Recording movement and activity pattern of a White-tailed Sea Eagle ( Haliaeetus albicilla ) by a GPS datalogger

摘要

For the first time, we measured the home range size and activity pattern of a White-tailed Sea Eagle (WTSE) by GPS telemetry. Positions were recorded three times a day and the activity pattern were continuously recorded by two acceleration sensors. From July to January, we obtained 475 positions and calculated a 95% kernel home range of 4.53 km2 and a 95% minimum convex polygon of 8.22 km2, indicating a rather small area explained by an optimal habitat and by the much more precise location method used here compared to reports in the literature. Biorhythmic analysis of activity data revealed nearly no night-activity, high day-activity with no fixed daily pattern and a strong 24-h period of activity. The stability and synchronisation between the eagle's activity and the environmental 24-h period was evaluated by calculating the degrees of functional coupling (DFC) and the harmonic part (HP). Mostly, DFC was 100% (meaning that the different physiological and behavioural functions are completely synchronised to each other and to the environmental 24-h period) and the few incursions of the DFC we assumed to be caused by clinically relevant lead intoxications. The agonal stage of the WTSE was indicated by a daily decreasing activity level and HPs and highly modified day–night relationship, and decreasing DFCs at the beginning and at the end of dying process, representing changes in the activity structure. The underlying reason for the behavioural changes was found to be a lethal lead intoxication due to an oral ingestion of particles of rifle ammunition. The new technology of a combined GPS receiver and an acceleration sensor allows the automatic measuring of positions and activity of wild animals at a very precise level over prolonged periods which cannot be achieved by manpower. Keywords Telemetry - Lead intoxication - Hunting ammunition - Activity - Stress detection Communicated by F. Bairlein.