LE3 .A278 2016

2016

Taylor, Phil
Shutler, Dave

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Biology

Biology

Migration is a perilous undertaking for any organism, and is often only undertaken within a restricted range of intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors. The added risk of crossing an ecological barrier such as a large body of water means that migratory decisions based on these factors become more crucial for survival than they would be otherwise. Aside from limited data garnered from banding-recapture studies, little was previously known about migratory habits of northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus), especially with respect to how they navigated large expanses of water such as the Gulf of Maine. Between 12 October 2015 and 10 November 2015, 26 saw-whet owls were captured at two NS sites using mist nets, banded, and fitted with very high frequency (VHF) radio-transmitters. Using data downloaded from receiver towers long the coastlines of Canada’s Maritime Provinces and the northeastern United States, I tracked individual saw-whet owls as some moved throughout mainland NS, some remained in the same general area where they were originally tagged , and some migrated directly over the Gulf of Maine. The latter results provide insights into a previously unknown feat of migration by a small (80 to 120g) nocturnal raptor.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1434