A meta-analysis of the effects of geolocator application on birds

• Published in: Current zoology 2013-12, Vol.59 (6), p.697-706
• Main Authors: Costantini, David, Møller, Anders Pape
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerodynamics; erial foraging; Fitness cost; Geolocator; Migration; Survival cost; 上升趋势; 应用; 模型显示; 跟踪装置; 跟踪设备; 迁徙行为; 迁移距离; 野生鸟类
• ISSN: 1674-5507; 2396-9814
• DOI: 10.1093/czoolo/59.6.697

An increasing trend in use of tracking devices such as geolocators is based on the assumption that the information gathered from such devices provides reliable information about the migratory behavior of free-living birds. This underlying as- sumption is rarely tested, as evidenced by the absence in many studies of controls, in particular treated controls, and so far never with a reasonable statistical power. Published studies have shown reduced survival prospects or delayed breeding in some species, suggesting that there may be reason to doubt that tracking devices provide unbiased information. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies applying geolocators to wild birds to determine whether geolocators affected fitness components. Ge- olocators had an overall negative effect on fitness components, in particular survival, and ecological variables. Effect size was larger for aerial foragers than for other species. Moreover the leg band attachment method was more detrimental for birds than the leg-loop backpack harness. A meta-regression model of effect size showed independent negative effects of geolocators on ae- rial foragers, smaller species, species with smaller migration distances and in studies where geolocators were attached with a ring. These results suggest that geolocator studies should be interpreted with caution, but also raise questions whether it is ethically defensible to use geolocators on aerial foragers or small species without carrying out robust pilot studies.