Effects of neck bands on the behavior of wintering greater white-fronted geese

Craig R. Ely

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USGS · 70184241

Effects of neck bands on the behavior of wintering greater white-fronted geese

Craig R. Ely

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Abstract

A ctivity budgets of adult Greater White-fronted Geese ( Anser albifrons frontalis ) with and without neck bands during the non-breeding season revealed that geese with neck bands spent more time preening than geese without neck bands while at foraging sites, but not while at roosting sites. Neck-banded and control geese spent equal time in other important activities (alert, feeding, sleeping, locomotor activities, flying, or social interactions) while at both foraging and roosting sites. Neck-banded geese apparently compensated for the increase in preening activity by reducing the amount of time spent in alert postures relative to control geese (23.9 vs. 28.6%), although the decrease was not significant (P = 0.106). There was a significant negative relationship (P = 0.038) between the length of time a goose had worn a neck band and the amount of time spent preening while at roost sites. After a short acclimation period, neck bands probably have minimal effect on the activity of wintering Greater White-fronted Geese.

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Craig R. Ely. 1990. Effects of neck bands on the behavior of wintering greater white-fronted geese. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70184241

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