title: 3D tracking of animals in the field using rotational stereo videography.
abstract: We describe a method for tracking the path of animals in the field, based on stereo videography and aiming-angle measurements, combined in a single, rotational device. In open environments, this technique has the potential to extract multiple 3D positions per second, with a spatial uncertainty of <1 m (rms) within 300 m of the observer, and <0.1 m (rms) within 100 m of the observer, in all directions. The tracking device is transportable and operated by a single observer, and does not involve any animal tagging. As a video of the moving animal is recorded, track data can easily be completed with behavioural data. We present a prototype device based on accessible components that achieves about 70% of the theoretical maximal range. We show examples of bird ground and flight tracks, and discuss the strengths and limits of the method, compared with existing fine-scale (e.g. fixed-camera stereo videography) and large-scale tracking methods (e.g. GPS tracking).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, UMR CNRS 6552, University of Rennes 1, Rennes 35042, France emmanuel.demargerie@univ-rennes1.fr.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Margerie
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, UMR CNRS 6552, University of Rennes 1, Rennes 35042, France.
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simonneau
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, UMR CNRS 6552, University of Rennes 1, Rennes 35042, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Caudal
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, UMR CNRS 6552, University of Rennes 1, Rennes 35042, France.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Houdelier
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology, UMR CNRS 6552, University of Rennes 1, Rennes 35042, France.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lumineau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D005426:Flight, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008124:Locomotion; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: Animal tracking; Flight kinematics; Movement ecology; Spatial behaviour; Stereo video