Parental Care of the Endangered Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus) in Central Argentina

Abstract

Sexual differences in parental care investment may affect individual survival or performance, and also demography. We investigated parental-care behavior of the endangered Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus) to evaluate implications for population conservation in semiarid habitats of central Argentina. From 2004 to 2012, we monitored three breeding attempts using video recording (275 hr) during the incubation period, and nine pairs during the nestling-rearing period by means of video recording (1087 hr) and focal observations at nests (232 hr). Chaco Eagles showed a strong division of parental care by sex. Females contributed significantly more than males to incubation, shading/brooding, and feeding of the nestling, whereas males provided prey to females during incubation and to nestlings during the early nestling-rearing period. Foraging males, which spend more time away from the nest, may be more exposed to anthropogenic activities and negative interactions with humans. If males are more vulnerable to such effects, this could decrease the survival of breeding males and potentially increase the recruitment of immature males to the breeding population. In this event, the ability of the inexperienced immature males that replace the adult eagles to cope with the food and care demands of the mate and offspring is critical for ensuring Chaco Eagle population maintenance.

Using drones to reduce human disturbance while monitoring breeding status of an endangered raptor

“…seasons 2016–2020) with that of previous seasons in which nests were monitored traditionally (i.e. : climbing) (Galmes et al., 2018b).…”

“…Chaco Eagle nests were located during field surveys by car and on foot, and by means of interviews with local landowners and rural workers, from mid‐September to mid‐February each year. This procedure was conducted both for those previously identified Chaco Eagle breeding territories (Galmes et al., 2018b), which were visited in order to ensure their activity, as well as for new breeding territories and nests located during this study. Once a potential Chaco Eagle active nest was found, it was visited repeatedly until the nestling fledged or, otherwise, until nest failed (Fig.…”

Breeding biology and diet of the Chaco Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus) in southeast Brazil

“…Just as nest 08 was built and used after the abandonment of nest 07, nest 09 was built after the abandonment of nest 08 in the previous season. These three nests belonged to the same couple because the distance between them was much smaller than the distance between nests of different couples mentioned by Galmes et al (2018) and considering the size of the territory occupied by birds of the species as indicated in the literature (Baumgarten 2008).…”

Primera documentación de reproducción exitosa de Águila Coronada o Águila del Chaco (Buteogallus coronatus) en la Provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina

“…En este contexto, desde principios del siglo XXI se está llevando a cabo el monitoreo de las poblaciones de Águila Coronada en Argentina, principalmente, en el límite sur de su área de distribución (provincia de La Pampa y sur de Mendoza; Galmes et al 2018aGalmes et al & 2018b, mientras que en otras áreas apenas se ha constatado la presencia ocasional de individuos adultos y/o juveniles mediante plataformas ciudadanas (eBird 2020). En la provincia de Santa Fe, considerada clave para la conservación de la especie por el elevado número de avistamientos (Bellocq et al 2002;eBird 2020), los registros de nidos son escasos.…”