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Corridors affect dispersal initiation in reintroduced peregrine falcons

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2005

Matthew R. Dzialak
Affiliation:
Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546, USA
Michael J. Lacki
Affiliation:
Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546, USA
Jeffery L. Larkin
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA 15705, USA
Kristina M. Carter
Affiliation:
Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546, USA
Shawchyi Vorisek
Affiliation:
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, #1 Game Farm Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, USA
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Abstract

We reintroduced 33 peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) at two release areas with contrasting habitat configurations to assess landscape influences on dispersal. One site (Daniel Boone National Forest) had non-forested corridors within a forest matrix, whereas the other site (Tom Dorman State Nature Preserve) had forested corridors within an agricultural matrix. We used aerial telemetry and ground observation to assess differences in dispersal between sites and we used multivariate statistical analyses to detect combinations of response variables depicting landscape influences. Non-forested corridors at Daniel Boone affected post-fledging movements and initiation of dispersal, whereas no discernable pattern in dispersal initiation was observed at Dorman Preserve. Results included significant (p<0.05) differences between peregrines at Daniel Boone and Dorman Preserve in $\bar{x}{\pm}$ SD post-fledging area (PFA) size (2643.5±2599.0 and 931.7±732.1 ha, respectively), maximum movement distances (12.9±13.9 and 6.1±4.6 km, respectively), orientation of movements (second-order $\bar{x}$ angle±95% confidence interval (CI)=280.8±58.6 (non-random orientation) and 358.8±98.8 (random orientation), respectively), time spent on the PFA (16.0±12.2 and 31.0±3.3 days, respectively) and selection of agricultural habitats (Euclidean distance vectors ρ=0.66 and ρ=2.50, respectively). Selection of agriculture by peregrines released on Daniel Boone reflected selection of corridors as part of pre-dispersal movement. These results, coupled with generally unorientated movement behaviour by Dorman Preserve peregrines, provided evidence for an influence of functional landscape connectivity on dispersal in peregrines.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2005 The Zoological Society of London

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