Calibrating an Individual‐Based Movement Model to Predict Functional Connectivity for Little Owls

Dispersal is crucial for population viability, yet understanding and predicting animal dispersal is notoriously difficult. We developed an individual‐based model of natal little owl dispersal to assess whether individuals from expanding populations in southwestern Germany are able to migrate to suitable habitat patches in northern Switzerland. Our findings reveal plausible inter‐individual and inter‐sexual differences in movement behavior and suggest that the little owl's (re‐)colonization of northern Switzerland is generally possible, albeit restricted. Our study also highlights existing, yet narrow corridors, which may require enhancements to expedite the dispersal of little owls into northern Switzerland. These photographs illustrate the article “Calibrating an individual‐based movement model to predict functional connectivity for little owls” by Severin Hauenstein, Julien Fattebert, Martin U. Grüebler, Beat Naef‐Daenzer, Guy Pe'er and Florian Hartig published in Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.187