Abstract
Common and widespread species often show a large variability in behaviour and habitat use. Such variability at the species level may result from individuals themselves being very variable or, alternatively, variability may arise from differences between individuals. The aim of this study was to explore land use in general and between-subject variability in the local movements and daily activity patterns of Mallards Anas platyrhynchos in central Switzerland during the winter. The Mallard is a common duck species and can be found on almost all types of water bodies. We equipped 24 ducks with VHF radio tags and searched for these ducks 1–3 times per day. We also used nine tags that automatically recorded their location every 30 min as well as acceleration in three dimensions every 2–5 min. These methods yielded information on the activity of the duck with a high temporal resolution both day and night. The 24 ducks were strongly linked to water, and 97% of all localisations were within 50 m of a water body. An affinity to settlements was only observed in the vicinity of the main lake in the area, but not for those ducks on smaller water bodies or fields. Some individuals were very stationary, using only a small area during the study period; others made daily commuting flights between two sites about 8 km apart while still others moved around similar distances but in varying directions. Rain and increasing wind speed correlated with decreasing movement activity. However, the effect of these weather parameters, and especially that of temperature, varied between individuals. Activity was strongly influenced by the sun’s movement, with general activity and flight activity being highest around sunrise and sunset. This daily pattern was similar for all individuals. Hence, while the activity pattern was similar for all individuals, the resulting degree of local movements and the response to changing weather parameters were very variable among individuals.
Zusammenfassung
Individuelle Variabilität im Verhalten eines ökologischen Generalisten: Aktivitätsmuster und lokale Ortswechsel bei der Stockente ( Anas platyrhynchos) im Winter
Häufige und weit verbreitete Arten zeigen oft eine große Variabilität in Verhalten und Habitatnutzung. Diese Variabilität auf Artniveau kann sowohl durch ein vielfältiges Verhaltensrepertoir eines jeden Individuums entstehen, als auch durch große Unterschiede zwischen den Individuen. In dieser Studie untersuchten wir, wie Stockenten Anas platyrhynchos im Winter die vorhandenen Lebensraumtypen nutzten und wie sich das tägliche Aktivitätsmuster und die lokalen Ortswechsel zwischen den Individuen unterschieden. Die Stockente ist eine häufige Art, die fast alle verfügbaren Gewässertypen nutzt. Wir stellten den Aufenthaltsort von 24 mit VHF Radiosendern bestückten Individuen ein- bis dreimal täglich fest. Weitere neun Individuen wurden mit GPS-Sendern ausgerüstet. Die GPS-Ortung alle 30 Minuten sowie Beschleunigungsmessungen alle zwei bis fünf Minuten lieferten Informationen über das Verhalten dieser Enten mit großer zeitlicher Auflösung und über 24 Stunden am Tag. Die Stockenten waren stark an Gewässer gebunden. 97% aller Lokalisationen lagen innerhalb von 50 m um ein Gewässer. Eine Affinität zum Siedlungsraum wurde nur in der Nähe des größten Sees im Untersuchungsgebiet festgestellt, aber nicht bei den Enten, die kleinere Gewässer oder Felder nutzten. Einige Individuen waren sehr stationär und nutzten nur einen kleinen Raum während der ganzen Studie, andere wechselten täglich zwischen zwei acht Kilometer auseinander liegenden Aufenthaltsorten und nochmals andere Individuen legten ähnliche Distanzen zurück aber nicht in konstanten Richtungen. Zunehmender Regen und Wind korrelierten mit weniger weiten Ortswechseln. Dieser Wettereffekt, vor allem der Temperatureffekt, variierte allerdings deutlich zwischen den Individuen. Das Aktivitätsmuster wurde stark durch die Tageszeiten bestimmt: Um Sonnenauf- und –untergang war die Aktivität am höchsten und es fanden die meisten Ortsbewegungen durch Flug statt. Dieses tageszeitliche Muster war bei allen Individuen ähnlich. Das Ausmaß der Ortsveränderungen und die Reaktion auf Wettereinflüsse variierten aber zwischen den Individuen stark, was zu einer großen individuellen Variabilität der Raumnutzung führte.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Stefan Felder, Emmanuel Rey and Daniel Wili for field assistance. Josef Hofer’s long-term experience catching ducks was key to the success of the study; he also caught the ducks at “obe”. Martin Grüebler, Jérôme Guelat, Gabriele Hilke Peter, Verena Keller, Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt, Doris Matthes, Vreni Mattmann, Beat Naef-Danzer, Dieter Peter, David Rodrigues and Andreas Schmidt helped and advised on different aspects of the study. The study was co-funded by the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office FVO.
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Communicated by F. Bairlein.
Appendix
Appendix
Additional plots per individual for movement activity and behaviour. See Figs. 7, 8.
As in Fig. 4, but showing all other individuals
As the left chart in Fig. 6, but per individual rather than averaged over the individuals. Grey shading active ducks, white inactive ducks. The top right code identifies the individual. n > 10 localisations per hour and individual
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Sauter, A., Korner, P., Fiedler, W. et al. Individual behavioural variability of an ecological generalist: activity patterns and local movements of Mallards Anas platyrhynchos in winter. J Ornithol 153, 713–726 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0788-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0788-9