First description of movement and ranging behavior of the Griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) from Serbia using GPS satellite tracking
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS201210013HKeywords:
Griffon vulture Gyps fulvus, necrophagous species, ranging behavior, seasonal movements, conservationAbstract
Paper description:
- Understanding the ranging behavior of Eurasian Griffon vulture populations is fundamental for their conservation.
- In Serbia in 2011 for the first time, an immature Eurasian Griffon vulture was equipped with a satellite transmitter, and telemetry data, its ranging behavior, changes in foraging area, home-range, core and basic areas were followed for 3 years.
- The used area was larger during spring and summer; 1 basic area and its associated core area around the Uvac colony and 3 additional core areas in its proximity were identified.
- Ranging behavior mapping provides information for spatial planning of conservation measures.
Abstract: Understanding the movement pattern and ranging behavior of the Griffon vulture population in Serbia is of great importance for prioritizing conservation action. In 2011, an immature vulture was the first bird to be equipped with a satellite transmitter in Serbia. Our study aims to define the vulture’s foraging areas, home ranges, core and basic areas, and to investigate movement patterns across different years and seasons by analyzing satellite telemetry data. We tracked the movements of the vulture for over three years and obtained satellite tracking data for 34 bird-months (1976 GPS fixes) between October 2011 and July 2014. We determined that the overall foraging area of the vulture across the entire study period was 11654.34 km2. The overall area used by the vulture was larger during spring and summer than during winter periods. Combined ranges across all years identified one basic area and its associated core area around the Uvac colony and nearby feeding site; we identified three core areas in its proximity. This study showed that areas of traditional stock-raising practices are important vulture foraging areas and that supplementary feeding sites have a vital role. Our maps can be used for future planning of vulture conservation measures.
Downloads
References
Fergusson-Lees J, Christie DA. Raptors of the world: A field guide. London: Helm; 2001.1082 p.
García-Ripollés C, López-López P, Urios V. Ranging behaviour of non-breeding Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus: a GPS-telemetry study. Acta Ornithol. 2011;46(2):127-34. https://doi.org/10.3161/000164511x625892
Johnson JA, Lerner HR, Rasmussen PC, Mindell DP. Systematics within Gyps vultures: a clade at risk. BMC Evol Biol. 2006;6:1-12.
Botha AJ, Andevski J, Bowden CGR, Gudka M, Safford RJ, Tavares J, Williams NP. Multi-species Action Plan to Conserve African-Eurasian Vultures [Internet]. Abu Dhabi: Coordinating Unit of the CMS Raptors MOU; 2017 [cited 2020 Nov 15]. 162 p. (CMS Raptors MOU Technical Publication No. 5.); (CMS Technical Series No. xx.). Available from: https://www.cms.int/sites/default/files/document/cms_cop12_doc.24.1.4_annex3_vulture-msap_e.pdf.
Cramp S, Simmons KEL, editors. Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol. 2. Hawks to Bustards. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1980. 696 p. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0030605300028945
Donázar JA. Los buitres ibéricos: Biología y conservación. Madrid: J.M. Reyero; 1993. 256 p.
Tucker GM, Heath FA, editors. Birds in Europe: their conservation status. Cambridge (UK): BirdLife International; 1994. 600 p. (Conservation Series No.3).
BirdLife International. Gyps fulvus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [Internet]. 2017 [amended version of 2016 assessment; cited 2020 Nov 10]. Available from: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22695219/118593677.
Mundy PJ, Butchart D, Ledger JA, Piper SE. The Vultures of Africa. London: Academic Press; 1992. 460 p.
Xirouchakis S. Breeding biology and reproductive performance of Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus on the island of Crete (Greece). Bird Study. 2010;57(2):213-35. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063650903505754
Del Moral JC, Molina B, editors. El buitre leonado en España, población reproductora en 2018 y método de censo. Madrid: SEO/BirdLife; 2018. 188 p. Spanish. https://doi.org/10.31170/0066
Pantović U, Andevski J. Review of the problem of poison use and vulture poisoning in the Balkan Peninsula. [Internet]. Netherlands: Vulture Conservation Foundation; 2018. [cited 2020 Nov 25]. 72 p. Available from: https://www.4vultures.org/our-work/anti-poisoning/balkan-anti-poisoning-project/.
Marinković S, Grubač B. Beloglavi sup (Gyps fulvus). In: Puzović S, editor. Atlas ptica grabljivica Srbije, mape rasprostranjenjenosti i procene populacija 1977-1996. [Atlas of birds of prey of Serbia: their breeding distribution and abundance 1977-1996]. Belgrade: Institute for Nature Protection of Serbia; 2000. p. 63-8. Serbian.
Demerdzhiev D, Hristov H, Dobrev D, Angelov I, Kurtev M. Long-term Population Status, Breeding Parameters and Limiting Factors of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus Hablizl, 1783) Population in the Eastern Rhodopes, Bulgaria. Acta Zool Bulg. 2014;66(3):373-84.
Marinković S, Hribšek I, Tatalović N, Skorić S. A long-term population study of the Eurasian Griffon (Gyps fulvus) in Serbia before and following the establishment of a supplementary feeding program. Ethol Ecol Evol. 2020;33(2):137-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/03949370.2020.1844302
Marinković S, Orlandić L. Status of the Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus in Serbia. In: Meyburg B-U, Chancellor RD, editors. Raptor Conservation Today. Berlin: The Pica Press; 1994. p. 163-72.
Ruxton GD, Houston DC. Obligate vertebrate scavengers must be large soaring fliers. J Theor Biol. 2004;228(3):431-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2004.02.005
Kane A, Wolter K, Neser W, Kotze A, Naidoo V, Monadjem A. Home range and habitat selection of Cape Vultures Gyps coprotheres in relation to supplementary feeding. Bird Study. 2016;63(3):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2016.1214105
Bahat O, Hatzoffe O, Kaplan A, Woodley B. Foraging range and movements of Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) in Israel, as determined by satellite tracking. In: Proceeding of the 4th Eurasian Congress on raptors; 2001 Sep 25–29; Donana Biological Station. Seville, Spain: Raptor Research Foundation; 2001. p. 11-2.
Sušić G. Regular long-distance migration of Eurasian Griffon Gyps fulvus. In: Chancellor RD, Meyburg BU, editors. Raptors at Risk. World Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls. Hancock House; 2000. p. 225-30.
McGrady MJ, Gavashelishvili A. Tracking Vultures from the Caucasus into Iran. Podoces. 2006;1:21-6.
Terrasse M. Evolution des deplacements du Vautour fauve Gyps fulvus en France et en Europe. Hornitos. 2006;13:273-99.
Bernis F. Migration of the Common Griffon Vulture in the Western Palearctic. In: Wilbur SR, Jackson JA, editors. Vulture biology and management. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1983. p. 185-96.
Griesinger J. Juvenile dispersion and migration among Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) in Spain. In: Chancellor RD, Meyburg B-U, Ferrero JJ, editors. Proceedings of an International Conference on Holarctic Birds of Prey and Owls; 1995 Apr 17–22; Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. Merida & Berlin: Adenex & WWGBP; 1998. p. 612-21.
Bildstein KL, Bechard MJ, Farmer C, Newcomb L. Narrow sea crossings present major obstacles to migrating Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus. Ibis. 2009;151(2):382-91. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919x.2009.00919.x
Elosegui J, Elosegui R. [Displacements of Pyrenean Eurasian Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus)]. Munibe. 1977;39(1-2):97-104.
Gil JA, Lagares JL, Alcántara M. [Radio-telemetry of the Eurasian Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) in the Eastern Iberico System (Aragón-Spain)]. Teruel. 2009;92(1):137-64.
Xirouchakis SM, Andreou G. Foraging behavior and flight characteristics of Eurasian griffons Gyps fulvus in the island of Crete, Greece. Wildlife Biol. 2009;15(1):37-52. https://doi.org/10.2981/07-090
Meyburg B-U, Paillat P, Meyburg C. Migration routes of steppe eagles between Asia and Africa: a study by means of satellite telemetry. Condor. 2003;105(2):219-27. https://doi.org/10.1650/0010-5422(2003)105[0219:mroseb]2.0.co;2
Newton I. Population limitation in migrants. Ibis. 2004;146 (2):197-226. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919x.2004.00293.x
Shobrak M. Satellite tracking of the Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos in Saudi Arabia. Jordan J Nat Hist. 2014;1:131-41.
Pashev H, Stoynov E, Parvanov D, Grozdanov A. Seasonal and spatial dynamics of the population of the griffon vulture Gyps fulvus (Hablizl, 1783) (Aves: Accipitridae) in southwestern Bulgaria. Acta Zool Bulg. 2018;Suppl.12:67-75. https://doi.org/10.4314/vulnew.v75i1.2
Marinković S. Beloglavi sup-Gyps fulvus, Griffon Vulture. In: Stanković D, Paunović M, Raković M, editors. Atlas migratornih ptica i slepih miševa Srbije. [Atlas of migratory birds and bats of Serbia]. Belgrade: Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, Natural History Museum in Belgrade; 2018. 46: p. 123-6. Serbian.
Marinković S. Ecological basis of conservation and survive of Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (Hablizl, 1783) on Balkan Peninsula. [dissertation]. [Belgrade]: Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. 1999. 234 p. Serbian.
Pavlović MA. Geografija Srbije 1. [Geography of Serbia 1]. Belgrade: Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade; 2019. 249 p. Serbian.
Kenward RE. A manual for wildlife radio tagging. London: Academic Press; 2001. 324 p.
Cadahia L, Urios V, Negro JJ. Bonelli's Eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus juvenile dispersal: hourly and daily movements tracked by GPS. Bird Study. 2007;54:271-4. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063650709461484
Worton BJ. Kernel methods for estimating the utilization distribution in home-range studies. Ecology. 1989;70(1):164-8. https://doi.org/10.2307/1938423
Fieberg J. Kernel density estimators of home range: smoothing and the autocorrelation red herring. Ecology. 2007;88(4):1059-66. https://doi.org/10.1890/06-0930
ESRI: ArcGIS [Internet]. Release 10.2.2. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute. 2014. [cited 2021 Jan 10]. Available from: https://www.esri.com/en-us/home .
Duong T, Wand M, Chacon J, Gramacki A: Kernel Smoothing, R Studio Package ‘ks’ [Internet]. Version 1.11.7. 2020 [cited 2020 Jan 10]. Available from: https://www.mvstat.net/mvksa/ .
Beyer HL: Geospatial Modelling Environment. Version 0.7.3.0. [software]. 2012 [cited 2021 Nov 28]. Available from: http://www.spatialecology.com/gme.
Copernicus Land Monitoring Service, High Resolution Layer: Grassland (GRA) [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2021 Jan 10]. Available from https://land.copernicus.eu/pan-european/high-resolution-layers/grassland/status-maps/2015.
R Development Core Team: R: A language and environment for statistical computing [Internet]. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. 2014 [cited 2020 Nov 20]. Available from: http://www.R-project.org.
Monsarrat S, Benhamou S, Sarrazin F, Bessa-Gomes C, Bouten W, Duriez O. How predictability of feeding patches affects home range and foraging habitat selection in avian social scavengers? PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e53077. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0053077
Burgman MA, Fox JC. Bias in species range estimates from minimum convex polygons: implications for conservation and options for improved planning. Anim Conserv. 2003;6:19-28. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1367943003003044
Duriez, O, Herman S, Sarrazin F. Intra-specific competition in foraging Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus: 2. The influence of supplementary feeding management. Bird Study. 2012;59(2):193-206. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2012.658640
Marinković S, Karadzić B. The role of nomadic farming in the distribution of the Griffon Vulture (Gyps Fulvus) in the Balkan Peninsula. 7th International Congress of the Zoogeography and Ecology of Greece and Adjacent Regions; 1996 Apr 1–5. Athens, Greece: Hellenic Zoological Soc; 1999. p. 141-52.
Genero F, Franchini M, Fanin Y, Filacorda S. Spatial ecology of non-breeding Eurasian Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus in relation to natural and artificial food availability. Bird Study. 2020;67(1):53-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2020.1734534
Piper ES, Boshoff AF, Scott HA. Modelling survival rates in the Cape Griffon Gyps coprotheres, with emphasis on the effects of supplementary feeding. Bird Study. 1999;46:sup1:230-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063659909477249
Beest F, Bremer L, Boer W, Heitkönig I, Monteiro A. Population dynamics and spatial distribution of Griffon Vultures (Gyps fulvus) in Portugal. Bird Cons Intern. 2008;18:102-17. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959270908000129
Pennycuick CJ. The soaring flight of vultures. Sci Amer. 1972;229:102-9.
Hiraldo F, Donázar JA. Foraging time in the Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus; seasonal and local variations and influence of weather. Bird Study.1990;37:128-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063659009477048
Mellone U, Klaassen RHG, García-Ripollés C, Limiñana R, López-López, P, Pavón D, Strandberg R, Urios V, Vardakis M, Alerstam T. Interspecific comparison of the performance of soaring migrants in relation to morphology, meteorological conditions and migration strategies. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e39833. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0039833
Vasilakis DP, Poirazidis KS, Elorriaga JN. Range use of a Eurasian black vulture (Aegypius monachus) population in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park and the adjacent areas. In: Proceeding of the 10th International Congress on the Zoogeography and Ecology of Greece and Adjacent Regions; 2006 Jun 26–30. Patra, Greece. Greece: J Nat Hist; 2008;42(5-8):355-73. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222930701835308
Stoynov E, Peshev H, Grozdanov A. Early warning system for wildlife poisoning, using intensive GPS tracked vultures as detectives [Internet]. Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria: Fund for Wild Flora and Fauna; 2018 [cited 2021 Jan 18]. 10 p. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/deref/http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.13140%2FRG.2.2.28251.41760.
Louis Phipps W, Willis SG, Wolter K, Naidoo V. Foraging Ranges of Immature African White-Backed Vultures (Gyps africanus) and Their Use of Protected Areas in Southern Africa. PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e52813. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052813
Gavashelishvili A, Mcgrady M, Ghasabian M, Bildstein KL. Movements and habitat use by immature Cinereous Vultures (Aegypius monachus) from the Caucasus. Bird Study. 2012;59(4):449-62. https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2012.728194
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Archives of Biological Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
