B.-U. Meyburg & Michel Taillade

Meyburg, B.-U & Taillade, M. 1999. Satellite telemetry in ornithology. In: Adams, N.J. & Slotow, R.H. (eds) Proc. 22 Int. Ornithol. Congr., Durban: 2983. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa.

The movements of birds have been investigated for the past 100 years mainly by ringing. In recent times satellite telemetry has provided us with a new device which makes possible the permanent and worldwide automatic location of birds over an extended period of time. To begin with, owing to the size and weight of the transmitters, only large bird species could be so equipped. Today, however, technical improvements in satellite transmitters have advanced so rapidly that it is now possible to track birds of medium size. There are now (mid-1997) at our disposal transmitters with conventional batteries weighing only about 20 g and solar-powered transmitters weighing only about 35 g. As the sensitivity of reception will be increased in the new satellites, which in the coming years will be put into orbit round the earth, and the transmitters further improved, one may expect relatively soon to acquire many fresh data on migration routes, resting and overwintering areas, speed of migration, orientation, dependence on weather conditions, etc. In view of the rapid development of this technique it is suggested that a Standing Committee for ‘Satellite Telemetry in Ornithology’ be created for discussion and to help disseminate preliminary information on this technique and its results among researchers and other interested individuals to overcome the problem of the long time-lapse involved in the publication of articles in scientific journals.