Performance of Encounternet Tags: Field Tests of Miniaturized Proximity Loggers for Use on Small Birds

PloS One
Iris I LevinRebecca J Safran

Abstract

Proximity logging is a new tool for understanding social behavior as it allows for accurate quantification of social networks. We report results from field calibration and deployment tests of miniaturized proximity tags (Encounternet), digital transceivers that log encounters between tagged individuals. We examined radio signal behavior in relation to tag attachment (tag, tag on bird, tag on saline-filled balloon) to understand how radio signal strength is affected by the tag mounting technique used for calibration tests. We investigated inter-tag and inter-receiver station variability, and in each calibration test we accounted for the effects of antennae orientation. Additionally, we used data from a live deployment on breeding barn swallows (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster) to analyze the quality of the logs, including reciprocal agreement in dyadic logs. We evaluated the impact (in terms of mass changes) of tag attachment on the birds. We were able to statistically distinguish between RSSI values associated with different close-proximity (<5 m) tag-tag distances regardless of antennae orientation. Inter-tag variability was low, but we did find significant inter-receiver station variability. Reciprocal agreement of dyadic logs ...Continue Reading

References

Oct 26, 2005·The Journal of Experimental Biology·B Naef-DaenzerE Weise
Jun 5, 2008·Current Biology : CB·Rebecca J SafranMichaela Hau
Jan 22, 2010·Journal of Wildlife Diseases·Manuela RehtanzAlfred B Jenson
Nov 9, 2010·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Jens KrauseDarren P Croft
Aug 4, 2012·Biology Letters·Thomas B RyderIgnacio T Moore
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Jun 1, 2015·Methods in Ecology and Evolution·Christian RutzRichard James

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Citations

Jul 3, 2018·Applied Stochastic Models in Business and Industry·Wesley LeeTyler H McCormick
Mar 22, 2021·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Michael S ReichertNora V Carlson

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
proximity
chip
proximity logging

Software Mentioned

R package igraph
Encounternet
Pymaster
R
lmerTest
lme4

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