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1 July 2009 Influence of Radiotransmitters on Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels of Free-Ranging Male American Kestrels
Ricardo JosÉGarcia Pereira, Marco Antonio Monteiro Granzinolli, FÁBio Monteiro De Barros, JoséMaurício Barbanti Duarte
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Abstract

Although radiotelemetry is considered a valuable technique for ornithological field studies, several assumptions have been made about the impact that transmitters may have on the estimation of behavioral, ecological, and reproductive parameters. To assess the potential effects of backpack radiotransmitters, we captured and assigned 8 male American kestrels (Falco sparverius) into 2 groups: radiotagged (n = 6) and control individuals (leg-banded, n = 2). Thereafter, we collected feces approximately 2 hours after capture (day −1), and subsequently during days 0 (releasing day), 4, 7, 15, 30, 40, and 55. Prior to fecal analysis, we validated the corticosterone enzyme immunoassay using standard procedures (e.g., parallelism, dose-response curve), and we confirmed physiological significance of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites through adrenocorticotropin challenge, which induced an increase of 4-fold (446.10 ± 60.73 ng/g) above baseline (114.27 ± 15.23 ng/g) within 4 hours (P < 0.001). Both groups exhibited a significant increase in fecal glucocorticoids during day 0 (P < 0.001), but concentrations returned to preattachment values within 4 days. Fecal glucocorticoid concentrations did not differ between samples of radiotagged and leg-banded kestrels (P > 0.05). In spite of the small number of monitored subjects, these findings suggested that radiotransmitters did not affect adrenocortical activity in these male American kestrels.

Ricardo JosÉGarcia Pereira, Marco Antonio Monteiro Granzinolli, FÁBio Monteiro De Barros, and JoséMaurício Barbanti Duarte "Influence of Radiotransmitters on Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels of Free-Ranging Male American Kestrels," Journal of Wildlife Management 73(5), 772-778, (1 July 2009). https://doi.org/10.2193/2008-184
Published: 1 July 2009
JOURNAL ARTICLE
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KEYWORDS
American kestrel
Falco sparverius
fecal glucocorticoids
radiotelemetry
raptors
southeast Brazil
stress
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