Parental care in the Endangered Crowned Solitary Eagle (Buteogallus coronatus) in Central Argentina

MAXIMILIANO ADRIÁN GALMES; SARASOLA, J. H.; GRANDE, J. M.; VARGAS, F. H.

JOURNAL OF RAPTOR RESEARCH

RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC

Lugar: Lawrence, Kansas; Año: 2018

0892-1016

Most bird species and particularly raptors have shared parental care. Among species of this group, different parental care strategies have evolved. Here we analyze parental care behavior of the endangered Crowned Solitary Eagle during 12 breeding attempts in semiarid habitats of central Argentina. From 2004 to 2012 three breeding attempts were video monitored during the incubation period (275 hours) and nine pairs were monitored during the chick rearing period (1319 hours) by mean of video monitoring (1087 hours) and focal observations at nests (232 hours). Crowned Solitary Eagle showed a strong sexual role division in parental care. Females contributed significantly more than males to incubation, shading/brooding and feeding of the nestling. Male provided preys to both the female during incubation and to the nestling during early chick-rearing. This role division would make impossible for a single adult to raise a chick successfully if the other member of the pair dies. The strong attachment of the female to the nest probably reduces the risk of non-natural mortality in this sex in contrast with males that spend more time foraging. In a context of high human induced mortality, this could produce a biased mortality towards males increasing the probability of inexperienced immature males are recruiting as breeders.