Circadian space use but not overall home range is affected by diurnal hunting in a terrestrial bird species where mortality is low

Abstract

Human disturbance, such as recreational hunting, can alter species’ spatial ecology and movement behaviour, potentially impacting population dynamics. However, few studies have examined the effects of hunting on the movement ecology of terrestrial birds. The Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola (hereon woodcock) is an important quarry species in Western Europe. Here, we used radiotelemetry at three hunted and three non-hunted sites to monitor 168 tagged overwintering woodcock, 43 of which also provided detailed global position system (GPS) data over an average duration of 64 days. Linear and generalised linear mixed models were used to explore effects of time of day (day/night), age and hunting on home ranges, commuting behaviour, and location fidelity. Four of seven recorded mortality events were due to hunting, but monthly survival rates were high (98.0%). Age and hunting both affected movement ecology. While woodcock showed fidelity to favoured locations, juveniles used larger home ranges, and displayed more localised “exploratory” movement than adults. Individuals that experienced hunting had larger diurnal home ranges with a carry-over effect of larger nocturnal home ranges, but did not use larger overall home ranges. Hunting also led to greater commuting distances between diurnal and nocturnal locations, and had a greater effect on the commuting behaviour of adults than on juveniles. These effects were subtle and contrast with the more dramatic relocation responses to hunting seen in many other quarry species. They suggest that direct and indirect effects of low intensity hunting can be modest for some species in suitably diverse landscapes.