Journal of Avian Biology
Volume 30, Issue 4, 1999, Pages 407-415

Is early dispersal enterprise or exile? Evidence from radio-tagged buzzards (Article)

Walls S.S.* , Mañosa S. , Fuller R.M. , Hodder K.H. , Kenward R.E.
  • a Biotrack Ltd., 52 Furzebrook Rd., Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5AX, United Kingdom
  • b Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 645, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  • c Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks Wood Experimantal Station, Abbots Ripton, Cambs, PE17 2LS, United Kingdom
  • d Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Furzebrook Research Station, Wareham, BH20 5AS, United Kingdom
  • e Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Furzebrook Research Station, Wareham, BH20 5AS, United Kingdom

Abstract

In order to test whether Common Buzzards Buteo buteo that dispersed early were entrepreneurs or exiles, we determined standardised autumn ranges by radio-tracking 67 juveniles during 1990 94. Of these, 11 had dispersed more than 2 km from their natal nest, and had therefore left the natal territory. Buzzards that dispersed early had more fragmented ranges than those that delayed dispersal until the following spring; otherwise no range characteristic differed between the two groups. When only the dispersers were considered, increase in distance from the natal nest was associated with a decrease in range size (r = -0.74) and an increase in the proportion of arable land within the range (r = 0.77). Further investigation revealed that range size was affected by distance from the nest but not by arable habitat. The smaller range size of distant dispersers, combined with evidence of increased productivity among them, suggests that they were more likely to have been entrepreneurs than exiles.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Falconiformes home range Raptores raptor natal dispersal Buteo buteo productivity
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0342614937&doi=10.2307%2f3677013&partnerID=40&md5=3430e53df7745447eda9f97bbec93f07
DOI: 10.2307/3677013
ISSN: 09088857
Cited by: 21
Original Language: English