How to translate text using browser tools
1 December 2013 Effects of Radio Collars on Survival and Lekking Behavior of Male Greater Sage-Grouse
Daniel Gibson, Erik J. Blomberg, Gail L. Patricelli, Alan H. Krakauer, Michael T. Atamian, James S. Sedinger
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Monitoring of birds often requires the use of very-high-frequency radios or satellite telemetry to enhance detectability of individuals. An assumption implicit in such studies is that radio-marked individuals are representative of the population at whole, which requires that radios do not influence an individual's behavior or demographics. We present results from a capture—mark—recapture study of male Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), some radio collared, others only banded, in an experimental framework to assess whether radio collars influenced the birds' behavior or survival. We generated encounter histories of 906 male Greater Sage-Grouse and used a robust-design framework in program Mark to estimate probabilities of annual survival, detection, and temporary emigration from the lek for the radio-collared and banded segments of the sample population. Results of models suggested that seasonal detection rates at leks the year after capture were 3–5 times higher for males only banded than for males equipped with radio collars. These results also suggested a possible negative influence of radio collars on males' annual survival and annual lek attendance. We suggest researchers should exercise caution when designing studies or analyzing data that rely on radio-collared male Greater Sage-Grouse.

© 2013 by The Cooper Ornithological Society. All rights reserved. Please direct all requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press's Rights and Permissions website, http://www.ucpressjournals.com/reprintInfo.asp.
Daniel Gibson, Erik J. Blomberg, Gail L. Patricelli, Alan H. Krakauer, Michael T. Atamian, and James S. Sedinger "Effects of Radio Collars on Survival and Lekking Behavior of Male Greater Sage-Grouse," The Condor 115(4), 769-776, (1 December 2013). https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2013.120176
Received: 15 November 2012; Accepted: 1 March 2013; Published: 1 December 2013
KEYWORDS
capture—mark—recapture
detection
lek dynamics
radio telemetry
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top