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2018 Conference Book.Pdf Raptor Research Foundation 12 - 16 November 2018 Skukuza Camp Kruger National Park South Africa Raptor Research Foundation NATION AL R E P G A U R R K K 2018 S O A U IC TH AFR Conference Co-Hosts RE R SE O A T R P C A H R F O N U I O N D A T SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE Tuesday, November 13, 2018 8:00-9:40 Welcome Announcement and Plenary Ndlopfu 9:40-17:00 Old World Vultures Symposium Ndlopfu 10:00-12:00 Movement Ndau & Nari 10:00-17:00 Raptors and Overhead Electrical Systems Ingwe & Mhelembe 13:20-15:00 Habitat Ndau & Nari 15:20-17:00 Foraging and Diet Ndau & Nari 17:00-18:00 Group Discussion on Global Vulture Conservation Ndlopfu and Research 18:00-20:00 Poster Session I Ndlopfu Wednesday, November 14, 2018 8:00-9:40 Announcements and Plenary Ndlopfu 10:00-15:00 Social Sciences and Vultures Symposium Ndlopfu 10:00-12:00 Speed Talks Ndau & Nari 10:00-15:00 Falconry and Raptor Research Symposium Ingwe & Mhelembe 13:20-15:00 Breeding Ndau & Nari 15:20-17:00 Plumage and Genetics Ndlopfu 15:20-17:00 Behavior Ndau & Nari 15:20-17:00 Migration and Wintering Ingwe & Mhelembe 17:00-18:00 Group Discussion on Connecting Methods and Ndau & Nari Innovations Across Old and New World Vulture Conservation 17:00-18:00 ECRR Social Ndlopfu 18:00-20:00 Poster Session II Ndlopfu Thursday, November 15, 2018 8:00-9:40 Announcements and Plenary Ndlopfu 10:00-12:00 Urban Raptors Symposium Ndlopfu 10:00-12:00 Andersen Award Student Presentations Ndau & Nari 10:00-15:00 Raptor Health Symposium Ingwe & Mhelembe 13:20-16:00 Anthropological Impacts Ndlopfu 13:20-16:00 Conservation Ndau & Nari 15:20-16:00 Raptor Surveys and Methods Ingwe & Mhelembe 16:00-16:40 RRF Members Business Meeting Ndlopfu 19:00-21:00 Banquet Ndlopfu RRF -2- 2018 RRF -1- 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Sponsors 2 General Information 4 Conference Tours 5 Acknolwedgments 6 Vendors 7 Skukuza Rest Camp 8 SANparks Regulations 10 Welcome Letters 12 Workshops 16 Plenary Speakers 18 Conference Schedule 20 Symposium Abstracts 26 General Session Abstracts 66 Speed Talks Abstracts 91 Poster Sessions Abstracts 97 Code of Conduct 123 Speakers Index 125 CONFERENCE CO-HOSTS Raptor Research Foundation RE R SE O A T R www.raptorresearchfoundation.org P C A H R Founded in 1996, Raptor Research Foundation (RRF) is a non-profit scientific society formed to accumulate F and disseminate scientific information about raptors in order to inform the scientific and lay public about the O N U I O role of raptors in nature and to promote their conservation. N D A T Endangered Wildlife Trust www.ewt.org.za The EWT is a leading, high-profile player in the arena of conservation. We identify the key factors threatening biodiversity and develop innovative methodologies and best practice guidelines to reduce these and promote harmonious co-existence and sustainable living for both people and wildlife. We achieve our goals through specialist programmes, and our skilled field staff are deployed regionally and throughout southern Africa. BirdLife South Africa www.birdlife.org.za BirdLife South Africa is a registered non-profit, public benefit environmental organization and the only dedicated bird-conservation organisation in South Africa. The mission is to to conserve birds, their habitats and biodiversity through scientifically-based programmes, through supporting the sustainable and equitable use of natural resources and through encouraging people to enjoy and value nature. RRF -2- 2018 RRF -1- 2018 SPONSORS Special thanks to all of our event sponsors for helping make this conference possible. Griffon Level Photo by André Botha Condor Level Photo by Chris Parish Eagle Level Photo by André Botha Hawk Level Kestrel Level l R ta apt as o o r s C R e s n e o a W i r 180 Z t c a h v er ~ s Ed on ucation ~ C Photo by André Botha RRF -2- 2018 RRF -3- 2018 GSM + Argos Satellite Hybrid GSM + Argos Satellite Hybrid with ACC combines the global coverage of the Argos satellite network with high speed GSM networks. Now, you don’t have to choose between high resolution data collection or infrequent positions globally. Our CTT® devices have demonstrated collecting up to 1.5 million data points a day. LifeTag™ Our line of telemetry devices have quadrupled: GSM Argos Hybrid • GPS+Argos • UHF ULR • Argos PTT — and more! Our lightest: the 0.35g LifeTag, capable transmitting for many kilometers, with no battery required. With one global frequency and over 4 billion unique IDs, LifeTags can be tracked around the world. Internet of Wildlife™ The future is here! All of our wildlife transmitters are capable of communicating with each other, creating a global wildlife telemetry network like no other. Yes, a sparrow can talk to your Golden Eagle! 1021 Route 47 South, Rio Grande, NJ 08242 USA Copyright © 2018 Cellular Tracking Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. www.CellTrackTech.com © 2013 to 2017 by Cornell University. All Rights Reserved. CTT® is a registered trademark of Cellular Tracking Technologies LLC. Email: [email protected] This equipment is covered by one or more U.S. Patents, Patent No. 8,258,942. +1-866-582-8707 RRF -2- 2018 RRF -3- 2018 RRF -4- 2018 GENERAL INFORMATION Please wear your name tag at all times, as it serves as your admission ticket to all events covered by Raptor your registration fee. Wi-Fi is available in the conference centre. However, there is no Wi-Fi in the sleep- Research ing rooms and chalets. Foundation IO NAT NA Registration L R E P G A Registration for the 2018 Raptor Research Foundation Conference includes your welcome packet, the U R R K K Conference Program Book and admission to all Symposia, Plenaries and General Sessions. It also covers 2018 the following: S O A U IC • Monday evening Welcome Function TH AFR • Tea/Coffee breaks twice each Conference Rooms day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday • Poster Sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings • Conference-related charges by the Skukuza Rest Camp (daily park fees; meeting rooms, breakout rooms, audio-visual equipment, sound, etc.) The registration and information desk will be situated in the foyer of the Nombolo Mdluli Conference Centre for the duration of the con- ference. The desk will be open on: • Sunday, 13:00-19:00 • Monday-Thursday, 08:00-18:00 • Friday, 08:00-13:00 Thursday Night Banquet Schedule I) Welcome at 19:00 – André Botha II) Award Presentations – Gary Santolo Tom Cade Award; Fran and Frederick Hamerstrom Award; William C. Andersen Award; Stephen R. Tully Memorial Grant; James R. Koplin Travel Award; Leslie Brown Memorial Grant; and Dean Amadon Grant III) President’s Award - Presented by Libby Mojica IV) Conference Host Recognition – Presented by Libby Mojica and Dan Varland V) 2019 RRF Conference – Rick Harness VI) African Marimba Band with Traditional Dancers Code of Conduct Please read the RRF Code of Conduct in the Conference Program Book (pages 123-124). Our goal is to make everyone feel comfort- able during the conference and provide a friendly environment for exchanging conversation and ideas. Refer to the Code of Conduct for information on reporting incidents. RRF -3- 2018 RRF -4- 2018 RRF -5- 2018 CONFERENCE TOURS Raptor Research Foundation NATION AL Birding Tours R E P G A U R R K K 2018 S O A U IC TH AFR Bustards Birding Tours www.bustardsbirding.co.za Pre- and post-conference Northern Cape Kasane - Caprivi - Okavango Panhandle Birding & Wildlife Safaris Lawsons www.lawsons-africa.co.za Pre-conference Escarpment and Kruger National Park Western Cape KZN, Swaziland & Kruger National Park Raptor Safari Raptours www.raptoursllc.com Kruger National Park RRF -4- 2018 RRF -5- 2018 RRF -6- 2018 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people came together to create the 2018 Raptor Research Foundation (RRF) Conference in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The first conversation in planning this conference, a Skype call in March 2016, included André Botha and RRF Conference Committee members Dan Varland and Gerald Niemi. Needless to say, there have been many conversations and many, many people involved since that auspicious beginning. Many thanks to all who contributed their time and talents, including the session moderators Birding Tours and committee members identified below. Using a Lappet-faced Vulture photo by André Botha, Jack DeLap designed the iconic conference logo. Your Conference Program Book was designed by Joseph Dane, in collaboration with Dan Varland and Samantha Page-Nicholson. With more than 275 delegates attending from 36 countries, the 2018 conference would not be possible without the services of africaMASSIVE, a for-profit, South Africa-based conference planning service. In consultation with RRF and the Endangered Wildlife Trust, africaMASSIVE created and managed the conference website, handled online registration, communication with conference delegates, and arranged for the printing of the program book. We are very grateful to have had the professional help of africaMASSIVE’s Angus Morton, Magda Baillie, and Tersia Tengmann. Bustards Birding Tours www.bustardsbirding.co.za Pre- and post-conference Northern Cape Kasane - Caprivi - Okavango Panhandle Birding & Wildlife Safaris Special thanks to... Local Committee Early Career Raptor Research Moderators André Botha, Chair Committee Arjun Amar Samantha Page-Nicholson Joe Eisaguirre, Chair Rob Bierregaard Constant Hoogstad Chris Vennum Keith Bildstein Gareth Tate Travis Boom Lawsons Hanneline Smit-Robinson Andre Botha Linda van den Heever Awards Committee William Bowerman www.lawsons-africa.co.za Melissa Whitecross Sofi Hindmarch, Chair James Dwyer Pre-conference Clint Boal, Andersen Award Chair John Elliott Escarpment and Kruger National Park James Harper, Koplin Travel Award Matthew Gage Western Cape RRF Conference Committee Chair Constant Hoogstad KZN, Swaziland & Kruger National Park Dan Varland, Chair Gary Santolo Márton Horváth Gerald Niemi Tom Katzner Miguel D.
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