Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird
Seabirds are valuable indicators of marine ecosystem processes and studying seabird diets can shed light on natural or human-induced variability in food-web composition. Specifically single-prey loading seabird species such as terns have the potential to act as visual sentinels of prey availability...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Avian Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716624000392 |
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| author | Ruben C. Fijn Wouter Courtens Bas W.R. Engels Emiel E. van Loon Judy Shamoun-Baranes |
| author_facet | Ruben C. Fijn Wouter Courtens Bas W.R. Engels Emiel E. van Loon Judy Shamoun-Baranes |
| author_sort | Ruben C. Fijn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Seabirds are valuable indicators of marine ecosystem processes and studying seabird diets can shed light on natural or human-induced variability in food-web composition. Specifically single-prey loading seabird species such as terns have the potential to act as visual sentinels of prey availability offshore. However, obtaining diet information from remote bird colonies is often challenging and time consuming. In this pilot study we present a novel approach to combine two established methods to study seabird foraging ecology, providing a powerful and cost-effective tool to study the distribution of prey items available to seabirds. We combined GPS tracking data of Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) with prey-observations from a hide in 2012 and 2013, and from semi-continuously recorded camera footage in 2017. By doing so, we identified 115 approximate catch locations of prey (86 herring/sprat Clupeidae, 29 sandeel Ammodytidae). Combining GPS-data and prey observations yielded detailed knowledge on the movements and chick diets of tracked birds as well as the spatial origin and lengths of captured prey items. Further catch distances of both Clupeidae and Ammodytidae resulted in deliveries of larger prey items and thus higher energy yield per trip, but also a higher energy expenditure per trip. We discuss the limitations and potential of our methodological approach to study foraging energetics during chick-provisioning of seabirds that carry prey items visible in their beaks. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c7dd487d0fa244aaa15d8ca77284edda |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2053-7166 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-c7dd487d0fa244aaa15d8ca77284edda2024-12-08T06:09:34ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Avian Research2053-71662024-01-0115100196Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabirdRuben C. Fijn0Wouter Courtens1Bas W.R. Engels2Emiel E. van Loon3Judy Shamoun-Baranes4Waardenburg Ecology, Department of Bird Ecology, Culemborg, the Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Corresponding author. Waardenburg Ecology, Department of Bird Ecology, Culemborg, the Netherlands.Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, BelgiumWaardenburg Ecology, Department of Bird Ecology, Culemborg, the NetherlandsUniversity of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsUniversity of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsSeabirds are valuable indicators of marine ecosystem processes and studying seabird diets can shed light on natural or human-induced variability in food-web composition. Specifically single-prey loading seabird species such as terns have the potential to act as visual sentinels of prey availability offshore. However, obtaining diet information from remote bird colonies is often challenging and time consuming. In this pilot study we present a novel approach to combine two established methods to study seabird foraging ecology, providing a powerful and cost-effective tool to study the distribution of prey items available to seabirds. We combined GPS tracking data of Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) with prey-observations from a hide in 2012 and 2013, and from semi-continuously recorded camera footage in 2017. By doing so, we identified 115 approximate catch locations of prey (86 herring/sprat Clupeidae, 29 sandeel Ammodytidae). Combining GPS-data and prey observations yielded detailed knowledge on the movements and chick diets of tracked birds as well as the spatial origin and lengths of captured prey items. Further catch distances of both Clupeidae and Ammodytidae resulted in deliveries of larger prey items and thus higher energy yield per trip, but also a higher energy expenditure per trip. We discuss the limitations and potential of our methodological approach to study foraging energetics during chick-provisioning of seabirds that carry prey items visible in their beaks.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716624000392DietDigital filmGeo-referencingNon-invasive monitoringProvisioningSandwich Tern |
| spellingShingle | Ruben C. Fijn Wouter Courtens Bas W.R. Engels Emiel E. van Loon Judy Shamoun-Baranes Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird Avian Research Diet Digital film Geo-referencing Non-invasive monitoring Provisioning Sandwich Tern |
| title | Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird |
| title_full | Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird |
| title_fullStr | Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird |
| title_full_unstemmed | Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird |
| title_short | Combining video and GPS-tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single-prey loading seabird |
| title_sort | combining video and gps tracking to study the spatial foraging distribution of a single prey loading seabird |
| topic | Diet Digital film Geo-referencing Non-invasive monitoring Provisioning Sandwich Tern |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2053716624000392 |
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