Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and season
Abstract Background Dispersal includes three phases: emigration, transit, and immigration. The transit phase, which involves all movements between departure and arrival, is the least understood phase of dispersal. During the transit phase, individuals prospect their environment to gather information...
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Movement Ecology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00560-7 |
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| author | Tom Chaubet Christian Itty Arzhela Hemery Olivier Duriez Aurélien Besnard |
| author_facet | Tom Chaubet Christian Itty Arzhela Hemery Olivier Duriez Aurélien Besnard |
| author_sort | Tom Chaubet |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Dispersal includes three phases: emigration, transit, and immigration. The transit phase, which involves all movements between departure and arrival, is the least understood phase of dispersal. During the transit phase, individuals prospect their environment to gather information about potential breeding sites, thus enhancing their future reproductive success and survival. Studies have revealed a wide inter-individual variability in prospecting behaviours which may result from complex interactions between external and internal factors affecting the costs and benefits of prospecting. Age, sex, and season are expected to strongly influence prospecting behaviours, yet their effects are far from established. Methodology We investigated how age, sex, and season interact and influence prospecting movements throughout the transit phase. We analysed telemetry data from 106 immature Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), whose natal dispersal involves a transit phase lasting several years. Using a trajectory segmentation method, we identified the areas sequentially prospected by each individual and we assessed the size, duration of use, and spacing between these areas to uncover spatio-temporal variations in prospecting behaviours. Results We confirmed our predictions, revealing strong influences of age, sex, and season, as well as their interactions, on prospecting movements. First, age had a significant effect on prospecting behaviours: individuals displayed a progressive spatial concentration of prospecting, consistent with patterns observed in colonial species. Second, seasonal variations were detected, with peaks of prospection in spring and autumn, likely resulting from the constraints imposed by territorial adult reproduction and weather-related flight conditions. Third we found sexual differences in movement patterns, with females prospecting over a larger spatial range than males, in line with the female-biased dispersal existing in most bird species. The level of inter-sexual differences and seasonal variations in prospecting behaviours differed depending on the age of the individuals. Conclusions Our work strongly supports that individuals adjust their prospecting behaviour in response to interacting intrinsic and extrinsic factors, in order to reduce prospecting movement costs while maximising the information gathered to inform their immigration decision. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-25d210ad528e4cf1b3bee80e0aec287c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2051-3933 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Movement Ecology |
| spelling | doaj-art-25d210ad528e4cf1b3bee80e0aec287c2025-08-20T03:45:39ZengBMCMovement Ecology2051-39332025-07-0113111410.1186/s40462-025-00560-7Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and seasonTom Chaubet0Christian Itty1Arzhela Hemery2Olivier Duriez3Aurélien Besnard4CEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRDAssociation BECOT (Banding and Research for Bird Conservation)CEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRDCEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRDCEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRDAbstract Background Dispersal includes three phases: emigration, transit, and immigration. The transit phase, which involves all movements between departure and arrival, is the least understood phase of dispersal. During the transit phase, individuals prospect their environment to gather information about potential breeding sites, thus enhancing their future reproductive success and survival. Studies have revealed a wide inter-individual variability in prospecting behaviours which may result from complex interactions between external and internal factors affecting the costs and benefits of prospecting. Age, sex, and season are expected to strongly influence prospecting behaviours, yet their effects are far from established. Methodology We investigated how age, sex, and season interact and influence prospecting movements throughout the transit phase. We analysed telemetry data from 106 immature Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), whose natal dispersal involves a transit phase lasting several years. Using a trajectory segmentation method, we identified the areas sequentially prospected by each individual and we assessed the size, duration of use, and spacing between these areas to uncover spatio-temporal variations in prospecting behaviours. Results We confirmed our predictions, revealing strong influences of age, sex, and season, as well as their interactions, on prospecting movements. First, age had a significant effect on prospecting behaviours: individuals displayed a progressive spatial concentration of prospecting, consistent with patterns observed in colonial species. Second, seasonal variations were detected, with peaks of prospection in spring and autumn, likely resulting from the constraints imposed by territorial adult reproduction and weather-related flight conditions. Third we found sexual differences in movement patterns, with females prospecting over a larger spatial range than males, in line with the female-biased dispersal existing in most bird species. The level of inter-sexual differences and seasonal variations in prospecting behaviours differed depending on the age of the individuals. Conclusions Our work strongly supports that individuals adjust their prospecting behaviour in response to interacting intrinsic and extrinsic factors, in order to reduce prospecting movement costs while maximising the information gathered to inform their immigration decision.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00560-7Transit phaseGolden eagleAquila chrysaetosGPS telemetryNatal dispersal |
| spellingShingle | Tom Chaubet Christian Itty Arzhela Hemery Olivier Duriez Aurélien Besnard Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and season Movement Ecology Transit phase Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos GPS telemetry Natal dispersal |
| title | Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and season |
| title_full | Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and season |
| title_fullStr | Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and season |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and season |
| title_short | Prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age, sex and season |
| title_sort | prospecting movements during the transit phase of immature eagles are driven by age sex and season |
| topic | Transit phase Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos GPS telemetry Natal dispersal |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00560-7 |
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