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First-year dispersal in white-tailed eagles Haliaeetus albicilla

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Abstract

Dispersal is a key process affecting the dynamic and genetic structure of populations. To increase our knowledge on first-year dispersal in the white-tailed eagle (WTE), 35 nestlings in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Austria were equipped with GPS/GSM loggers while on the nest between 2016 and 2019. Twenty-nine individuals surviving until March 31 were used to assess post-fledging areas, first-year dispersal distance and direction, temporary settlement areas, and habitat selection. The first flight from the nest was observed between May 19 and July 8. Start of dispersal from post-fledging areas occurred between July 1 and November 14. Post-fledging areas were significantly larger in males (p = 0.001, median 1236 km2, n = 15) than females (median 139 km2, n = 12). Maximal dispersal distance ranged from 93 to 433 km from the native nest (median = 187 km) and did not correlate with Simpson’s Diversity Index computed for habitats in individual 100% minimum convex polygons (MCP). Median sizes of minimum convex polygons were 26,888 km2 for 100% MCP and 13,376 km2 for 95% MCP (n = 29). Median sizes of kernel density estimates (KDE) were 3393 km2 for 80% KDE and 1137 km2 for 50% KDE. After start of dispersal, young WTEs returned to the proximity of the parental nest for night roosting sporadically. No sex-specific differences in dispersal distance were recorded. While young individuals from the three subpopulations are likely to occur in the same area during the first year of life, future nesting site identification will enable us to assess real gene flow and the connectivity level among them. As this study has illustrated, future conservation efforts to protect young WTEs will require cross-border cooperation.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the following ornithologists and their cooperators for monitoring white-tailed eagles and their nest sites in the field: K. Makoň, H. Matušík, J. Mráz, and M. Váczi. We thank Kevin Roche for language editing. We also thank the editor and the anonymous referees for their valuable comments.

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This research was financially supported by the IGA VFU Brno (project no. 216/2019/FVHE).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1, 61242, Brno, Czech Republic

    D. Rymešová, V. Machálková, D. Dorňáková, L. Rozsypalová & I. Literák

  2. Technisches Büro für Biologie Mag. Dr. Rainer Raab, Deutsch-Wagram, Austria

    R. Raab & P. Spakovszky

  3. Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic

    D. Horal

  4. Czech Society for Ornithology, Na Bělidle, 34, Brno, Czech Republic

    D. Horal

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  1. D. Rymešová
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Contributions

RR and IL designed the study and provided legislative permissions. RR, IL, PS, DR, and DH participated in the tagging of nestlings and regular checks of locations recorded and individual fates. DR, with VM, DD, and LR, analysed the data in GIS. DR contributed most to the writing of the paper, which was reviewed and approved by the other co-authors.

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Correspondence to D. Rymešová.

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All animal manipulation and tagging were consistent with the laws of the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary. Tagging was allowed on the basis of the following permissions: (1) Czech Republic: JMK 48995/2017 (S-JMK 25358/2017 OŽP/Ško), JMK 18112/2018 (S-JMK 176395/2017 OŽP/Ško), KUCJK 40400/2017 (OZZL 25808/2017); (2) Austria: GFL2-J-107/014; (3) Hungary: tagging was performed by the ringer Péter Spakovszky under general deliverance PE-KTF/97-13/2017 of the Hungarian Bird Ringing Centre (MME/BirdLife).

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Rymešová, D., Raab, R., Machálková, V. et al. First-year dispersal in white-tailed eagles Haliaeetus albicilla. Eur J Wildl Res 67, 44 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-021-01490-6

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