Fidelidad de nido, éxito reproductivo y dieta en el primer nido de Spizaetus isidori en Argentina

ARÁOZ, R.; GRANDE, J. M.; OROZCO-VALOR, P. M.; LÓPEZ, C.; CEREGHETTI, J.; VARGAS, F. H.

La Fortuna

Conferencia; IV Conferencia de la Red de Rapaces Neotropicales; 2016

Red de Rapaces Neotropicales-Peregrine Fund

The Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori), is one of the least known Neotropical raptors, with scarce information about its basic ecology throughout its entire distribution. Internationally it is categorized as Endangered. On 11 February 2014 we observed a pair of eagles with a fledgling in an area of montane cloud forest in the Yungas of Jujuy, northwestern Argentina. Six days later we found the first nest recorded for the species in the country. We have monitored the nest yearly since then. Besides direct observation, the nest was monitored with a camera trap and prey remains searched and collected on each visit to the nesting area and nest. Since 2014, the species has attempted to breed in three consecutive years using the same nest. It bred successfully in 2014 and apparently in 2013. However, in 2015 they failed in performing a prolonged incubation that suggests some there was some problem during incubation. In 19 June 2016 a new nestling hatched and it?s currently being monitored. Our results suggest that the species breeds yearly in Argentina and tend to re-use nests. In the 2014 breeding season, all identified prey items were birds: Penelope sp. being the most common prey (66,6%), followed by Falconiforms (with at least one Crested Caracara Caracara plancus) (19%), domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) (9,5%), and an unidentified Tinamidae (4,7%). Guans are key seed dispersers in these forests. Through predatory activity, eagles could limit guan numbers or alter their behavior thus affecting seed dispersal and plant recruitment processes at local scale. The consumption of medium-large birds of prey suggests that the species could impact lower trophic levels through mesopredators regulation. The high percentage proportion of domestic fowl in the eagle?s diet, suggest a potential negative impact of p The two primary natural prey items we identified (guans and middle-large size birds of prey), suggest that the BCE could play a relevant ecological role in subtropical environments of the Andes.