Breeding habitat, nest-site characteristics and productivity of the little eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides) near Armidale, New South Wales
| Autor: | Stephen J. S. Debus, Ross B. Jenkins, Candice Larkin, Paul G. McDonald |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
geography.geographical_feature_category Ecology biology Aquila audax Woodland Little eagle biology.organism_classification 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences 010601 ecology Geography Habitat Nest Threatened species Hieraaetus Nature and Landscape Conservation Riparian zone |
| Zdroj: | Pacific Conservation Biology. 26:258 |
| ISSN: | 1038-2097 |
| DOI: | 10.1071/pc19033 |
| Popis: | We aimed to elucidate nesting requirements and nest success of the threatened little eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides). Nest sites (n=12 active and 2–5 recent historical nests) near Armidale, New South Wales, were measured in 2017 at three scales: the nest tree, the nest woodland (≤25m from the nest tree), and (using GIS) the landscape scale (within 200-m and 2-km radii of the nest). The eagles typically nested ≥14m above ground in the canopy of emergent (>20m tall) living eucalypts in sheltered positions (midslope, with a north-easterly to southerly aspect), in woodland patches >5ha (mean 76ha), 1km from suburbia, and farther from sealed roads (mean 832m) than gravel roads (mean 490m) than minor tracks (mean 291m). Breeding productivity in 2017–18 (n=15 and 18 territories, respectively) was 0.91 young fledged per attempt (clutch laid) and 0.67 young fledged per occupied territory per year. Nest sites were used annually for at least 3–7 years. Nest abandonments or site shifts were associated with human disturbance (e.g. clearing, earthmoving, subdivision and construction in or beside the nest patch), death of the nest tree or nest stand (‘eucalypt dieback’ or rural tree decline), pindone baiting for rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and displacement by wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) and ravens (Corvus sp.). As most little eagle nests were located on private land, we recommend, inter alia, greater protection of breeding habitat, nest sites and foraging habitat, woodland regeneration (especially riparian), and a buffer around established nests of ≥1km from major developments such as urbanisation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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