Miniaturized GPS Tags Identify Non-breeding Territories of a Small Breeding Migratory Songbird.

Michael T Hallworth,Peter P Marra

doi:10.1038/srep11069

Michael T Hallworth, Peter P Marra

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/srep11069

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Journal: Scientific reports	Publication Date: Jun 9, 2015
Citations: 100	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

Abstract

For the first time, we use a small archival global positioning system (GPS) tag to identify and characterize non-breeding territories, quantify migratory connectivity, and identify population boundaries of Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla), a small migratory songbird, captured at two widely separated breeding locations. We recovered 15 (31%) GPS tags with data and located the non-breeding territories of breeding Ovenbirds from Maryland and New Hampshire, USA (0.50 ± 0.15 ha, mean ± SE). All non-breeding territories had similar environmental attributes despite being distributed across parts of Florida, Cuba and Hispaniola. New Hampshire and Maryland breeding populations had non-overlapping non-breeding population boundaries that encompassed 114,803 and 169,233 km2, respectively. Archival GPS tags provided unprecedented pinpoint locations and associated environmental information of tropical non-breeding territories. This technology is an important step forward in understanding seasonal interactions and ultimately population dynamics of populations throughout the annual cycle.

Highlights

Current knowledge of when and where migratory animals go throughout their annual cycle, i.e. migratory connectivity, is highly limited[1]
We provide the first data from miniaturized archival Global Positioning Systems (GPS) tags deployed on a small (< 20 g) migratory songbird
Using a new miniaturized archival GPS technology we locate, with high resolution, the non-breeding territories of individual migratory songbirds captured during the breeding season

Summary

Introduction

Current knowledge of when and where migratory animals go throughout their annual cycle, i.e. migratory connectivity, is highly limited[1]. PTT tags use Argos satellites to determine geolocations at 1 km resolution and can provide information into broad scale habitat use[3], migration timing and strategies[4] as well as local movements during stationary periods[5]. Their size (> 5 g) restricts their use to large-bodied reptiles[6], birds[3] and mammals[7] and precludes their use on small organisms. Given the accuracy of the location data, GPS tags placed on breeding birds can provide high-resolution locality information from non-breeding territories, migratory routes and migration timing depending on flexible programming. We define non-breeding season population boundaries for our two distinct breeding populations and quantify the strength of migratory connectivity

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