Hello to all,
I am doing a Phd in Population ecology using the Lesser Kestrels as a model species. I am using lighweight (~4 gr) GPS units from Technosmart to record the habitat selection and the movements during the Egg laying, Incubation and the Chick rearing period. I want to use a lighweight gps/gsm lightweight unit to track the juveniles leaving the natal areas and to monior recrruitment in colonies, unfortunately setting a base stationand radiotrack (due to time consuming) are either unappropriate methods . I am planning to track about 20 individuals and the area is bigger than 8.000 square kilometers. Does anyone has any idea?
Thanks in advance,
Konstantinos
Hi Kostas,
Because of the low body mass of kestrels you are highly limited in the range of devices to be deployed. Have a look at NanoFix GPS because they are small-sized and it is possible to recover data from the loggers via GSM: http://www.pathtrack.co.uk/Site/nanoFix.html
try ask Franz Kuemmeth from eobs. we are very happy with their tags in general. http://www.e-obs.de/products.html
Hi Konstantinos,
Also have a look at the Univeversity of Amsterstam Bird Tracking System group (UvABiTS). They make really great bird tags powered by solar energy, which would be great for Greece.
Xairetismata,
Theoni
Hi Kostas
You might want to contact also researchers at University of Alicante. They have been working with these kestrels as well. Contact Ruben Limiña, Pascual Lopez or/and Ugo Mellone. They are tracking all kind of raptors and might have good ideas. Also here in Finland, Toni Laaksonen, Jari Valkama and Erkki Korpiäki have been working with Eurasian Kestrel. You may want to ask them as well.
Interesting work! Good luck!
the kestrel was visited Zalingei area west Jebel Marra- Sudan, in February, I was toke some photo of it in Zour Lake ( Zour small lake .Coordinates: 12o 57’’ 295 N 23o 31’’ 785 E . Nearest Towns: Zalingei. The lake was falls in the northern bank of Wadi Azoom),
Hi Costas,
Microsensory (www.microsensory.com) developed a GPS+GSM+SMS+GPRS+UHF+VHF 26 g device. We are using then with ducks, curlew and coots and we are following our birds for all around Europe. Of course 26 g it is to heavy for your species. Microsensory have recently developed a 10-12 g version but I will test it on next month. I am sure it will work (have the same electronic that the 26 g version) but really it is non yet tested under field conditions..
If you are interested you can contact heee:[email protected]
Good luck,
Ramon
Hello,
We use Microwave Telemetry's 22g Solar Argos/GPS PTT for our lesser-prairie chicken work and we've been very impressed with the transmitters and the company. I'm sure 22g is too big for your species, but I know in maybe the past month or so they came out with a 5g solar PTT that might work for you. I would contact them and ask about it. I think they're only producing a limited number of 5g PTTs for the first year, but they also make a 9.5g solar PTT. Here's the website:
http://www.microwavetelemetry.com/bird/solarPTT_5g.cfm
If you call in, ask for Cathy. She's been incredibly helpful in answering my many questions. When I first called in, she also gave me the names of several researchers who were using their product in similar projects. Talking to them was very helpful and I'm sure she could point you in the same direction.
Best of luck,
Ashley
You can use maybe solar UHF tags of Ecotone. We tracked now 4 common Kestrels; 2 with a lot of succes, 2 doesn't work well by downloading the data. We need to recapture them and afterwards looking how we get the data from the tags...
@ all: Thanks for the other suggestions! Always nice to hear of other companies!
To my opinion, you should contact Willem Bouten, University of Amsterdam, they produce very reliable and lightweight GPS loggers, see UvAbits website. Moreover, I think it could be a good idea to contact Prof. Bernd Meyburg.
best
Michael
Uvabits is not GPS-GSM... the leightest I know are from Ecotone with 16,5 gram (too havy for kestrells). Maybe the Nanofix, but I don't know or they make also GSM options... would be nice! Keep me informed!
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