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Quantifying space use of breeders and floaters of a long-lived species using individual movement data

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Abstract

To date, animal movement studies have mostly analysed the movement behaviours of individuals at specific times of their lives, but we lack detailed information on how individual movements may be affected by the various and different changes that individuals experience throughout their life (e.g. life history phases, experience, age). Here, we attempt to identify differences in home range and movement behaviour between two different statuses, disperser vs. breeder, of a long-lived species (the eagle owl Bubo bubo). Information on home range and movement behaviour between different stages of an individual life are crucial for species conservation and management, as well as for basic knowledge on space use and rhythm of activity. Does the transition from an exploratory stage to moving within more familiar surroundings call for changes in the movement behaviour? We observed notable differences during the two stages of the owls’ lives, with individuals having different home range behaviours and rhythms of activity depending on their social status. Significant differences in home range behaviour between the sexes began only with the acquisition of a breeding site. Breeders showed larger home ranges than dispersing individuals, although nightly variation of home ranges size was higher for dispersers than for breeders. Finally, dispersers were active throughout the night, whereas breeders displayed a less active movement phase at both the beginning and end of the night. Our results demonstrate it is important to consider individual variations in space use and movement behaviour due to the different life history phases that they attain during their lifetime. The knowledge of the different needs of a species across life stages may represent an important tool for species conservation because each phase of an individual life may need different requirements.

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Acknowledgments

We thank P. Bartolommei, C. Bettega and R. Lourenço for their help during radiotracking. The research adheres to the legal requirements of the country where it has been carried out. We manipulated and marked owls under Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Medio Ambiente authorizations No. SCFFS-AFR/GGG RS-260/02 and SCFFS-AFR/CMM RS-1904/02. The authors do not have any conflict of interest to declare. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CGL2012–33240; FEDER co-financing).

Conflict of interest

The manipulation of individuals (trapping and radiotagging) described in this paper comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C., c/ Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain

    Vincenzo Penteriani

  2. Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600, Mieres, Spain

    Vincenzo Penteriani & Maria del Mar Delgado

  3. Metapopulation Research Group, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Maria del Mar Delgado

  4. Eco-Ethology Research Unit, ISPA, Rua Jardim do Tabacco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal

    Letizia Campioni

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  1. Vincenzo Penteriani
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  2. Maria del Mar Delgado
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  3. Letizia Campioni
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Correspondence to Vincenzo Penteriani.

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Communicated by: Sven Thatje

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Penteriani, V., del Mar Delgado, M. & Campioni, L. Quantifying space use of breeders and floaters of a long-lived species using individual movement data. Sci Nat 102, 21 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-015-1271-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-015-1271-x

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