Use of GPS tags to describe the home ranges, migration routes, stop-over locations and breeding area of Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis fabalis wintering in central Scotland

Abstract

ABSTRACTCapsule: Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis fabalis wintering near Falkirk, Scotland staged in Denmark, Norway and Sweden and summered in central Sweden.Aims: To determine the migration routes, timing of movements, breeding area and home ranges of Taiga Bean Geese wintering near Falkirk, Scotland.Methods: Ten Taiga Bean Geese, caught on the wintering grounds in Scotland, were marked with neck collars carrying global positioning system (GPS) tags. A further 21 geese were fitted with individually marked plastic neck collars. GPS location data were collected and field counts and searches for individually marked geese were undertaken to provide detailed information on their location throughout the year.Results: Seven GPS tags provided information away from Scotland, indicating that two migration routes were used en route to the breeding grounds in Dalarna, Sweden. During the non-breeding season, the total home range of the geese was approximately 466 km2, although the total area within agricultural fields used by the geese may have been as small as 13 km2.Conclusions: The timing of movements, migration routes, breeding area and identification of important stop-over sites for this wintering population are described for the first time.