Balancing under the high wire; a study into PTT antenna effects on the Common Guillemot Uria aalge
Author and article information
Abstract
External tags fitted to diving birds can affect them in many ways with the most critical effect being an increase in drag. The effects of transmitters can be even more acute due to the presence of a protruding aerial. The study assesses the impact of PTT antenna on the behaviour and energetics of device-equipped guillemots (Uria aalge) in captivity. Birds with antenna-devices appeared to consume about 20% more energy than non-antenna birds during the descent phase of the dive. The balance of the birds while diving or resting on the water also appeared to be compromised by the presence of an antenna. Based on these first results and because transmitters are one of the most common methods used to track animals, it appears critical to determine what impact these devices, and particularly antenna, can have on their bearers and try minimize it.
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2016. Balancing under the high wire; a study into PTT antenna effects on the Common Guillemot Uria aalge. PeerJ Preprints 4:e2035v1 https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2035v1Author comment
This is a submission to PeerJ for review.
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Competing Interests
We have read and understood Peer J policy on declaration of interests and declare that we have no competing interests. However, we should state that Mr Adam Grogan is an employee of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and that Richard Thompson is an employee of RSPCA Mallydams Wood Study and Wildlife Centre.
Author Contributions
Sylvie P Vandenabeele performed the experiments, analyzed the data, contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools, wrote the paper, prepared figures and/or tables, reviewed drafts of the paper.
Emily LC Shepard conceived and designed the experiments, performed the experiments, contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools, wrote the paper, reviewed drafts of the paper.
Adam Grogan performed the experiments, reviewed drafts of the paper.
Richard Thompson performed the experiments.
Adrian C Gleiss conceived and designed the experiments, performed the experiments, analyzed the data, contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools, wrote the paper, reviewed drafts of the paper.
Rory P Wilson conceived and designed the experiments, contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools, wrote the paper, reviewed drafts of the paper.
Animal Ethics
The following information was supplied relating to ethical approvals (i.e., approving body and any reference numbers):
The Institutional Board is the RSPCA's Project Review Group, which reviews all projects that are conducted within the wildlife centres and consider the ethical and animal welfare implications of the research. The researcher is required to complete a form detailing the proposed project methods and, if necessary, give an interview to answer specific questions should any arise. The Project Review Group will then review the application and, if accepted, the applicant is informed in writing, usually by email. The project was reviewed by this Group and approved.
Data Deposition
The following information was supplied regarding data availability:
Dropbox
Raw data are accessible here
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/af1q26f0go0yv5q/AADvnoVkm1euK1byuibitM8ya?dl=0
Funding
This study received the financial support from the California Department of Fish and Game’s Oil Spill Response Trust Fund (through the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at the Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis) and the RSPCA (Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 9RS, United Kingdom). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.