Radio-Marking versus Back-Tabbing Red Grouse

Abstract

Survival, acquisition of territory, territory size, and reproductive success were monitored, between October 1970 and August 1971, in samples of back-tabbed and radio-marked red grouse (Lagopus 1. scoticus). No difference was found between samples in any of the parameters measured. We concluded that the effect of radio packages fitted to wild red grouse was no different from that of back-tabs. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 37(3):410-472 Boag (1972) monitored the behavior of radio-marked red grouse in pens and found that they became less active and ate less food, particularly in the first week after marking. He speculated that such effects might reduce the survival of wild birds marked with radios by placing them at a greater disadvantage than birds without radios when competing for either food or space. As an initial step in testing this possibility we compared survival, acquisition of territory, territory size, and breeding success in samples of radio-marked and backtabbed red grouse on a moor in Kincardineshire, Scotland. This comparison extended from October 1970 through August 1971. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of A. N. Lance in the field.