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Large-scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region
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  • Jon Morant,
  • Eneko Arrondo,
  • Jose Sanchez-Zapata,
  • José Antonio Donázar,
  • Ainara Cortés-Avizanda,
  • Manuel de la RIva,
  • Guillermo Blanco,
  • Félix Martínez,
  • Juan Oltra,
  • Martina Carrete,
  • Antoni Margalida,
  • Pilar Oliva-Vidal,
  • Jose María Martínez,
  • David Serrano,
  • Juan Peréz-García
Jon Morant
Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche

Corresponding Author:jon.morant@umh.es

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Eneko Arrondo
Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche
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Jose Sanchez-Zapata
Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche
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José Antonio Donázar
Estación Biológica de Doñana
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Ainara Cortés-Avizanda
University of Seville
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Manuel de la RIva
Estación Biológica de Doñana
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Guillermo Blanco
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales
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Félix Martínez
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
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Juan Oltra
Universidad Pablo de Olavide
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Martina Carrete
Universidad Pablo de Olavide
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Antoni Margalida
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecologia
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Pilar Oliva-Vidal
Instituto e Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos Grupo de Investigación Sanidad y Biotecnología
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Jose María Martínez
Departamento Medio Ambiente
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David Serrano
Estación Biológica de Doñana
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Juan Peréz-García
Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche
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Abstract

Quantifying space use and segregation, as well as the extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting them, is crucial to increase our knowledge of species-specific movement ecology and to design effective management and conservation measures. This is particularly relevant in the case of species that are highly mobile and dependent on sparse and unpredictable trophic resources, such as vultures. Here, we used the GPS-tagged data of 127 adult Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus captured at five different breeding regions in Spain to describe the movement patterns (home-range size and fidelity, and monthly cumulative distance). We also examined how individual sex, season and breeding region determined the cumulative distance travelled and the size and overlap between consecutive monthly home-ranges. Overall, Griffon Vultures exhibited very large annual home-range sizes of 5,027 ± 2,123 km2, mean monthly cumulative distances of 1,776 ± 1,497 km, and showed a monthly home-range fidelity of 67.8 ± 25.5 %. However, individuals from northern breeding regions showed smaller home-ranges and travelled shorter monthly distances than those from southern ones. In all cases, home-ranges were larger in spring and summer than in winter and autumn. Moreover, females showed larger home-ranges and less monthly fidelity than males, indicating that the latter tended to use the similar areas throughout the year. Overall, our results indicate that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors modulate the home-range the social Griffon Vulture and that spatial segregation depend on sex and season at the individual level, without relevant differences between breeding regions in individual site fidelity.
19 Oct 2022Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
20 Oct 2022Submission Checks Completed
20 Oct 2022Assigned to Editor
26 Oct 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
19 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
30 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
03 Jan 20231st Revision Received
04 Jan 2023Submission Checks Completed
04 Jan 2023Assigned to Editor
04 Jan 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
13 Jan 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
16 Jan 20232nd Revision Received
16 Jan 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 Jan 2023Submission Checks Completed
16 Jan 2023Assigned to Editor
25 Jan 2023Editorial Decision: Accept