Assessing habitat fragmentation in birds using radio-frequency ID (RFID) systems.

山雀等森林鸟类不愿穿过大的栖息地开口，例如由管道或传输线通行权造成的开口。近二十年来，进行环境评估的研究人员和顾问一直使用监测森林通才鸟类穿越这种开口的意愿来确定栖息地碎片化的影响。一种用于测试穿越空隙的典型技术是从栖息地空隙的一侧回放鸡叫(当骚扰猫头鹰或猎鹰等小型捕食者时使用)，研究人员测量鸟类越过空隙接近扬声器所需的路线和时间。较长的反应延迟和使用较长的路线以最大限度地减少穿越空地的距离被认为是不情愿穿越空隙的证据。然而，这种技术存在与动机相关的问题--如果收集到的鸟类感觉到捕食者在一个大洞的另一边，不愿越过这个缺口可能只是反映了它们认为威胁是遥远的，而不是 不愿意穿越的。此外，这项技术只在很短的时间范围内(几分钟)衡量跨越差距的决定。我们建议使用装有射频识别(RFID)天线的喂食站来跟踪带坑标记(无源集成发射器)的鸟类，作为评估空隙穿越决策的替代手段。它们不是使用负面刺激(捕食者的存在)来吸引鸟类，而是使用积极的增强剂(食物)。因此，有一种积极的诱惑将鼓励跨越差距。其次，通过使用坑标签和射频识别单元(天到月)，可以在较长的时间内跟踪鸟类的运动模式，从而提供对景观空间利用的详细长期评估。这种新的RFID跟踪应用有可能提高评估与地震线、传输走廊和管道路线相关的栖息地碎片化问题的准确性。我们将与环境动力学公司-一家专门从事环境评估的咨询公司-一起开发和测试这种方法，以确定 它在该领域的潜在应用。

Forest birds, such as chickadees, are reluctant to cross large habitat openings, such as those created by pipeline or transmission line rights-of-way. For nearly two decades, monitoring of willingness of forest-generalist birds to cross such openings has been used by researchers and consultants conducting Environmental Assessments to determine the impacts of habitat fragmentation. One typical technique used to test gap-crossing is playback of chick-a-dee mobbing calls (used when harassing small predators, like owls or falcons) from one side of a habitat gap, with researchers measuring the route and time taken for birds to cross the gap and approach the speaker. A long latency to respond and use of longer routes to minimize distance of crossing open spaces are considered as evidence of reluctance in gap-crossing. This technique, however, suffers from problems associated with motivation - if gathered birds perceive that the predator is on the other side of a large opening, an unwillingness to cross this gap may simply reflect their perception that the threat is distant, rather than unwillingness to make crossings. Further, the technique measures gap-crossing decisions on only a short temporal scale (several minutes). We propose to use feeding stations fitted with radio-frequency ID (RFID) antennas to track PIT-tagged (passive integrated transmitters) birds as an alternate means of assessing gap crossing decisions. Rather than using a negative stimulus (presence of a predator) to attract birds, they use a positive reinforcer (food). Thus, there is a positive enticement that would encourage gap crossing. Second, movement patterns of birds can be tracked over extended periods with the use of PIT tags and RFID units (days to months), providing detailed long-term assessment of spatial use of the landscape. This novel application of RFID tracking has potential to increase the accuracy of assessing habitat fragmentation issues associated with seismic lines, transmission corridors and pipeline routes. We will be developing and testing this methodology with Environmental Dynamics Inc - a consulting firm specializing in environmental assessments - to determine its potential application to the field.