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Selection of Settlement Areas Byjuvenile J RaptorRes.32(3):208-214 ¸ 1998 The Raptor ResearchFoundation, Inc. SELECTION OF SETTLEMENT AREAS BY JUVENILE BONELLI'S EAGLE IN CATALONIA SANTIMA•OSA, JOAN REA• ANt)JORO•CODINA Departamentde BiologiaAnimal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona,Avinguda Diagonal, 645, 08028 Barcelona,Catalonia, Spain ABSTRACT.--W½observed Bonelli's Eagles (Hieraaetusfasdatus) outside their breeding range in Catalonia (northeasternSpain) to identify the main dispersalareas of juvenile eaglesin the Central CatalanBasin. Autumn counts were conducted to determine the size of the nonbreeding population in the main dispersalarea and to analyze factors leading to the selection of settlement areasby juveniles. The permanenteagle population in the areawas estimated at about 18 >1-yr-oldeagles for an averagedensity of 0.90 eagles/100km s. Number of eaglesin the area <l-yr old fluctuatedseasonally between 17-94 eagleswith the number reachinga maximumin early autumn followedby a rapid declineduring winter. Juvenilesettlement areas appeared to be selectedbased on gamebirdand rabbit abundance,rather than on landscapevariables. As a consequence,game managementmeasures appeared to be key in the conservationof Bonelli's Eagles. KEYWORDS: Bonelli'sEagla, Hieraaetus fasciatus;population density; conservation; habitat selection; juvenile dispersal;Spain. Selecci6nde zonasde asentamientojuvenil por el/tguila perdicera en Catalufia RESUMEN.--Describimosla localizaci0n y caracteristicasambientales de la principal zona de dispersion juvenil de las/tguilasperdiceras Hieraaetusfasdatus en Catalufia (Espafia).Se realizaronconteos otofiales en coche con objeto de evaluarel tamafio de la poblaci6n de/tguilas no reproductorasque utilizan esta zona,y se analizanlos factores que conducena la selecci6nde lasfireas de asentamientodentro de esta regi6n. La poblaci6n de /tguilasdispersantes est/t formada por una poblaci6n permanentede unos 18 ejemplaresde m/rsde 1 afio de edad,a una densidadde 0.90 aves/100km • , y una poblaci6nestacion- almente fluctuante de 17-94 avesde menosde un afio de edad, mS_ximaa principiosde otofio y que disminuyer/tpidamente a 1o largo del invierno. Las /tguilasseleccionan sus fireas de asentamientoen funci6n de la abundanciade perdiz y conejo, mientrasque las caracteristicasdel paisajeaparecen como un factor mucho menos importante. La gesti6n correcta de la caza menor constituyeuna pieza clave para la supervivenciade las/tguilasperdiceras j6venes en susfireas de asentamientotemporal. [Traducci6n Autores] In long-livedbirds of prey, the acquisitionof sex- ous effectson population stability.Full understand- ual maturity is delayed for several years which ing of the habitat requirementsof long-livedrap- meansthat nonbreedingindividuals, whose behav- tors during the nonadult stagesof their lives is, ior and ecologymay differ from that of breeding therefore, necessaryto design appropiate conser- birds, form an important fraction of the total pop- vation measuresfor threatened or declining pop- ulation (Newton 1979, Ferrer 1993a, Omland and ulations. Hoffman 1996, Bustamante et al. 1997). In some The Bonelli's Eagle (Hieraaetusfasciatus)is such species, nonadult birds (those not in definitive a long-livedraptor. It doesnot mature sexuallyun- plumage) tend to settle in areasoutside the breed- til 2-4 yr of age (Newton 1979, del Hoyo et al. ing range in juvenile dispersalor temporary settle- 1994, Real and Mafiosa 1997) and it is an Endan- ment areaswhere they stayfor variable periodsbe- gered Species whose populations have declined fore moving to another settlementarea or joining acrossEurope (Rocamora 1994, Real and Mafiosa breeding populations(Gonzfilez et al. 1989, Ferrer 1997). The current Spanishbreeding population 1993b, 1993c). Lack of appropriate settlementar- of 675-751 pairsrepresents about 80% of the Eu- eas or reduction in their habitat qualitymay result ropean population (Arroyo 1991, Real et al. 1994, in a reduction in nonadult survival and have seri- Real et al. 1996). The nonbreeding population is 208 SEVT1998 JUWr•,•E BONELLI'SEAGLE SETFLEMENT AREAS 209 [--] Agramunt 1907 km Montclar429kml 37.3 I•_.•32.0• Atmenaras4.1•-• 2•-.-.-•aris de SantGuim 769km Si6197 km•-•185 km Granyena 1001 km Io I Prelxana 31•-.•I-•1 •---J '• Masde :3,2km 2• -L• •J sur6 I_LI Melons 1324 km • 304 km _[•__• I ""', IArbeca629 km • •-•Castelldans ' I/I I I I I I I I I 1 L•431 km 10km l/I I I I i•! I I I I / I,- .... .• •/ I• I / I • I I I I I I•'"• •'"• • •q I • • I I I I I I I I I I I I • Figure 2. Areas surveyed during autumn eagle counts. J• ee• ' •'• The number of km driven and the linear index of abun- •1 I lelele'•l ' I I I I '•1 I I I I I•1 dance of eagles/1000 km are given for each sector. I{1111 e•.e IIl• I1•1 I •11 I lelelel•,eel I,I ,J I I , I/I I VI lelel I•1 t V.:.I 11 I •1 I• • I I I I l 1• :1 I 'e/I •_.•. many ornithologists as possibleon Bonelli's Eagles out- .•.I• ..'•" ';1. , ,-" •'• Mobregal side their breeding range. Resultswere plotted on 10 X • t It' 111' ,,h ,• 10 km Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) squares •t'• •1':•,t,•;t, •I' • showing the presence or absenceof nonbreeding eagles in each square of the grid (Fig. 1). We also conducted counts of Bonelli's Eagles in the autumn and winter in central Catalonia in the main non- breeding area where eagleswere more seen. Counts were conducted for 3 yr from August-March 1991-94. They Figure 1. Breeding range (shaded area) and dispersal were made to identify the areas used by eagles and to areas (dotted squares) of Bonelli's Eagles in Catalonia estimate the number of eaglesin the region. We selected (northeastern Spain). The area depicted in Fig. 2 is out- 11 sectors (Fig. 2), each one exhibiting uniform land- lined. scape in terms of topography, land use, and vegetation cover and patterns. Sectorswere selectedin order to relY resent all typesof landscapepatterns available to eagles. estimatedat approximately700 eagles (Real and Each sectorwas driven by car once a week at a speed not Mafiosa 1997). These nonbreedersare commonly exceeding 40 km/hr. Becauseof the large area to be cov- ered on each sampling day, counts were conducted con- seen in areas unsuitable for nesting (Cramp and tinuously from sunrise to sunset. In order to obtain an Simmons 1980, Cugnasseand Cramm 1990, Real equal sample for each sectorat all times of the day, the et al. 1990, Cheylan et al. 1996), but little is known sampling sequencefor sectorswas changed each day,but concerning the exact locationsand physicalchar- travel constraints prevented perfect randomization. To analyzepotential biasesintroduced by different sampling acteristics of these settlement areas (Gonzfilez et al. schedules between sectors, counts were grouped into 1989, Ferrer 1990, Cugnasseand Cramm 1990, four time intervals: early morning (before 0700 H), Real and Mafiosa 1992, Real et al. 1994). The aims morning (0700-1200 H), afternoon (1200-1700 H), and of this study were to describe the locations and evening (after 1700 H). general characteristicsof juvenile dispersalareas of Transectswere driven by teams of two observerswith each team including at least one trained observer and a Bonelli's Eaglesin Catalonia (northeastern Spain), driver. Each team counted eagles in all of the sectorsso to estimate the size, age structure, and temporal bias among observerswas reduced. Each time a sector dynamics of the nonbreeding population in these was sampled, time of day, number of km driven, number areas, and to describefactors leading to the selec- of Bonelli's Eagles, and number of prey species (Red- legged Partridge [Alectorisrufa] and European rabbits tion of thesesettlement areas by nonadult Bonelli's [Oryctolaguscuniculus]) were recorded. When possible, Eagles. eagleswere classifiedas juvenile (•1 yr), immature (1-2 yr), subadult (2-3 yr), or adult (•3 yr) according to STUDY AREA AND METHODS plumage criteria (Parellada 1986). Although some prac- In Catalonia, the Bonelli's Eagle breeds along the tice is needed to sex Bonelli's Eagles in the field, the coastaland pre-pyreneanmountain ranges (Fig. 1). A to- most probable gender of the eagles was determined tal of 70-80 pairs, or about 10% of the Europeanbreed- based on size and color, females being larger and darker ing population, breeds in this area (Real and Mafiosa than males (Parellada 1986). When possible,eagles were 1992). From 1980-94, we compiled observationsfrom as classifiedas having full or empty crops. From these data, 210 MAF4os^ }•T ,'•L. VOL. 32, No. 3 linear indices of abundance for partridges, rabbits, and Table 1. Names, definition, units, and source for habitat each age classof eagleswere computed for each sector. variablesrecorded in juvenile Bonelli's Eagle settlement Distance sampling (Buckland et al. 1993) was used to areas. estimate the abundance and densityof eagleswithin the sectorswhere theywere observed.Each eagleobservation was plotted on a 1:50000 map and th.e perpendicular NAME DESCRIPTION, UNITS AND SOURCE distance to the transect was measured. An overall detec- ROAD tion function was fitted to these data using the DIS- Paved roads (km/9 kmS); CORINE TANCE software (Laake et al. 1993). Because most con- TRAC Unpaved roads and tracks (km/9 kmS); tacts (93%) involvedsingle birds, the model was fit by CORINE consideringeach eagle as a single object. To obtain a URBA Urban, residential,and other developedar- more robust estimate of the detection function, obser- eas (ha/9 kmS); CORINE vations were truncated at 1.0 km after visual inspection CROP Arable land (ha/9
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