Home range and activity budget in the Falkland Steamer Duck (Tachyeres brachypterus).

ABSTRACT: The Falkland Islands support globally important populations of seabirds and coastal birds, underscoring their value for international conservation efforts. However, substantial knowledge gaps impede the development of coherent species management plans. This study focused on the endemic Falkland Steamer Duck, a territorial waterfowl only found around the archipelago, which has remained largely understudied and lacks fundamental ecological information critical to its conservation. To estimate home range sizes, habitat use, and activity budgets, we deployed GPS devices on 29 ducks from two locations (Bleaker Island and Stanley Harbour). Daily travel distances increased with proximity to ponds, kelp beds, and human infrastructures, within each duck's home range. Absolute area, but not proporti

SUBMITTER: Kristiansen AMI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12503321 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature