Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus in the central Pyrenees, Spain. Although polyandry is frequent in the study area (31.8% of all reproductive units in 2016), we only observed the occurrence of three cases of polygyny over the period 1994–2017. Polygyny in Bearded Vultures is possibly a consequence of habitat saturation.

Habitat preferences of the Tawny owl (Strix aluco) in a Special Conservancy Area of eastern Spain.

The Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) is the most abundant nocturnal raptor in Europe. It has been thoroughly studied in various regions, but its habitat preferences in Mediterranean environments remain poorly understood. With the aim to present novel information about this aspect of the ecology of the Tawny Owl, we established 115 survey stations in the Special Conservancy Area 'Sierras de Talayuelas y Aliaguilla' (Castilla-La Mancha region, eastern Spain) and carried out nocturnal surveys by recording spontaneous calls and vocal responses to call playbacks. We then assessed environmental characteristics (vegetation types, soil type, altitude, potential competitors, and anthropic disturbance) in are…

Deceiving predators: linking distraction behavior with nest survival in a ground-nesting bird

The flight feather moult pattern of the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)

Moult is an extremely time-consuming and energy-demanding task for large birds. In addition, there is a trade-off between the time devoted to moulting and that invested in other activities such as breeding and/or territory exploration. Moreover, it takes a long time to grow a long feather in large birds, and large birds that need to fly while moulting cannot tolerate large gaps in the wing, but only one or two simultaneously growing feathers. As a consequence, large birds take several years to complete a full moult cycle, and they resume the moult process during suboptimal conditions. A clear example of this pattern is the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), which needs 2-3 years for chang…

Habitat preferences of Bonelli's Eagles Aquila fasciata in Sicily

Capsule For breeding, areas dominated by extensive agricultural and rugged Mediterranean landscapes are preferred; maintenance of habitat heterogeneity and extensive agriculture are key for the conservation of this eagle. Aims To model breeding habitat preferences of Bonelli's Eagles Aquila fasciata in Sicily, where the last viable population still remains in Italy, in order to identify the most important habitats for conservation. Methods Pairs were monitored between 1990 and 2010. A case-control design through glms was used at two spatial scales: landscape and home-range. Variables included topographic, climatic, land-use, road and descriptors of habitat heterogeneity. Information-based c…

Natal dispersal and recruitment of two Bonelli's Eagles <I>Aquila fasciata</I>: a four-year satellite tracking study

To study natal dispersal and recruitment to the breeding population in Bonelli's Eagle, two nestlings were tagged with satellite transmitters in the Iberian Peninsula in 2002. Their monthly ranges and distances were computed and fitted to regression models to describe their general trend. One bird, a female, dispersed and settled rapidly in an area which she explored intensively during four years and which finally became her first breeding site. The natal dis- persal distance was 441 km, and the bird cannot therefore be considered philopatric. The other bird, a male, alternated between long travelling episodes and settlement in particular areas, exploring different regions both distant from…

Scavengers on the move: behavioural changes in foraging search patterns during the annual cycle

Background: Optimal foraging theory predicts that animals will tend to maximize foraging success by optimizing search strategies. However, how organisms detect sparsely distributed food resources remains an open question. When targets are sparse and unpredictably distributed, a Lévy strategy should maximize foraging success. By contrast, when resources are abundant and regularly distributed, simple Brownian random movement should be sufficient. Although very different groups of organisms exhibit Lévy motion, the shift from a Lévy to a Brownian search strategy has been suggested to depend on internal and external factors such as sex, prey density, or environmental context. However, animal re…

First description of migration and wintering of adult Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus tracked by GPS satellite telemetry

Capsule Over two years birds showed high territorial and high winter site fidelity in the Sahel.

Population Decline of the Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus in the Central Pyrenees

El seguimiento a largo plazo de las aves amenazadas es esencial para estimar las tendencias poblacionales e identificar las posibles causas de declive, siendo particularmente importante en el caso de las aves alpinas que habitan en areas montanosas en los limites de su area de distribucion. Analizamos la tendencia poblacional del urogallo en los Pirineos centrales espanoles a partir de investigaciones realizadas entre 2000 y 2017. Encontramos un declive significativo de la poblacion (alrededor del 58%) en el numero de aves contadas en las areas de exhibicion (lek). la mayoria de los urogallos habitan bosques de coniferas de pino negro con una cobertura elevada de arandano y rododendro en el…

Incorporating spatial structure and stochasticity in endangered Bonelli’s eagle’s population models: implications for conservation and management

Population models have played a chief role informing management decisions for the endangered Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) in Spain. In this paper, we incorporate spatial structure and stochasticity in the construction of individual-based metapopulation models, and use these models to explore the effects of possible management actions on the persistence of the species in Spain. To build the models we used data on seven sub-populations that have experienced different trends in the last decades, and we introduced new estimates of pre-adult survival rate. The elasticity analysis of our models showed that when the interchange of individuals among sub-populations is taken into account, pre-a…

Data from: Large birds travel farther in homogeneous environments

Aim: Animal movement is an important determinant of individual survival, population dynamics, and ecosystem structure and function. Yet it is still unclear how local movements are related to resource availability and the spatial arrangement of resources. Using resident bird species and migratory bird species outside of the migratory period, we examined how the distribution of resources affect the movement patterns of both large terrestrial birds (e.g., raptors, bustards, hornbills) and waterbirds (e.g., cranes, storks, ducks, geese, flamingos). Location: Global Time Period: 2003 - 2015 Major taxa studied: Birds Methods: We compiled GPS tracking data for 386 individuals across 36 bird specie…

Appendix B. Correlation test between measures of home range size, spatial parameters, and the number of relocations obtained per individual; LMM for the standardized RUF coefficients; and model validation graphs for the LMMs of the home range area.

Correlation test between measures of home range size, spatial parameters, and the number of relocations obtained per individual; LMM for the standardized RUF coefficients; and model validation graphs for the LMMs of the home range area.

Appendix A. Computation of two- and three-dimensional overlap in home ranges.

Computation of two- and three-dimensional overlap in home ranges.

Data from: Deceiving predators: linking distraction behavior with nest survival in a ground-nesting bird

Individual behavior that minimizes predation risk is favored by natural selection. Ground-nesting birds employ different defensive behaviors as part of their antipredator strategies because they nest where a wide range of predators have access. We investigated the influence of distraction displays on breeding success in the Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus, in order to explore the role of the defensive behavior on nest survival. We quantified the intensity of defensive behavior of adult plovers in response to nest disturbance caused by an approaching researcher, by ranking display types according to the intensity and exposure to predation. We also examined sex differences in nest def…

Data from: Moving in the Anthropocene: global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements

Animal movement is fundamental for ecosystem functioning and species survival, yet the effects of the anthropogenic footprint on animal movements have not been estimated across species. Using a unique GPS-tracking database of 803 individuals across 57 species, we found that movements of mammals in areas with a comparatively high human footprint were on average one-half to one-third the extent of their movements in areas with a low human footprint. We attribute this reduction to behavioral changes of individual animals and to the exclusion of species with long-range movements from areas with higher human impact. Global loss of vagility alters a key ecological trait of animals that affects no…