RADIO-TAGGING THE EASTERN BRISTLEBIRD: METHODOLOGY AND EFFECTS
| Posted: |
27/07/2021 |
| Author(s): |
Jack Baker, Jean Clarke |
Eastern Bristlebirds
Dasyornis brachypterus were captured at Jervis Bay by two people using up to 168 m
of mist-net, open for 145 hours over 29 days. Twenty-two birds were radio-tagged and useful data were obtained
for 19 birds at 3 sites in Booderee National Park and for one bird in NSW Jervis Bay National Park. The radiotags
weighed 1.6 g which averaged 3.8 per cent of the birds' weights. The routine time taken from trapping to
the release of a radio-tagged bird averaged 45 minutes. The radio-tags were attached to the inter-scapular using
Supa Glue Gel. The radio-tags remained attached for a median time of 5.5 days (range 1-41 days). The effect
of tagging on the birds was noticeable during processing but appeared to diminish to a negligible level within
the first day. A review of 23 studies across 31 avian taxa weighing 7-180 g, carrying radio-tags 0.4-6.9 g which
were 1.6-16 per cent of their weight, suggested that for small to medium-sized birds, small radio-tags glued to
the inter-scapular have minimal effect and the acclimation period is less than a day.
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