The first Common terns were equipped with the GPS transmitters
26-05-2020
The first nine Common terns were equipped with the GPS transmitters. These transmitters are very light and weight just 3 grams. The birds were trapped and equipped by the professional ornithologists on the islands of Nemunas river between Prienai and Lengveniškes on 21st of May.
The Common terns were equipped with such type of transmitters for the first time in the world. The collected data will allow to gather a lot of new scientific, as well as important for protection of the species at the breeding sites, information. The GPS transmitters will collect information on their "home range" as well behavioural patterns. The collected information will be assessed by the LOD staff. Already the first data provided a lot of valuable and unknown information about these breeding birds. The data from the first days are reflected on the map below.
Flights of the Common terns.
Ringing of Common terns. Photo by Eugenijus Drobelis
Common tern with the transmitter. Photo by Julius Morkūnas
On 25th of May 7 Common terns were equipped with the GPS transmitters in Kintai fishponds.
In total not less than 45 transmitters will be equipped in Novaraistis, Kretuonas and Blinstrubiškis forest SPAs. Up-to-day information will be available on the project’s homepage.
The data collected by the LOD staff with the help of the GPS transmitters are publicly available. However, for publication in other information sources or to use for other purposes, the consent from the Lithuanian Ornithological Society must be obtained.
