DOCSLIB.ORG

Africa – Birds & Birding 62 Greater Spotted Eagle

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Africa – Birds & Birding 62 Greater Spotted Eagle 62 GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING Left The juvenile he distribution range of the Greater Spotted Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga, photographed while wintering in India. T from West to east, extends from East Poland across to Ussuriland and Manchuria on the Pacific Ocean, in east- ernmost Russia and China. From north to south it runs from the southern edge of the taiga to the rim of the steppe zone. Once clearly much more common, the species is today very rare throughout its range. As well as being the rarest, the Greater Spotted Eagle is also the least studied of all European eagle species. As part of a long-term programme we are endeavour- ing to raise the level of knowledge and increase the protection of this highly endangered species, by using the most advanced technology, such as satellite tracking, to investigate its migration and overwintering habits. Until now, very little has been known about the geographical location of this species’ wintering grounds in Africa. Ringing provides no clues because of the small number of birds ringed and the Text by minimal recovery rate. According to the relevant field guides, it is a Palearctic Bernd-U. Meyburg, winter migrant to Africa, chiefly north- east Africa, and is unknown south of the Christiane Meyburg, Equator. Formerly recorded as being quite common in Eritrea, its recent status is obscure. Accurate records are scarce Tadeusz Mizera, and many are doubtful, as the species is often mistaken for a Steppe, Tawny or Grzegorz Maciorowski Lesser Spotted Eagle. With the help of satellite telemetry, by and Jan Kowalski means of a small transmitter harnessed to the bird and tracked by way of two Photographs by NASA satellites, we succeeded for the first time in proving that a Greater Bernd-U. Meyburg Spotted Eagle spent more than two months in Zambia, far further south than its previously known or presumed wintering grounds. ୴ 1998 – VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1 GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE 63 On 18 and 20 July 1996 a pair of Greater Above The Greater Spotted Of the many measurements taken, only a Spotted Eagles were successfully trapped in Eagle which was tracked, few are given here: weight 1 550 grams with our study area in the Biebrza National Park in by means of a satellite empty crop; wing length 51.8 centimetres; north-east Poland in order to fit them with transmitter, from Poland wingspan 167.5 centimetres. satellite transmitters. We used the Dho-gaza to Zambia. The irises of both male and female were method, whereby the eagle attacks a live Opposite The eyrie and dark brown in colour. The colour of the iris is eagle owl tethered to a perch in front of a breeding habitat of the most positive indicator when distinguish- mistnet and becornes entangled in the net. lt the Greater Spotted Eagle ing between adult Lesser and Greater Spotted causes no harm to the bird and we have in Poland. Eagles, since the species overlap to some ex- already caught many different species of tent in body size and colour of the plumage. eagles in this way. This distinguishing mark is, however, little To our great surprise, the male bad typical known and scarcely referred to in the litera- juvenile plumage over a large area of its ture. The adult Lesser Spotted Eagle has an rump, showing the whitish to yellow spots amber-coloured iris. From a short distance or which are clearly larger and more numerous with the help of strong binoculars, perched in this species than in the young Lesser adults of both species can be positively iden- Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina. Each spot tified using this field mark. measured approxirnately 30 x 15 millimetres This, however, does not help in the identi- and, apart from other field marks, these iden- fication of young individuals of both species, tified it beyond any doubt as a Greater since the young Lesser Spotted Eagle also has Spotted Eagle. To our knowledge there is no a dark iris. At what age the change in colour record in the literature of a breeding Greater occurs, and how long this takes, remains Spotted Eagle, or any other eagle species, unknown. The young of both species are, showing partial juvenile plumage. Cases have however, generally easy to distinguish by been known in a few other eagle species of their plumage. birds with wholly immature plumage breed- On 20 July the eagles’ nest contained one ing successfully. This has occurred most fre- almost fully fledged young and a dead half- quently among Imperial Eagles of both grown nestling. Both parents, each fitted species (A. heliaca and A. adalberti). The rest of with a satellite transmitter, could now be the plumage was normal and corresponded to tracked to their wintering grounds and back typical adult coloration. to their nesting territory. ୴ 64 GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING 1998 – VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1 GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE 65 A comparison of the adult Greater Spotted Eagle (left) with the adult Lesser Spotted Eagle (right) clearly shows the difference in eye colour. Since the species overlap to some degree in body size and plumage coloration, the difference in eye colour is the most reliable indicator when distinguishing between them. The young bird, also fitted with a trans- Aslin and Mike Bailey, of the Kapani Safari mitter, left the nest territory a few days after Lodge, managed to get within five kilometres the female but several days before the male, of the eagle but were unable to proceed and was tracked as far as Albania. The further. The area was very wet underfoot and female spent the Winter in Chad but the much of their progress was impeded by male once again surprised us. lt flew to flooded dambos (drainage areas) which were Zambia, 13 degrees of latitude farther south difficult to bypass. than a Greater Spotted Eagle had ever been Up to this stage, the eagle had been located recorded before. Previously, the southern- by satellite more than 525 times, with 114 of most observations of Greater Spotted Eagle these during the 1996/97 overwintering sea- were of single birds in Uganda and Kenya. son in Zambia. Although this species is closely There was not a single record from Tanzania. related to the Lesser Spotted Eagle, the over- After crossing Uganda and the Western part wintering behaviour is fundamentally of Tanzania in a southerly direction, the male different. To date, the Lesser Spotted Eagles flew over the Tanzania/Zambia border on which we have fitted with satellite transmitters 17 or 18 December 1996, and spent from cover ever-widening distances of hundreds, 19 to 23 December in the North Luangwa even thousands of kilometres wandering over National Park. lt then flew on to the South their wintering grounds in Africa south of the Luangwa National Park, which it reached 10th latitude. In contrast, the Greater Spotted on 28 December, having thus travelled Eagle in Zambia made use of only a very 9 270 kilometres from its breeding site in small area, which reflects the behaviour of Poland. lt stayed for two months in the other members of the species which have north-east part of the park, about 14 kilome- been similarly studied. tres West of Mukasanga and 28 kilometres On 9 March the eagle was located for the north of Kakumbi. The most exact location last time on its wintering grounds. On that was received on 9 January 1997, 12.52.0° S / day it left the South Luangwa National Park 31.51.21° E. The area is mixed woodland, pre- and by midday on 10 March it had already dominantly Mopane and Terminalia. flown nearly 300 kilometres northwards. lt We were in permanent e-mail contact with spent the night of 10 March only three kilo- observers in the South Luangwa National Park metres south of the border with Tanzania, and transmitted to them the co-ordinates that is, 414 kilometres distant from its winter received by the Argos satellite system. Nick quarters. The homeward journey proceeded ୴ 66 GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE AFRICA – BIRDS & BIRDING quickly, with the bird covering up to 350 grounds. On 3 December there followed a kilometres each day, and reaching Suez after location of top quality from the old wintering dose on three weeks. After arriving at its site in South Luangwa National Park – breeding site the eagle with its transmitter less than 500 metres from the most precise was sighted several times by observers. location of the previous season, on 9 January lt appeared to have retained the juvenile 1997. The bird had thus returned exactly to plumage in the area over the rump. In the its former winter quarters. previous year during the fitting of the trans- The question naturally arose as to whether mitter, the feathers in this region had not this was the only eagle to migrate so far south appeared worn. This was thus clearly not a or whether the species had in the past simply question of the juvenile plumage not having been overlooked. The fact that in the field moulted out, but of an area in which, due to even leading specialists often fail to distin- some genetic defect, the juvenile feathering guish the Greater Spotted Eagle from the renewed itself after the moult. An interesting Lesser Spotted Eagle, for which Zambia is a and surely most unusual anomaly. major wintering area, suggests that hitherto We were naturally eager to know whether the species has been overlooked. In addition, the eagle would again overwinter in Zambia. it was living in highly inaccessible terrain and We had so far not succeeded in tracking a its chosen quarters, despite full knowledge of Greater Spotted Eagle over such a long the coordinates, proved impossible to reach.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Multi-Gene Phylogeny of Aquiline Eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) Reveals Extensive Paraphyly at the Genus Level
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com MOLECULAR SCIENCE•NCE /W\/Q^DIRI DIRECT® PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION ELSEVIER Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35 (2005) 147-164 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev A multi-gene phylogeny of aquiline eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) reveals extensive paraphyly at the genus level Andreas J. Helbig'^*, Annett Kocum'^, Ingrid Seibold^, Michael J. Braun^ '^ Institute of Zoology, University of Greifswald, Vogelwarte Hiddensee, D-18565 Kloster, Germany Department of Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Rd., Suitland, MD 20746, USA Received 19 March 2004; revised 21 September 2004 Available online 24 December 2004 Abstract The phylogeny of the tribe Aquilini (eagles with fully feathered tarsi) was investigated using 4.2 kb of DNA sequence of one mito- chondrial (cyt b) and three nuclear loci (RAG-1 coding region, LDH intron 3, and adenylate-kinase intron 5). Phylogenetic signal was highly congruent and complementary between mtDNA and nuclear genes. In addition to single-nucleotide variation, shared deletions in nuclear introns supported one basal and two peripheral clades within the Aquilini. Monophyly of the Aquilini relative to other birds of prey was confirmed. However, all polytypic genera within the tribe, Spizaetus, Aquila, Hieraaetus, turned out to be non-monophyletic. Old World Spizaetus and Stephanoaetus together appear to be the sister group of the rest of the Aquilini. Spiza- stur melanoleucus and Oroaetus isidori axe nested among the New World Spizaetus species and should be merged with that genus. The Old World 'Spizaetus' species should be assigned to the genus Nisaetus (Hodgson, 1836). The sister species of the two spotted eagles (Aquila clanga and Aquila pomarina) is the African Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis).
    [Show full text]
  • Lesser Spotted Eagle
    Accipitridae: vultures, kites, hawks, eagles, buzzards and harriers 181 Lesser Spotted Eagle 14˚ Gevlekte Arend LESSER SPOTTED EAGLE Aquila pomarina 1 5 This Palearctic migrant from eastern Europe and 18˚ Russia occurs in southern Africa from late Octo- ber (mostly late November) to March. When perched it is essentially a bulky version of Wahl- berg’s Eagle A. wahlbergi in appearance, with a 22˚ pale eye and, in juveniles, white in the tail and 6 wings. The thin leggings and the downward-bent 2 primaries in flight distinguish this from other Aquila species (Brooke et al. 1972), but from a 26˚ distance its silhouette in soaring flight can be con- fused with that of the Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus. It is perhaps most frequently recorded in the Kruger National Park and the Moremi Game 7 3 30˚ Reserve and Chobe National Park of northern Botswana, where it consorts with migrant Steppe Eagles A. nipalensis. It is usually recorded in woodland regions 4 8 where rainfall exceeds 600 mm. It occurs in lower 34˚ numbers than the Steppe Eagle, in the ratio of 1:5 18˚ 22˚ 26˚ in the Transvaal (Tarboton & Allan 1984). It is 10˚ 14˚ 30˚ 34˚ often seen singly or in small flocks (Steyn 1982b); a flock of at least 250 birds was reported from along the Khwai River (1923B) (Van den Brink et al. 1994). In January 1993, average linear densities from road counts in the Moremi Recorded in 250 grid cells, 5.5% region reached 1 bird/950 m (M. Herremans unpubl. data). Total number of records: 522 Like the Steppe Eagle, it is attracted to the emergence of Mean reporting rate for range: 3.4% termite alates following good rains, and also to Redbilled Quelea Quelea quelea breeding colonies.
    [Show full text]
  • Meyburg Paper.Indd
    Raptor Journal 2020, 14: 73 – 76. DOI: 10.2478/srj-2020-0006 © Raptor Protection of Slovakia (RPS) Age of maturity and exceptionally distant natal dispersal of over 500 km by a male lesser spotted eagle Clanga pomarina Vek dospelosti samca orla krikľavého Clanga pomarina a jeho mimoriadne veľký, viac ako 500 km, hniezdny rozptyl Bernd-Ulrich MEYBURG, Hinrich MATTHES & Grzegorz Maciorowski Abstract: According to previous studies using colour rings, lesser spotted eagles Clanga pomarina have established breeding ter- ritories up to 249 km from their natal site. A colour-ringed lesser spotted eagle nestling from NE Poland settled 540 km further west in NE Germany. This male was discovered at the age of six and nested there for several years. This fi nding is all the more remark- able because the bird was a male, which in large eagles typically settle nearer to their natal sites than females. They apparently reproduce successfully for the fi rst time later than females, normally at the age of fi ve. Abstrakt: Na základe predchádzajúcich štúdií využívajúcich značenie farebnými krúžkami je známe, že orly krikľavé Clanga pomarina obsadzujú hniezdne teritóriá do vzdialenosti 249 km od hniezda, kde sa vyliahli. Farebne označený orol krikľavý vyli- ahnutý v SV Poľsku obsadil teritórium 540 km na západe v SV Nemecku. Tento samec bol objavený vo veku šiestich rokov a na tom mieste hniezdil už viacero rokov. Toto zistenie je o to zaujímavejšie, že sa jedná o samca, pretože samce veľkých orlov sa obyčajne usadzujú bližšie k miestu ich vyliahnutia, než samice. Okrem toho sa samce zjavne prvýkrát rozmnožujú neskôr než samice, obyčajne vo veku piatich rokov.
    [Show full text]
  • Studies of Less Familiar Birds Ij2 Lesser Spotted Eagle B.-U
    Studies of less familiar birds ij2 Lesser Spotted Eagle B.-U. Meyburg Plates 61-64. Of all European eagles, the Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina has the smallest world breeding range, the nominate race being confined to eastern parts of Germany, Poland, eastern Czechoslovakia, Hun­ gary, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, north-east Greece, western Turkey (Thrace), and the Soviet Union north to Leningrad and east to about 35°E. There are no published records of proved breeding in eastern Austria this century, though pairs from Hungary hunt over the land around Lake Neusiedl. There is no clear information on the current position in the Caucasus and the south Caspian lowlands. In Germany the breeding area stretches only to the north of Berlin, westwards beyond the rivers Oder and Neisse but stopping short of the Elbe. In 1969 there were 53 known broods in this area, and possibly a further nine (H. Weber in Glutz von Blotzheim et al. 1971). Even at the beginning of this century, the breeding range extended much further westwards, at least as far as the River Weser in Niedersachsen. A second subspecies, A. p. hastata, breeds in parts of India, in particular the Ganges Valley and West Bengal, and also in Bangla Desh. Hardly anything is known about this form, which appears to be rare. The first autumn plumage is said to be quite different from that of the nominate race, which has led some authors to treat it as a separate species. The Lesser Spotted Eagle presents a very difficult problem to field and museum ornithologists alike—the clear differentiation between it and the very closely related Spotted Eagle A.
    [Show full text]
  • Effect of Environmental Elements on Migration Pattern of Eagles at Jorbeer Conservation Reserve, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India
    Kataria et al RJLBPCS 2016 www.rjlbpcs.com Life Science Informatics Publications Original Research Article DOI - 10.26479/2016.0203.08 EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS ON MIGRATION PATTERN OF EAGLES AT JORBEER CONSERVATION RESERVE, BIKANER, RAJASTHAN, INDIA A.K. Kataria1*, N.Kataria2 and R.N.Kumawat3 1.Principal Investigator, Centre for excellence for use of space based technology in animal science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India. 2.Professor & Head, Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner-334001, Rajasthan, India. 3. Deputy Forest Officer (Wildlife), Bikaner, Rajasthan ABSTRACT: The present endeavor was carried out to find out the effect of environmental elements on migration pattern of eagles at Jorbeer Conservation Reserve, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India (JCRBRI) during period from April 2015 to July 2016. The eagles studied were steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) and greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga). The greater spotted eagle was seen only from November to February reiterating their winter migration to this reserve. Steppe eagle stayed at reserve during various months of the study year 2015 and 2016 when the THI values varied as 56.64-79.5. Recording of count of steppe eagle and greater spotted eagle besides real-time observation of environmental temperature and humidity signified in monitoring of eagle residence in the region. Result of the endeavor assisted in comprehending the absence of eagles in summer months during study periods. Residential period of steppe eagle was from November to April and of greater spotted eagle was from November to February only.
    [Show full text]
  • Status of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila Heliaca) in the European Part of Turkey
    ACTA ZOOLOGICA BULGARICA Acta zool. bulg., Suppl. 3, 2011: 87-93 Status of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in the European part of Turkey Dimitar A. Demerdzhiev1, Stoycho A. Stoychev2, Nikolay G. Terziev2, and Ivaylo D. Angelov2 1 31 Bulgaria Blv�., 4230 Asenovgra�, Bulgaria; E�mails: �emer�jiev@yahoo.�om; �_�emer�[email protected]; w��.bspb.org 2 Haskovo 6300, P.O.Box 130, Bulgaria; E�mails: stoy�hev.s@gmail.�om; w��.bspb.org; [email protected]; ivailoange� [email protected]; w��.bspb.org Abstract: This arti�le presents the results of the �rst more �etaile� stu�ying on the �istribution an� numbers of the Eastern Imperial Eagle (Аquila heliaca SA V I G NY 1809) population in the European part of Turkey. T�enty territories o��upie� by Imperial Eagle pairs, �istribute� in three �ifferent regions �ere �is�overe� �uring the perio� 2008�2009. The bree�ing population was estimate� at 30�50 pairs. The stu�y i�enti�e� t�o main habitat types typi�al of the Imperial Eagles in European Turkey – open hilly areas an� lo� mountain areas (up to 450 m a.s.l.) an� lo� relief plain areas (50�150 m a.s.l.). Poplar trees (Populus sp. L) were i�enti�e� as the most preferre� nesting substratum (44%), follo�e� by Oaks (Quercus sp. L) (40%). Bree�ing �ensity �as 1 pair/100 km2 in both habitat types. The shortest �istan�e bet�een t�o bree�ing pairs �as 5.8 km re�or�e� in plain areas in the Thra�e region.
    [Show full text]
  • Family Break Up, Departure, and Autumn Migration in Europe of A
    462 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS VOL. 39, NO. 4 j RaptorRes. 39(4):462-466 ¸ 2005 The Raptor ResearchFoundation, Inc. FAMILY BREAKUP, DEPARTURE,AND AUTUMN MIGRATION IN EUROPE OF A FAMILY OF GREATERSPOTTED EAGLES (AQUILA CIANGA) AS REPORTEDBY SATELLITETELEMETRY BERND-U. MEYBURG 1 WorldWorking Group on Birdsof Prey,Wangenheimstr. 32, D-14193 Berlin, Germany CHRISTIANE MEYBURG WorldWorking Group on Birdsof Prey,31 Avenuedu Maine, F-75015 Paris,France TADEUSZ MIZERA AND GRZEGORZ M•CIOROWSKI AgriculturalUniversity, Zoology Department, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625Poznan, Poland JAN KOWALSKI Gugny2, 19-104 Trzcianne,Poland KEYWORDS: GreaterSpotted Eagle; Aquila clanga; depar- Terminals, PTTs) in the Biebrza river valleyof northeast- ture;family breakup; migration;satellite telemetry. ern Poland. The eagle nestwas located in a National Park protecting the largest peatlands in Central Europe, in- cluding 15547 ha of forests,18 182 ha of agricultural The transition of birds of prey to independenceis dif- land, and 25 494 ha of wetlands--the Biebrza marshes. ficult to study (Brown and Amadon 1968), as both old More than 70 natural and semi-naturalplant associations and young birds stray ever further from the nest site to- have been documented in the Biebrza valley.The most ward the end of the post-fledgingperiod. We know of no dominant forest associations include black alder (Alnus studyconcerning a raptor speciesin which the departure glutinosa),swampy birch (Betulapubescens), and peat co- on migration, the break up of the family,and subsequent niferousforests (Salici-Betuletum). Frequent anthropogen- migration have been investigated by satellite tracking. ic ecosystemsfound in the valley are pastures,cultivated Here, we report on a case concerning Greater Spotted groundsand urbanized areas.One of the greatestthreats Eagles (Aquila clanga).Available information on this spe- to the park is human modified drainagepatterns, which cies is limited, but Ivanov et al.
    [Show full text]
  • A Preliminary Overview of Monitoring for Raptors in Latvia
    Acrocephalus 33 (154/155): 301−304, 2012 A preliminary overview of Eagle A. chrysaetos. Regional co-operation includes regular meetings of monitoring for raptors in Latvia diurnal raptor experts from the neighbouring Baltic Predhodni pregled monitoringa populacij States and Belarus. Meetings have been taking place since 2005 and act as basis for discussing the broad ptic roparic v Latviji spectrum of raptor-related topics at the regional scale, such as monitoring and research, conservation, development of common project ideas, etc. These Jānis Reihmanis meetings have resulted in several joint publications Latvian Fund for Nature, Dzirnavu str. 73 – 2, (e.g. Väli et al. 2010). Latvian raptor scientists have LV–1011 Riga, Latvia, e–mail: [email protected] cooperated with colleagues from Germany (Scheller et al. 2001, Helbig et al. 2005, Meyburg et al. 2011). This collaboration concentrated mostly on the Lesser Latvia is situated in Northern Europe and belongs to Spotted Eagle. More diurnal raptor and owl species the Boreal biogeographical region (EC 2005). Most of have been included during the co-operation within the country is composed of fertile lowland plains and MEROS programme (Mammen 2003, Kovács et moderate hills. Forests account for 56% of the total al. 2008). Since 1984, raptor specialists have been land area. Mires occupy 9.9% of Latvia’s territory. Of co-operating with the Swedish Museum of Natural these, 42% are raised bogs. History within colour-ringing scheme of the White- Raptor assemblages (both diurnal and nocturnal) tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla. The Latvian Fund for are comprised of species characteristic of Northern Nature is currently implementing the project “Eagles Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Separation of Tawny Eagle from Steppe Eagle In
    Notes Separation of Tawny Eagle from Steppe Eagle in Israel Tawny Eagle Aquik rapax generally looks smaller and rather puny (and also, when perched, less elongated/horizontal) compared with Steppe Eagle A. nipaknsis. Diagnostically, the North African race A. r. belisarius differs in all plumages from Steppe in being smaller, in having die creamy-white of the uppertail- coverts extending well up onto the upper back (on Steppe, usually restricted to uppertail-coverts, lacking on rump and only indistinct on lower back), in showing a conspicuous sandy wedge on the inner primaries below (generally indistinct or absent on Steppe) and, in juvenile/immature plumages, lacking Steppe's whitish underwing-band; the remiges and rectrices are usually finely barred or almost unbarred compared widi corresponding plumages of Steppe. The general coloration of Tawny's body and underwing-coverts is pale tawny or bufEsh-yellow to pale foxy/rufous (or dark greyish-brown, but this is virtu­ ally confined to more soumerly populations/races), contrasting highly widi the remiges and rectrices: more or less reminiscent of the underpart pattern of juvenile Imperial Eagle A. heliaca, but unstreaked. The mantle, scapulars and upperwing-coverts are also distincdy tawny-sandy, but with the feathers dark- centred (chiefly on greater coverts, tertials and lower scapulars). In good views, mainly when perched, Tawny normally shows a slighdy shorter gape line, ending level widi the centre of die eye (reaches rear edge on Steppe); die adult's iris is yellowish-brown (dark brown on Steppe). In flight, compared wim Steppe, Tawny has broad and short wings with ample 'hand', and shows a well-protruding head and a relatively short and more square-ended tail; in active flight, it is rather stiff-winged with more rapid wingbeats.
    [Show full text]
  • Nesting Pair Density and Abundance of Ferruginous Hawks (Buteo Regalis) and Golden Eagles (Aquila Chrysaetos) from Aerial Surveys in Wyoming
    J. Raptor Res. 49(4):400–412 E 2015 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc. NESTING PAIR DENSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF FERRUGINOUS HAWKS (BUTEO REGALIS) AND GOLDEN EAGLES (AQUILA CHRYSAETOS) FROM AERIAL SURVEYS IN WYOMING LUCRETIA E. OLSON1 U.S.D.A., Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT 59801 U.S.A. ROBERT J. OAKLEAF Wyoming Department of Game and Fish, Lander, WY 82520 U.S.A. JOHN R. SQUIRES U.S.D.A., Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT 59801 U.S.A. ZACHARY P. WALLACE AND PATRICIA L. KENNEDY Eastern Oregon Agriculture and Natural Resource Program and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Union, OR 97331 U.S.A. ABSTRACT.—Raptors that inhabit sagebrush steppe and grassland ecosystems in the western United States may be threatened by continued loss and modification of their habitat due to energy development, con- version to agriculture, and human encroachment. Actions to protect these species are hampered by a lack of reliable data on such basic information as population size and density. We estimated density and abundance of nesting pairs of Ferruginous Hawks (Buteo regalis) and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos)in sagebrush steppe and grassland regions of Wyoming, based on aerial line transect surveys of randomly selected townships. In 2010 and 2011, we surveyed 99 townships and located 62 occupied Ferruginous Hawk nests and 36 occupied Golden Eagle nests. We used distance sampling to estimate a nesting pair density of 94.7 km2 per pair (95% CI: 69.9–139.8 km2) for Ferruginous Hawks, and 165.9 km2 per pair (95% CI: 126.8–230.8 km2) for Golden Eagles.
    [Show full text]
  • Repeated Sequence Homogenization Between the Control and Pseudo
    Repeated Sequence Homogenization Between the Control and Pseudo-Control Regions in the Mitochondrial Genomes of the Subfamily Aquilinae LUIS CADAH´IA1*, WILHELM PINSKER1, JUAN JOSE´ NEGRO2, 3 4 1 MIHAELA PAVLICEV , VICENTE URIOS , AND ELISABETH HARING 1Molecular Systematics, 1st Zoological Department, Museum of Natural History Vienna, Vienna, Austria 2Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estacio´n Biolo´gica de Don˜ana, Sevilla, Spain 3Centre of Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, Faculty for Natural Sciences and Math, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway 4Estacio´n Biolo´gica Terra Natura (Fundacio´n Terra Natura—CIBIO), Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain ABSTRACT In birds, the noncoding control region (CR) and its flanking genes are the only parts of the mitochondrial (mt) genome that have been modified by intragenomic rearrangements. In raptors, two noncoding regions are present: the CR has shifted to a new position with respect to the ‘‘ancestral avian gene order,’’ whereas the pseudo-control region (CCR) is located at the original genomic position of the CR. As possible mechanisms for this rearrangement, duplication and transposition have been considered. During characterization of the mt gene order in Bonelli’s eagle Hieraaetus fasciatus, we detected intragenomic sequence similarity between the two regions supporting the duplication hypothesis. We performed intra- and intergenomic sequence comparisons in H. fasciatus and other falconiform species to trace the evolution of the noncoding mtDNA regions in Falconiformes. We identified sections displaying different levels of similarity between the CR and CCR. On the basis of phylogenetic analyses, we outline an evolutionary scenario of the underlying mutation events involving duplication and homogenization processes followed by sporadic deletions.
    [Show full text]
  • Winter Ranging Behaviour of a Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila
    Slovak Raptor Journal 2014, 8(2): 123–128. DOI: 10.2478/srj-2014-0014. © Raptor Protection ofSlovakia (RPS) Winter ranging behaviour of a greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga) in south- east Spain during four consecutive years Zimné teritoriálne správanie orla hrubozobého (Aquila clanga) v juhovýchodnom Španiel- sku počas štyroch za sebou nasledujúcich rokov Juan M. PÉREZ-GARCÍA, Urmas SELLIS & Ülo VÄLI Abstract: Knowing the winter behaviour is essential for deciding on conservation strategies for threatened migratory species such as the greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga). Fidelity and inter-annual variation in winter home range of an Estonian greater spotted eagle were studied during the first four years of its life by means of GPS satellite telemetry in south-eastern Spain. Results show the eagle exploited a small area (12.7 km2, 95% kernel) with high inter-annual fidelity during all winter stages. The A. clanga preferred marshes and water bodies and avoided irrigated crops and urban areas. Waterfowl hunting did not show any effect on the spatial pattern of the eagle’s behaviour, although water level management in reservoirs could influence their use by the A. clanga. Our study highlights that the wintering home range may be limited to a small suitable habitat patch where human activities, especially water reservoir management, should be regulated. Abstrakt: Nevyhnutným predpokladom efektívnych ochranárskych opatrení je poznanie zimného správania ohrozeného mi- grujúceho druhu, akým je orol hrubozobý (Aquila clanga). Fidelita a medziročná variabilita charakteristík zimného okrsku jedinca orla hrubozobého pochádzajúceho z Estónska sa sledovala počas prvých štyroch rokov jeho života pomocou GPS-satelit- nej telemetrie v juhovýchodnom Španielsku.
    [Show full text]