First results on parental care of the black-and-chestnut eagle in the Yungas area of Jujuy

GALLEGO, DIEGO; LARREA, MIKEL; GRANDE, JUAN MANUEL; ARÁOZ, RODRIGO

Puerto Iguazú

Congreso; Ornithological Congress of the Americas (OCA); 2017

Aves Argentinas

Raptors play a key role as apex predators in the regulation of ecosystems. However, little is known about the reproductive biology of some of them, as it is the case of the black-and-chestnut eagle (Spizaetus isidori). We used a camera trap to perform a study on parental care of a pair that nests in the Yungas area of mountain forest (Jujuy). During pre-incubation period, the female spent more time preparing the nest than the male. Incubation was mainly performed by the female, whereas male was only responsible for hunting and covering the egg when the female was out of the nest. The female performed incubations every night. After hatching, the male kept bringing prey items to the nest, whereas the female mainly focused on two tasks: covering and feeding. The female decreased the time spent covering the chick as it grew, possibly suggesting that the female adjusts her covering behavior according to the ability of chicks to thermoregulate; in fact, the female covered the chick less time when the temperature was higher. On the other hand, the female spent more time feeding the chick as it grew up, possibly in order to meet higher energetic requirements. Further, we observed numerous contributions of green branches in the nest, as well as defense postures and vocalizations by the female. A more complete knowledge of umbrella species such as the black-and-chestnut eagle could help in the conservation of its ecosystem, due to the interest in it by laypeople.