Individual and spatio-temporal variations in the home range behaviour of a long-lived, territorial species

Abstract

Despite the fact that investigations of home range behaviour have exponentially evolved on theoretical, analytical and technological grounds, the factors that shape animal home range behaviour still represent an unsolved question and a challenging field of research. However, home range studies have recently begun to be approached under a new integrated conceptual framework, considering home range behaviour as the result of the simultaneous influences of temporal, spatial and individual-level processes, with potential consequences at the population level. Following an integrated approach, we studied the influence of both external and internal factors on variations in the home range behaviour of 34 radiotagged eagle owl (Bubo bubo) breeders. Home range behaviour was characterised through complementary analysis of space use, movement patterns and rhythms of activity at multiple spatio-temporal scales. The effects of the different phases of the biological cycle became considerably evident at the level of movement patterns, with males travelling longer distances than females during incubation and nestling periods. Both external (i.e. habitat structure and composition) and internal (i.e. sex and health state) factors explained a substantial amount of the variation in home range behaviour. At the broader temporal scale, home range and core area size were negatively correlated with landscape heterogeneity. Males showed (1) smaller home range and core area sizes, (2) more complex home range internal structure and (3) higher rates of movement. The better the physiological condition of the individuals, the simpler the internal home range structure. Finally, inter- and intra-individual effects contributed to shaping space use and movement patterns during the biological cycle. Because of the plurality of behavioural and ecological processes simultaneously involved in home range behaviour, we claim that an integrative approach is required for adequate investigation of its temporal and spatial variation.