Using GPS tracking to determine movement patterns and foraging habitat selection of the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba)

Carolina Massa; Fabián M. Gabelli; Gerardo R. Cueto

doi:10.56178/eh.v30i1.826

Articles Published 01 August 2015 https://doi.org/10.56178/eh.v30i1.826

Using GPS tracking to determine movement patterns and foraging habitat selection of the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba)

Common Barn-owl foraging habitat selection GPS movement patterns Tyto alba

Carolina Massa Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IEGEBA (UBA–CONICET). Piso 4, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fabián M. Gabelli Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Hipólito Yrigoyen 3242, C1207ABQ Buenos Aires, Argentina

Gerardo R. Cueto Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IEGEBA (UBA–CONICET). Piso 4, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

For the first time a Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba) individual was tracked using aGPS technology to evaluate the use of a commercial and economic GPS pet tracker device, and totest GPS tracking as a technique for determining movement patterns and foraging habitatselection. A GPS pet tracker device was removed from its plastic frame and attached to the backof an adult male. The device recorded during eight consecutive nights a total of 12 501 waypoints.The home range, estimated as the minimum convex polygon, was 1746 ha. Tracks obtained allowedthe identification of three movement patterns that could be attributed to different behaviours: meandering, linear and point, corresponding to hunting, straight-lined flights and roosting,respectively. The overlap of tracks with a land cover map revealed that the owl selected vegetatedareas (except where pigs were present) and barren areas with pigs for hunting. The use of thistechnique represents an improvement for behavioural studies of this species.

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References

ARLETTAZ R, KRÄHENBÜHL M, ALMASI B, ROULIN A ANDSCHAUB M (2010) Wildflower areas within revital-ized agricultural matrices boost small mammalpopulations but not breeding Barn Owls. Journal ofOrnithology 151:553–564
VA NDEN BRINK V, DREISS AN AND ROULIN A (2012)Melanin-based coloration predicts natal dispersalin the barn owl, Tyto alba. Animal Behaviour84:805–812
BOUTEN W, BAAIJ EW, SHAMOUN-BARANES J ANDCAMPHUYSEN KC (2013) A flexible GPS tracking sys-tem for studying bird behaviour at multiple scales.Journal of Ornithology 154:571–580
BRIDGE ES, THORUP K, BOWLIN MS, CHILSON PB, DIEHLRH, FLÉRON RW, HARTL P, KAYS R, KELLY JF, ROBINSONWD AND WIKELSKI M (2011) Technology on themove: recent and forthcoming innovations fortracking migratory birds. BioScience 61:689–698
BURGER AE AND SHAFFER SA (2008) Application oftracking and data-logging technology in researchand conservation of seabirds. Auk 125:253–264
BUSCH M, MIÑO MH, DADON JR AND HODARA K (2001)Habitat selection by Akodon azarae and Calomyslaucha (Rodentia, Muridae) in pampean agro-ecosystems. Mammalia 65:29–48
CADAHÍA L, URIOS V AND NEGRO JJ (2007) Bonelli’sEagle Hieraaetus fasciatus juvenile dispersal: hourlyand daily movements tracked by GPS: capsule birdscover daily distances not normally exceeding 20 kmduring the initial phase of dispersal, with the dailypeak of movement/activity in the afternoon. BirdStudy 54:271–274
CAGNACCI F, BOITANI L, POWELL RA AND BOYCE MS(2010) Animal ecology meets GPS-based radio-telemetry: a perfect storm of opportunities and chal-lenges. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal SocietyB: Biological Sciences 365:2157–2162
CAIN JW III, KRAUSMAN PR, JANSEN BD AND MORGARTJR (2005) Influence of topography and GPS fix inter-val on GPS collar performance. Wildlife Society Bul-letin 33:926–934
CASPER RM (2009) Guidelines for the instrumenta-tion of wild birds and mammals. Animal Behaviour78:1477–1483
EVANS FC AND EMLEN JT JR (1947) Ecological notes onthe prey selected by a Barn Owl. Condor 49:3–9
FUDICKAR AM, WIKELSKI M AND PARTECKE J (2012)Tracking migratory songbirds: accuracy of light-level loggers (geolocators) in forest habitats. Methodsin Ecology and Evolution 3:47–52
GUILFORD T, ÅKESSON S, GAGLIARDO A, HOLLAND RA,MOURITSEN H, MUHEIM R, WILTSCHKO R, WILTSCHKOW AND BINGMAN VP (2011) Migratory navigation inbirds: new opportunities in an era of fast-develop-ing tracking technology. Journal of ExperimentalBiology 214:3705–3712
HALLWORTH MT AND MARRA PP (2015) Miniaturized GPStags identify non-breeding territories of a small breed-ing migratory songbird. Scientific Reports 5:art11069
HOOGE PN ANDEICHENLAUB B (1997) Animal movementextension to ArcView, version 1.1. US GeologicalSurvey, Anchorage
IVLEV VS (1961) Experimental ecology of the feeding offishes. Yale University Press, New Haven
KRONE O, BERGER A AND SCHULTE R (2009) Recordingmovement and activity pattern of a White-tailedSea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) by a GPS datalogger.Journal of Ornithology 150:273–280
LÓPEZ-LÓPEZ P, GIL JA AND ALCÁNTARA M (2014) Post-fledging dependence period and onset of natal dis-persal in Bearded Vultures (Gypaetus barbatus): newinsights from GPS satellite telemetry. Journal ofRaptor Research 48:173–181
LOVE RA, WEBON C, GLUE DE AND HARRIS S (2000)Changes in the food of British Barn Owls (Tyto alba)between 1974 and 1997. Mammal Review 30:107–129
MCLEAY LJ, PAGE B, GOLDSWORTHY SD, PATON DC,TEIXEIRA C, BURCH P AND WARD T (2010) Foragingbehaviour and habitat use of a short-rangingseabird, the crested tern. Marine Ecology ProgressSeries 411:271–283
MOEN R, PASTOR J AND COHEN Y (2001) Effects ofanimal activity on GPS telemetry location attempts.Alces 37:207–216
MOHR CO (1947) Table of equivalent populations ofNorth American small mammals. American MidlandNaturalist 37:223–249
MOSS EH, HIPKISS T, ECKE F, DETTKI H, SANDSTRÖM P,BLOOM PH, KIDD JW, THOMAS SE AND HÖRNFELDT B(2014) Home-range size and examples of post-nest-ing movements for adult Golden Eagles (Aquilachrysaetos) in boreal Sweden. Journal of RaptorResearch 48:93–105
NAIM M, UMAR J AND HAFIDZI M (2012) The rangingbehaviour of Tyto alba in oil palm under baiting withanticoagulant rodenticides, warfarin and brodi-facoum and a biorodenticide Sarcocystis singapo-rensis. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science35:209–221
NEMCEK V, CHAVKO J AND DEUTSCHOVÁ L (2014) Move-ment of satellite-tracked juvenile saker falcons (Falcocherrug) in SW Slovakia. Slovak Raptor Journal8:97–103
PHIPPS WL, WOLTER K, MICHAEL MD, MACTAVISH LMAND YARNELL RW (2013) Do power lines and pro-tected areas present a catch-22 situation for Capevultures (Gyps coprotheres). PLoS One 8:e76794
ROBINSON WD, BOWLIN MS, BISSON I, SHAMOUN-BARANES J, THORUP K, DIEHL RH, KUNZ TH, MABEY SAND WINKLER DW (2010) Integrating concepts andtechnologies to advance the study of bird migra-tion. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment8:351–361
RUTZ C AND HAYS GC (2009) New frontiers in bio-logging science. Biology Letters 5:289–292
SCOBIE C, BAYNE E AND WELLICOME T (2014) Influenceof anthropogenic features and traffic disturbanceon burrowing owl diurnal roosting behavior.Endangered Species Research 24:73–83
SOKOLOV LV (2011) Modern telemetry: new possibili-ties in ornithology. Biology Bulletin 38:885–904
SOUTULLO A, CADAHÍA L, URIOS V, FERRER M AND NE-GRO JJ (2007) Accuracy of lightweight satellite telem-etry: a case study in the Iberian Peninsula. Journalof Wildlife Management 71:1010–1015
SWAIN DL, FRIEND MA, BISHOP-HURLEY GJ, HANDCOCKRN AND WARK T (2011) Tracking livestock usingglobal positioning systems — are we still lost?Animal Production Science 51:167–175
TABERLET P (1983) An estimation of the averageforaging radius of the barn owl Tyto alba based uponrejection pellets analysis. Terre et la Vie 38:171–178
TAYLOR IR (1994) Barn owls. Predator-prey relationships andconservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
TEW KAI E, BENHAMOU S, VA NDER LINGEN CD, COETZEEJC, PICHEGRU L, RYAN PG AND GRÉMILLET D (2013)Are Cape gannets dependent upon fishery waste?A multi-scale analysis using seabird GPS-tracking,hydro-acoustic surveys of pelagic fish and vesselmonitoring systems. Journal of Applied Ecology50:659–670
TOMKIEWICZ SM, FULLER MR, KIE JG AND BATES KK(2010) Global positioning system and associatedtechnologies in animal behaviour and ecologicalresearch. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Soci-ety B: Biological Sciences 365:2163–2176
URIOS V, DONAT-TORRES MP, BECHARD M AND FERRER M(2014) Movements of a juvenile Crowned Eagle (Harpy-haliaetus coronatus) tracked by satellite telemetry incentral Argentina. Journal of Biological Research 21:art12
VOTIER SC, BEARHOP S, WITT MJ, INGER R, THOMPSOND AND NEWTON J (2010) Individual responses ofseabirds to commercial fisheries revealed using GPStracking, stable isotopes and vessel monitoring sys-tems. Journal of Applied Ecology 47:487–497
WEICK F (2006) Owls (Strigiformes). Annotated andillustrated checklist. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
WIKELSKI M, KAYS RW, KASDIN NJ, THORUP K, SMITHJA AND SWENSON GW (2007) Going wild: what aglobal small-animal tracking system could do forexperimental biologists. Journal of Experimental Biol-ogy 210:181–186

How to cite

Carolina Massa, Fabián M. Gabelli, Gerardo R. Cueto (2015). Using GPS tracking to determine movement patterns and foraging habitat selection of the Common Barn-owl (Tyto alba). El Hornero, Vol. 30 No. 1 (2015), 7-12. https://doi.org/10.56178/eh.v30i1.826

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[1] ARLETTAZ R, KRÄHENBÜHL M, ALMASI B, ROULIN A ANDSCHAUB M (2010) Wildflower areas within revital-ized agricultural matrices boost small mammalpopulations but not breeding Barn Owls. Journal ofOrnithology 151:553–564

[2] VA NDEN BRINK V, DREISS AN AND ROULIN A (2012)Melanin-based coloration predicts natal dispersalin the barn owl, Tyto alba. Animal Behaviour84:805–812

[3] BOUTEN W, BAAIJ EW, SHAMOUN-BARANES J ANDCAMPHUYSEN KC (2013) A flexible GPS tracking sys-tem for studying bird behaviour at multiple scales.Journal of Ornithology 154:571–580

[4] BRIDGE ES, THORUP K, BOWLIN MS, CHILSON PB, DIEHLRH, FLÉRON RW, HARTL P, KAYS R, KELLY JF, ROBINSONWD AND WIKELSKI M (2011) Technology on themove: recent and forthcoming innovations fortracking migratory birds. BioScience 61:689–698

[5] BURGER AE AND SHAFFER SA (2008) Application oftracking and data-logging technology in researchand conservation of seabirds. Auk 125:253–264

[6] BUSCH M, MIÑO MH, DADON JR AND HODARA K (2001)Habitat selection by Akodon azarae and Calomyslaucha (Rodentia, Muridae) in pampean agro-ecosystems. Mammalia 65:29–48

[7] CADAHÍA L, URIOS V AND NEGRO JJ (2007) Bonelli’sEagle Hieraaetus fasciatus juvenile dispersal: hourlyand daily movements tracked by GPS: capsule birdscover daily distances not normally exceeding 20 kmduring the initial phase of dispersal, with the dailypeak of movement/activity in the afternoon. BirdStudy 54:271–274

[8] CAGNACCI F, BOITANI L, POWELL RA AND BOYCE MS(2010) Animal ecology meets GPS-based radio-telemetry: a perfect storm of opportunities and chal-lenges. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal SocietyB: Biological Sciences 365:2157–2162

[9] CAIN JW III, KRAUSMAN PR, JANSEN BD AND MORGARTJR (2005) Influence of topography and GPS fix inter-val on GPS collar performance. Wildlife Society Bul-letin 33:926–934

[10] CASPER RM (2009) Guidelines for the instrumenta-tion of wild birds and mammals. Animal Behaviour78:1477–1483

[11] EVANS FC AND EMLEN JT JR (1947) Ecological notes onthe prey selected by a Barn Owl. Condor 49:3–9

[12] FUDICKAR AM, WIKELSKI M AND PARTECKE J (2012)Tracking migratory songbirds: accuracy of light-level loggers (geolocators) in forest habitats. Methodsin Ecology and Evolution 3:47–52

[13] GUILFORD T, ÅKESSON S, GAGLIARDO A, HOLLAND RA,MOURITSEN H, MUHEIM R, WILTSCHKO R, WILTSCHKOW AND BINGMAN VP (2011) Migratory navigation inbirds: new opportunities in an era of fast-develop-ing tracking technology. Journal of ExperimentalBiology 214:3705–3712

[14] HALLWORTH MT AND MARRA PP (2015) Miniaturized GPStags identify non-breeding territories of a small breed-ing migratory songbird. Scientific Reports 5:art11069

[15] HOOGE PN ANDEICHENLAUB B (1997) Animal movementextension to ArcView, version 1.1. US GeologicalSurvey, Anchorage

[16] IVLEV VS (1961) Experimental ecology of the feeding offishes. Yale University Press, New Haven

[17] KRONE O, BERGER A AND SCHULTE R (2009) Recordingmovement and activity pattern of a White-tailedSea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) by a GPS datalogger.Journal of Ornithology 150:273–280

[18] LÓPEZ-LÓPEZ P, GIL JA AND ALCÁNTARA M (2014) Post-fledging dependence period and onset of natal dis-persal in Bearded Vultures (Gypaetus barbatus): newinsights from GPS satellite telemetry. Journal ofRaptor Research 48:173–181

[19] LOVE RA, WEBON C, GLUE DE AND HARRIS S (2000)Changes in the food of British Barn Owls (Tyto alba)between 1974 and 1997. Mammal Review 30:107–129

[20] MCLEAY LJ, PAGE B, GOLDSWORTHY SD, PATON DC,TEIXEIRA C, BURCH P AND WARD T (2010) Foragingbehaviour and habitat use of a short-rangingseabird, the crested tern. Marine Ecology ProgressSeries 411:271–283

[21] MOEN R, PASTOR J AND COHEN Y (2001) Effects ofanimal activity on GPS telemetry location attempts.Alces 37:207–216

[22] MOHR CO (1947) Table of equivalent populations ofNorth American small mammals. American MidlandNaturalist 37:223–249

[23] MOSS EH, HIPKISS T, ECKE F, DETTKI H, SANDSTRÖM P,BLOOM PH, KIDD JW, THOMAS SE AND HÖRNFELDT B(2014) Home-range size and examples of post-nest-ing movements for adult Golden Eagles (Aquilachrysaetos) in boreal Sweden. Journal of RaptorResearch 48:93–105

[24] NAIM M, UMAR J AND HAFIDZI M (2012) The rangingbehaviour of Tyto alba in oil palm under baiting withanticoagulant rodenticides, warfarin and brodi-facoum and a biorodenticide Sarcocystis singapo-rensis. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science35:209–221

[25] NEMCEK V, CHAVKO J AND DEUTSCHOVÁ L (2014) Move-ment of satellite-tracked juvenile saker falcons (Falcocherrug) in SW Slovakia. Slovak Raptor Journal8:97–103

[26] PHIPPS WL, WOLTER K, MICHAEL MD, MACTAVISH LMAND YARNELL RW (2013) Do power lines and pro-tected areas present a catch-22 situation for Capevultures (Gyps coprotheres). PLoS One 8:e76794

[27] ROBINSON WD, BOWLIN MS, BISSON I, SHAMOUN-BARANES J, THORUP K, DIEHL RH, KUNZ TH, MABEY SAND WINKLER DW (2010) Integrating concepts andtechnologies to advance the study of bird migra-tion. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment8:351–361

[28] RUTZ C AND HAYS GC (2009) New frontiers in bio-logging science. Biology Letters 5:289–292

[29] SCOBIE C, BAYNE E AND WELLICOME T (2014) Influenceof anthropogenic features and traffic disturbanceon burrowing owl diurnal roosting behavior.Endangered Species Research 24:73–83

[30] SOKOLOV LV (2011) Modern telemetry: new possibili-ties in ornithology. Biology Bulletin 38:885–904

[31] SOUTULLO A, CADAHÍA L, URIOS V, FERRER M AND NE-GRO JJ (2007) Accuracy of lightweight satellite telem-etry: a case study in the Iberian Peninsula. Journalof Wildlife Management 71:1010–1015

[32] SWAIN DL, FRIEND MA, BISHOP-HURLEY GJ, HANDCOCKRN AND WARK T (2011) Tracking livestock usingglobal positioning systems — are we still lost?Animal Production Science 51:167–175

[33] TABERLET P (1983) An estimation of the averageforaging radius of the barn owl Tyto alba based uponrejection pellets analysis. Terre et la Vie 38:171–178

[34] TAYLOR IR (1994) Barn owls. Predator-prey relationships andconservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

[35] TEW KAI E, BENHAMOU S, VA NDER LINGEN CD, COETZEEJC, PICHEGRU L, RYAN PG AND GRÉMILLET D (2013)Are Cape gannets dependent upon fishery waste?A multi-scale analysis using seabird GPS-tracking,hydro-acoustic surveys of pelagic fish and vesselmonitoring systems. Journal of Applied Ecology50:659–670

[36] TOMKIEWICZ SM, FULLER MR, KIE JG AND BATES KK(2010) Global positioning system and associatedtechnologies in animal behaviour and ecologicalresearch. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Soci-ety B: Biological Sciences 365:2163–2176

[37] URIOS V, DONAT-TORRES MP, BECHARD M AND FERRER M(2014) Movements of a juvenile Crowned Eagle (Harpy-haliaetus coronatus) tracked by satellite telemetry incentral Argentina. Journal of Biological Research 21:art12

[38] VOTIER SC, BEARHOP S, WITT MJ, INGER R, THOMPSOND AND NEWTON J (2010) Individual responses ofseabirds to commercial fisheries revealed using GPStracking, stable isotopes and vessel monitoring sys-tems. Journal of Applied Ecology 47:487–497

[39] WEICK F (2006) Owls (Strigiformes). Annotated andillustrated checklist. Springer-Verlag, Berlin

[40] WIKELSKI M, KAYS RW, KASDIN NJ, THORUP K, SMITHJA AND SWENSON GW (2007) Going wild: what aglobal small-animal tracking system could do forexperimental biologists. Journal of Experimental Biol-ogy 210:181–186