Bright moonlight triggers natal dispersal departures |
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Authors: | Vincenzo Penteriani María del Mar Delgado Anna Kuparinen Pertti Saurola Jari Valkama Eino Salo Jere Toivola Adrian Aebischer Raphaël Arlettaz |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Do?ana, C.S.I.C., c/ Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain 5. Finnish Museum of Natural History, Zoology Unit, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland 9. Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600, Mieres, Spain 2. Metapopulation Research Group, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland 3. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland 4. Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland 6. Paloniityntie 90, Forssa, Finland 7. Taatilantie 74, Tarttila, Finland 8. Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
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Abstract: | Upon leaving their natal area, dispersers are confronted with unknown terrains. Species-specific perceptual ranges (i.e. the maximum distance from which an individual can perceive landscape features) play a crucial role in spatial movement decisions during such wanderings. In nocturnal animals that rely on vision, perceptual range is dramatically enhanced during moonlight, compared to moonless conditions. This increase of the perceptual range is an overlooked element that may be responsible for the successful crossing of unfamiliar areas during dispersal. The information gathered from 143 radio-tagged eagle owl Bubo bubo juveniles in Spain, Finland and Switzerland shows that, although the decision to initiate dispersal is mainly an endogenous phenomenon determined by the attainment of a given age (~6 months), dispersers leave their birthplace primarily under the best light conditions at night, i.e. when most of the lunar disc is illuminated. This sheds new light into the mechanisms that may trigger dispersal from parental territory. |
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