Cooperation Agreement Birds

Here are the basic terms of cooperation between us, the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB), and ornithologists (Collaborator).

1. Equipment Supply

1.1. MPI-AB will provide the necessary tags. The Collaborator will deploy the tags.

1.2. Bird tagging and tag supply must strictly adhere to a written pre-approved plan agreed upon by both parties.

1.3. The Collaborator shall not tag bird species not included in the approved plan without prior written consent from MPI-AB.

1.4. MPI-AB must determine whether unused tags must be returned to MPI-AB or retained for use in the next tagging season.

 

2. Data Management

2.1. After tagging the birds, the Collaborator must provide the following information within 20 days of tagging (for each bird):

- Species

- Sex (if known)

- Age (group)

- Date and time of tagging

- Ring number

- Tag number

- Tagging coordinates

- Capture method

- At least one photograph of each tagged bird and one picture of the tag (with visible tag ID) used on the animal.

2.2. Within 20 days of receiving the information listed in 2.1, MPI-AB will create the project in Movebank (http://www.movebank.com) with the following parameters:

Project name. The name will consist of two parts. The first part will always be "ICARUS Birds," and the Collaborator may customise the second part.

Contact Person and Principal Investigator. The Collaborator will be listed as the project's Principal Investigator, and a representative of the MPI-AB will be listed as the Contact Person.

Study Summary. The study summary will include a statement that the project is part of ICARUS Projects, a link to the official webpage, and additional details determined at the Collaborator's discretion.

Data Managers. The Collaborator and MPI-AB will be listed as the initial Data Managers. Both parties must mutually agree upon any additions to the list of Data Managers or Collaborators.

2.3. MPI-AB will create animals and deployments in the related Movebank project according to the list provided in 2.1.

2.4. Within 20 days of receiving the photographs listed in 2.1, MPI-AB will upload the photographs and other relevant metadata to the Movebank Museum (https://animaltracker.app).

2.5. MPI-AB must have access to any additional information about the tagged animals and metadata collected by the Collaborator.

 

3. Data Use and Authorship

3.1. Starting from the timestamp of each recorded (after deployment) location, the data will be subject to a one-year embargo period. During this period, the data will be accessible exclusively to the Collaborator and MPI-AB. The Study Name will be visible during the embargo period. After the embargo period, the location data will become publicly accessible (with tracks visible) but not downloadable. Third parties must obtain the Collaborator's and MPI-AB's written consent before using the data.

3.2. The Collaborator and MPI-AB shall retain the right to use the data for their respective research purposes, provided such use complies with applicable laws and ethical guidelines.

3.3. The Collaborator and MPI-AB shall acknowledge each other's contributions by including one another as co-authors in resulting publications following ICMJE authorship criteria.

3.4. Animal IDs and associated photographs in the Movebank Museum will be publicly accessible from the moment they are published.

 

4. Financial Arrangements

4.1. MPI-AB will provide the tags (including data transmission) at no cost to the Collaborator.

4.2. MPI-AB will not cover any additional costs associated with tagging the birds.

 

5. Legal Framework

5.1. Amendments and Modifications. This agreement may be amended or modified only with the mutual consent of both parties and must be documented in writing.

5.2. Dispute Resolution. In case of disputes or disagreements between MPI-AB and the Collaborator, both parties agree to make every effort to resolve such issues through open and constructive dialogue. If a resolution cannot be reached, MPI-AB's management will make the final decision, following the institute's eternal procedures and considering the interests of both parties.

5.3. Termination of the Agreement. The agreement cannot be terminated. If either party ceases to fulfil its obligations under the agreement, all data collected up to that point will remain available for mutual use. Furthermore, the data flow from the tags deployed on birds will not be interrupted and will continue as per the original arrangement.5.4. Confidentiality. The Collaborators will be added to the collaborators' list, including their full name, affiliation, contact email, the study species, and the study location (country). This list will be accessible to all Collaborators, but distributing it to third parties is prohibited.

An anonymous list will be published on the project website, including only the study species and study location (country). At the Collaborator's discretion, their full name, affiliation, and contact email may also be available on the website.

5.5. Responsibilities of the Parties. MPI-AB is not responsible for the research conducted by the Collaborator. The Collaborator is solely responsible for obtaining all necessary permits and approvals to conduct the research and ensuring the quality and integrity of the research activities. The Collaborator must resolve any claims or disputes raised by public or governmental organisations regarding the research. Any information or recommendations provided by MPI-AB concerning the necessity or methodology of conducting the research is advisory. It shall not be construed as justification for any aspects of the research conducted by the Collaborator.

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