EFFECTS OF HARNESS-ATTACHED SATELLITE TRANSMITTERS ON CAPTIVE WHITEFACED DUCKS DENDROCYGNA-VIDUATA

The effects of teflon harness-attached 30-g satellite transmitters on the activity patterns, and body mass of captive whitefaced ducks Dendr ocygna viduata were investigated. The diurnal activities of transmitte r affixed birds (TAB)(140 h) and control birds (CB)(140 h) were monito red in captivity over a period of 14 weeks. There were no within-week differences in the behavioural patterns between TAB and CB (p > 0.05). However, TAB spent a larger portion of the day preening (10.6%) than CB (7.1%), (p < 0.001) when all weeks were combined. Increased preenin g time by TAB did not compromise other activities as there were no oth er differences in the composite behavioural pattern of TAB and CB (p > 0.05). Increases in body mass were higher for TAB (56.92 g) than CB ( 12.80 g) (p = 0.006). Tenon harness-attached 30-g satellite PTTs have a minor effect on activity patterns and do not adversely influence the body mass, skin or feathers of captive whitefaced ducks.