Distribution, Breeding and Status of the Striated Caracara Phalcoboenus Australis (Gmelin, 1788) in Southern Chile
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Anales Instituto Patagonia (Chile), 2006. 34: 65-74 65 DISTRIBUTION, BREEDING AND STATUS OF THE STRIATED CARACARA PHALCOBOENUS AUSTRALIS (GMELIN, 1788) IN SOUTHERN CHILE DISTRIBUCIÓN, NIDIFICACIÓN Y ESTATUS DEL CARANCHO NEGRO PHALCOBOENUS AUSTRALIS (GMELIN, 1788) EN EL SUR DE CHILE Manuel Marín1, 3, Alejandro Kusch2,3, David Oehler3 & Scott Drieschman3,4 ANTECEDENTS and Noir Island, between 11-16 November 2003, 14-21 November 2004 and 8-11 November 2005. The genus Phalcoboenus of caracaras is One trip through the exterior islands between Noir, a New World group that is comprised of four me- Recalada and Inman Islands on 12-18 November dium size species, mainly scavenger birds of prey. 2005. Additional observations were made by (MM) The four species are linked mainly to vegetation during cruises on board of M/V Terra Australis and free zone along the Andean-patagonian axis, from Mare Australis, on 13 different passages between the Ecuador south to the southern end of South America strait of Magellan and Beagle Channel, from 2001 (Vuilleumier 1970, 1991). The Striated Caracara through 2003 and dates ranging from December (Phalcoboenus australis) has been considered a to April (2001: 27 January to 3 February; 10-17 rare and near-threatened species, very local or with February; 3-10 March; 10-17 March; 17-24 March; unknown status, inhabiting the southern islands of 14-21 April; 1-8 December; 2002: 19-26 January; extreme southern South America, including the 9-16 February; 9-16 March; 23-30 March; 2003: 25 Falklands Islands (or Islas Malvinas), and as a casual January to 1 February; 22 February to 1 March). We visitor to the southern and southeastern coast of the also include observations by (MM) on 24 different Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (Blake 1977, Collar passages between Puerto Montt and Cape Horn 1986, Jaksic & Jiménez 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1994). on board of the M/S Nordnorge on dates ranging Here we present new information on distribution, from December to February, between 2002-2006. breeding and status of this species in Chile. (2002: 14-19 December; 20-26 December; 2003: We review and summarize published ac- 11-16 January; 17-22 January; 9-13 February; 14- counts, additional information from museum spe- 19 February; 13-18 December; 19-25 December; cimens, and our own personal observations on the 2004: 11-16 January; 17-22 January; 7-12 February; species gathered throughout the southern islands, 13-19 February; 11-16 December; 17-23 December; channels, and fjords of southern Chile. We include 2005: 8-14 January; 15-20 January; 5-10 February; observations from three cruises between Punta Arenas 11-16 February; 10-16 December; 17-22 December; 1 Section of Ornithology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles CA 90007, USA, Current address: Casilla 15 Melipilla, Chile. [email protected] 2 Casilla 19, Punta Arenas, Chile. 3 Feather Link, Inc. 1013 Westchester way, Cincinnati, OH 45244, USA. 4 Wildlife Concepts International, Inc., Grant Pass, OR 97527, USA. Recibido 28/4/2006 Aceptado 5/5/2006 66 M. MARÍN et al. 2006: 6-13 January; 14-19 January; 3-9 February; and 10 to 16 February). Observations made during one cruise by (AK) on board of L. A. M. Austral II from Punta Arenas south to Cape Horn, between 18 - 24 October 2002. Two cruises made by (AK) on board of R/R Pto. Edén, from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt, between 17-20 and 25-27 No- vember 2000. We used a Garmin portable GPS for geographical positions otherwise latitude and longitude localities were taken from Riso Patron (1924), Paynter (1988) or navigational charts. The nomenclature of egg shape follows Preston in Palmer (1962). Egg measurements were taken with a dial caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. Egg masses were taken with an AVINET 100 g Pesola. DISTRIBUTION Historically, the Striated Caracara (Phalco- boenus australis) apparently was first mentioned for Chile (sensu Hellmayr & Conover 1949) by Forster in Darwin, Zoology of the Beagle in 1838. Without much specific localities, they reported the species from small islands near Tierra del Fuego, Diego Fig. 1. Map showing the different localities where the Striated Caracara Ramírez, Ildefonso, etc. Gay (1847) mentioned the have been found in Chile (see also appendix 1 for names and geographical species as occurring in the extreme south of Chile; positions). his account was based mainly on Darwin’s accounts of the Beagle. Hellmayr & Conover (1949) also he only mentioned two nests for Barnevelt Island reported for Chile a specimen collected by Cassin (see below). The species was not mentioned by Reed in 1858, at Orange Harbour (55°S) (Hoste Is.) and & Philippi (1938) and Housse (1945). The next “Tierra del Fuego”. For localities and geographical account for the species was by Orlog (1948) who positions, see figure 1 and appendix 1). Curiously, the mentioned the sighting of isolated birds in February Striated Caracara was not included in the Southern on Yendegaia (54°S) and Puerto Navarino (54°S). Hemisphere species list Cassin (1855). Most of the On 13 visits to Yendegaia and 7 to Puerto Navarino information on the species came from the Falklands between 2001 and 2005, in December, January, Islands (Malvinas) in the 1930’s and thereafter. February, March and April, the Striated Caracara It is worthwhile to mention that Reynolds was never observed there, although subadults and (1932) reported a sight record from the Woodcock adults of the White-throated Caracara (Phalcoboenus Islands (also known as Becasses (55°S)(on Argentinean albogularis) were occasionally present. Later, Orlog territory which is less than 2 km from the Chilean (1950), reported without providing any details the border) on the Beagle Channel. Hellmayr (1932) on Striated Caracara for all the islands of the Cape Horn his publication on Chilean birds did not include the Archipelago, with a specimen from Herschel Island species, because he did not considered birds from (55°S) and breeding on Grevy, Bayly, Freycinet, the far south. Apparently, the next account for the and Herschel Island. Goodall et al. (1951) citing species on Chilean territory was by Reynolds (1935) Reynolds, mentioned that species did occur on the on which breeding was first reported for Chile. He islands south of the Beagle Channel. indicated that a number of birds were breeding on According to Philippi (1964), the species some of the islands of the Wollaston Archipelago was found in Chile only on the islands south of the (55°S), Freycinet, Deceit, and Barnevelt. Nevertheless, Beagle Channel and the Wollaston and Cape Horn DISTRIBUCIÓN DEL CARANCHO NEGRO PHALCOBOENUS AUSTRALIS 67 Archipelagos. Johnson (1965), Meyer De Schauensee mainland Tierra del Fuego. In this area, there are (1970), and Blake (1977) repeated the same infor- about five to six small colonies (ranging from 5 to mation. Humphrey et al. (1970) did not add much 10 pairs) of Rock (Phalacrocorax magellanicus) new information about the species in Isla Grande and Imperial cormorants (Phalacrocorax atriceps) de Tierra del Fuego, in addition to what was already and nearby, within ± 2 km a small colony of South published, except that it was an uncommon species, American Sea Lions (Otaria flavescens) those co- and “possibly is a breeding resident along the southern lonies can serve as food sources. Another potential and northeastern coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del breeding site observed during those cruises was on Fuego”. Barros (1976) observed a pair on Nueva Is. the smallest of the three major and northernmost and local people did inform him that the species islands Tucker (54°S), prov. Tierra del Fuego. On breed on the southeastern end of the island. 16 February 2001, we encountered two adults, on On the next account, Venegas & Jory 15 April 2001 a single adult, on 19 January 2005, (1979) indicated that the Striated Caracara was we encountered two juvenile birds, on 18 January not only restricted to the southernmost islands, as 2006 we encountered a single adult, on 15 Februa- mentioned by previous authors, but was a relatively ry 2006 we encountered two adults, on the same common species along the western outer islands of island. On this island, there is a colony of over 800 the Magellanic region. Venegas & Sielfeld (1979) pairs Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellani- mentioned a series of sightings for this species along cus) about 300 and 50 pairs of Imperial and Rock the coastal islands of the XII Region, and found four cormorants, respectively plus gulls and other birds. birds at Vorposten islands (49°S). These islands seem We must mention that during 24 passages between to be the northernmost sites for the species along December and February between Cape Horn and the Chilean coast (see also Appendix 1). They also Puerto Montt, the Striated Caracara was only obser- reported the observation of 18 birds at Recalada ved in four areas, namely: islands Tucker, Solitario, Island. Venegas (1982) reported but without providing Terhalten, and Hornos. During two cruises between detailed information, dates, etc., the species breeding Puerto Natales and Puerto Montt in November, it at Diego Ramírez Islands, with a sight record in March was not observed. Even though the internal channels 1980, at estancia Consuelo (ca. 50°S), prov. Última offer several potential sites for the species. Esperanza. Schlatter & Riveros (1987) reported the We found very few Chilean specimens species as resident on the Diego Ramírez, islands but in museums, and most of them with little or no did not comment further. Wallace (1991) reported information. The localities and dates of specimens the observation on 23 February 1989, of 15 birds are listed in appendix 1. The dates of observations at Gonzalo Island, one of the islands of the Diego or collections range from October to April.