Non‐permanent radiotelemetry leg harness for small birds

I developed a modified leg harness for mounting radiotelemetry transmitters to small birds, which includes a weak link that allows telemetry equipment to be shed. Over 4 years, I mounted 62 transmitters on 49 Tuamotu kingfishers (Todiramphus gambieri) using weak‐link harnesses. Kingfishers retained 86% of transmitters for the duration of monitoring periods (23–66 days) whereas 22 of 23 transmitters were shed from birds resighted after 6–15 months. Apparent mortality was no higher for radio‐marked birds than for birds without transmitters. The weak‐link harness is an improvement to existing transmitter attachment techniques and provides a useful, effective, and ethical means of studying bird movements.