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Edited by Magaly Linares June 200
Translations by Magaly Linares unless otherwise noted
Newsletter #5
CANOPY SURVEY OF ENDANGERED FALCONIFORMES AT
DOCE STATE PARK, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL
RIO
By Marcus Canuto1 2,3 mcanuto@qmail.com 5S.O.S Falconiformes, 2Universidade Federal de
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 3The Peregrine Fund
Inside this issue:
Canopy survey of endan-
gered Falconiformes in 1
Brazil.
Students conserving the
1
Harpy Eagle in Panama.
First Orange-breasted
Falcon record in Quito.
TPF/FPP continues study-
ing Orange-breasted Fal- 2
con in Central America.
Raptor Community at Mag-
dalena Valley, Colombia. 3
Orange-breasted Falcon.
North Star Award 3
Diurnal raptors in Colom-
bia. Orange-breasted 4
Falcon .
First record of the Or-
ange-breasted Falcon in 5
Chile.
Black-collared Hawk in
Panama. 6
Arsonous fire ... Brazil. 7
Raptor literature. 11
Contributions to raptor
research, Argentina. 12
Medicine. Crowned-
solitary Eagle, Argentina. 12
White-collared Kite in
northeastern Brazil. 13
Upcoming Conferences
and Meetings, Books. 14
In 2004, a project to moni-
tor the raptor community
in the Rio Doce State Park
(Parque Stadual do Rio
Doce), Minas Gerais, Bra-
zil, was initiated. This pio-
neer research in the coun-
try was carried out by the
S.O.S Falconiformes team
of researchers. Through
secure climbing techniques
(Fig. 1), the members of the
organization could directly
access points high up in the
canopy from which to di-
rectly observe soaring rap-
tor species at this 360 km2
Atlantic Forest reserve
(seasonal semi deciduous
type of forest). To comple-
ment this pilot project, sev-
eral other methods based
on The Peregrine Fund's
Maya Project were used to
carry out a complete survey
of the raptor community.
After obtaining preliminary
results, sub-programs were
designed for the monitoring
of endangered species in
the reserve.
One of these subprograms
involved the study of the
White-necked Hawk
(Leucopternis lacernulatus)
and the Mantled Hawk
(Leucopternis polionotus)
with support from The
Peregrine Fund. The study
included population cen-
suses, recording courtship
behavior and monitoring
movements of breeding
pairs (breeding pair is de-
(Continued on page 7)
STUDENTS CONSERVING A MAGNIFICENT RAPTOR: THE
-HARPY EAGLE By: Ileana Cotes
Email: icotes@colegiobrader.edu.pa
Children teaching about raptors to other
school children at the National Scientific
Fair. Panoma City, Panama.
I had my first encounter with a live
Harpy Eagle when members of The
Peregrine Fund visited a group of school
teachers in Gamboa, Panama, to talk
about their work in raptor conservation.
Inspired by this majestic bird and the
information provided by The Peregrine
Fund experts, I wondered what else
could be done to help conserve this spe-
cies. How could I get my students in-
(Continued on page 9)
Neo
3
First Record of the Orange-Breasted Falcon (Falco deiroleucus) in Quito
By Juan Manuel Carri6n' y F. Herndn Vargas2 Photos by: Nicolas Svistoonoff
'Reserva Natural Privada Tambo-Quinde, Tandayapa, Ecuador. e-mail: tanqara@interactive.net.ec
2 The Peregrine Fund/Fondo Peregrino Panama. e-mail: hvargas@fondoperegrino.org
The Orange-Breasted Falcon Falco the feet, we think that the observed adult were observed regularly until
deiroleucus is a rare, local species in birds were an adult female (Fig. 2) mid- August. Their favorite perches
the subtropical humid forest along and a juvenile female (Fig. 3). In were a log and the dry branches of
the Andean slopes and lowlands of spite of the fact that the two falcons an Eucalyptus tree Eucaliptus
eastern Ecuador, where it has been were never seen together at the globulus. In July, the adult was
mainly recorded under 1400 masl same time, either the juvenile or the photographed chasing an Eared
(4593.17 ft) (Ridgely & Dove (Fig 2.); probably the
Greenfield, 2001). Here we Fig. 1 Red arrow shows the observation site of Orange-breasted Falcons'
report the first record of the the Orange-Breasted Falcons to the west of main source of food during
species in the Inter-Andean Itchimbia Park (green area underneath the their temporary stay in Quito.
region of Ecuador, and docu- arrow). This park is in the middle of the urban
ment the expansion of its alti- area of Quito. We now have to investigate
the patterns of movements
tudinal range up to 2910 masl and/or altitudinal migrations of
(9547.24 ft.) Orange Breasted Falcons: how
Between July and mid-August frequent are their movements; do
2007, two Orange-breasted Fal- they make prospecting visits, for
cons were regularly observed in how long do they stay in these
Nicolas Svistoonoffs garden (see high regions of Los Andes, and if
red arrow in Fig. 1; 0' adults and juveniles move to-
13'21.27"Sur, 78'30'13.10" West) gether. For example, it would be
in Quito, Ecuador. The presence interesting to find out if these
of the falcons was noticed when a two birds in Quito were mother
colony of Eared Doves Zenaida and daughter.
auriculata began vocalizing Nicolas Svistoonoff, one of the
I- --II -_1-_ _I _-
loudly in the garden. Judging by
plumage variation and the size of
(Continued on page 10)
The Peregrine Fund/Fondo Peregrino continues studying the Orange-breasted
Falcon, Fa/co deiroleucus, in Central America by Angel Muela amuela@fondoperegrino.orQ The
Peregrine Fund/ Fondo Peregrino Panama. Photos and translation by A. Muela
Red dots indicate the only known
populations in Central America.
Since the late 1970's, The Peregrine Fund-
Fondo Peregrino (TPF), a conservation
organization based in Boise, Idaho, has
been studying a little known neotropi-
cal falcon species, the Orange-breasted
Falcon, Falco deiroleucus.
The first studies were conducted by
Peter Jenny in Ecuador, where he
found several Orange-breasted Falcon
nests on epiphyte growths in the tops
of large emergent trees. These studies
were continued by him and other mem-
bers of TPF in several countries in Cen-
tral and South America. Despite hav-
ing looked thoroughly for the species in
Central America, we have only been
able to find small populations in Guate-
mala, Belize and Panama. The Orange
-breasted Falcon population in Panama
is located in the Darien province, rela-
tively close to the Colombian border. It
is possible that these known pairs,
(Continued on page 8)
Adult male Orange-breasted
4IFalcon
Page 2
Issue 5
Influence of natural components and current use of landscape in the raptor
community in Magdalena Valley, Colombia.
By Henry Delgado hendelmal@qmail.com / Cisar Mdrquez cmarquez@humboldt.orq.co Instituto de Investigaciones y Recursos
Biol6gicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH)
Photo 1. Orange-breasted Falcon feeding
while flying. 04/04/08, Alto el
Chapet6n,Municipality of Beltrdn.
Natural landscape components
(altitude, vegetation type, etc.), and
an increase in human activities, es-
pecially agriculture and livestock
management, have influenced the
habitat of resident and migratory
raptors. It is therefore important to
measure abundance and raptor di-
versity in order to evaluate the
population tendencies in the future,
as well as its conservation status
and associated ecosystems.
Alexander von Humboldt Institute
and The Peregrine Fund, through
its Neotropical Science and Student
Education Program, are supporting
this project. Undergraduate student
Henry Delgado, from the INCCA
University of Colombia is carrying
out the project, under the supervi-
sion of researcher C6sar Marquez.
The main objective is to record
abundance and composition of rap-
tors at different places in the Mag-
dalena Valley, and to determine the
human impact on these raptor com-
munities. These results will enrich
North Star to Award
PTT at the III NRC
North Star Science and Technology,
LLC will sponsor the 2009 Third
Neotropical Raptor Conference in Bo-
gota, Colombia. The company will pro-
vide an opportunity for a single research
project on Neotropical raptors to acquire
3 battery powered PTTs for free. For
program details visit
www.neotropicalraptors.org/2009NRC.N
orth Star award..i.htm
the information available in order to
spread information about the spe-
cies and achieve long-term conserva-
tion.
In our methodology we applied the
sample technique known as "Point
Count" and proto-
cols described in This is import
Marquez and the first rec
Quiroga (page 4 of
this newsletter) Falcons in Ma
In the first stage
of the survey, at the end of the sum-
mer and the beginning of the winter
season (between March and April
2008) we recorded 22 species of resi-
dent and migrant raptors: Cathartes
aura,Coragyps atra-
tus,Sarcoramphus papa,Elanoides
forficatu,Elanus leucurus, Ictinia
mississipiensis, Chondrohierax unci-
natus,Buteo nitidus,Buteo magni-
rostris,Buteo platypterus, Buteo
brachyurus,Buteo swain-
soni,Spizaetus tyrannus,Polyborus
plancus,Milvago chima-
chima,Herpetotheres cachinnans,
Photo 2. Habitat where this OBF was
Visit www.northstarst.com for addi-
tional information on the company and the
PTT units. North Star has teamed in this
effort with the Neotropical Raptor Network
to provide expert advice and to convene a
review committee to assess applications for
this award and to select the awardee.
Application materials should include
contact information and a not-more-than-
three-page narrative that includes a full
budget for the project including the
awarded PTTs. Proposals are due by 15
July 2008. The award will be announced
Falco sparverius,Falco femor-
alis,Falco columbarius,Falco rufigu-
laris,Falco deiroleucus.
The Orange-Breasted Falcon Falco
deiroleucus was seen (altitude 1365
masl; Lat. 0445' 45.0"; Long.
tant information since this is
ord of Orange-breasted
gdalena Valley, Colombia.
7442'58.0"), on April 4 and 9, 2008
at Alto El Chapet6n in the Munici-
pality of Beltrin, Cundinamarca.
On April 4th, the falcon was seen
over-flying the area for about 10
minutes and we were able to take
pictures (Photo 1 and 2) and identify
the species. The habitat where this
bird was observed is a mosaic of for-
est and agricultural lands (coffee
and banana plantations), and also
contains areas for livestock. The
falcon was seen on a mountain hill-
side, next to a cliff and a patch of
undisturbed primary forest (Photo
By its size we can conclude
it was possibly a juvenile
female. This is important
information since this is the
first record of the species in
Magdalena Valley, Colombia.
no later than 15 October 2008, and the
PTTs will be presented to the awardee at
a special ceremony during the Third
Neotropical Raptor Conference in Bo-
gota, Colombia, in 2009.
Please send proposals no later than 15
July 2008 to:
Dr. Keith L. Bildstein
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
410 Summer Valley Road
Orwigsburg, PA 17961
Bildsteinihawkmtn.org
Issue 5
Page 3
Page 4
Diurnal raptors as bioindicators along an altitudinal
gradient in the Andes, Colombia By Sandra Quiroga
sandra.qd@qmail.com and Cssar Mdrquez cmarquez@humboldt.org.co
Instituto de Investigaciones y recursos Biol6gicos Alexander von Humboldt
(IAvH) Photos by Henry Delgado
Within the framework of the
Neotropical Science and Student
Education Program, The Peregrine
Fund has joined forces with the
Alexander von Humboldt Institute, to
conduct a study of raptors in Colombia.
Sandra Quiroga, a student from the
District University Francisco Jose de
Caldas in Bogota, will carry out this
studv, under the suDervision of C6sar
Photo 1. Female juvenile Orange-
breasted Falcon. September 2007.
Alto Los Alpes. This same bird was
possibly observed later in March 2008.
MArquez.
The study's main objective is to
measure the changes in distribution
and abundance patterns of diurnal
raptors along an altitudinal gradient
located in the jurisdiction of the
Autonomous Corporation of Chivor,
Corpochivor, which is the entity in
charge of the management of natural
resources in the region. The area of
study is located to the south and east of
the Andean Mountain Chain in the
department of BoyacA. This project
aims to evaluate the conservation
status of raptors in three different
ecosystems: 1) Basal Forest 0-1000
masl., 2) Sub-Andean forest 1000-2000
masl., and 3) Andean forest 2000-3000
masl.
We used the survey technique known
as "Point Count" to inventory raptors
from nine different observation points
along mountain tops. For each forest
type, we selected three points that fit
the necessary characteristics utilized in
the Point Count method. At each site
we made observations for three days,
for four hours each day, during the
summer and winter
months; which is This is t)
equivalent to a 24 hour
effort at each one of the On the ec
nine selected sites, for a Cordillera
total of 216 survey hours.
During the first part of the
survey, in the summer season (Dec -
April) we observed 20 resident and
migratory raptor species. We
identified two species of New World
vultures: Cathartes aura and Coragyps
atratus; four species of kites: Grey-
headed Kite (Leptodon cayanensis),
Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides
forficatus), White-tailed Kite (Elanus
leucurus) and Mississippi Kite (Ictinia
mississipiensis); seven species of
hawks: Plain-breasted Hawk (Accipiter
ventralis), White Hawk (Leucopternis
albicollis), Grey Hawk (Buteo nitidus),
Photo 2. Mosaic of pasture and remain
forest where the Orange-breasted Falco
Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris),
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo
platypterus), Short-tailed Hawk
(Buteo brachyurus), and Swainson's
Hawk (Buteo swainsoni); two species
of eagles: Black-chested Buzzard
Eagle (Geranoetus melanoleucus) and
Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus
tyrannus); five species of Falconidae:
Crested Caracara (Polyborus
plancus), Yellow-headed Caracara
(Milvago chimachima), Laughing
Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans),
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
and Orange-breasted Falcon (Falco
deiroleucus).
The Orange-breasted Falcon (Falco
deiroleucus) is considered very rare
locally, and is restricted to South and
Ce first record of the species
stern side of the Oriental
i in Colombia.
Central America. In Colombia it is
classified as Data Deficient (DD).
During the present study, at least
one individual (Photo 1) was
observed from the top of Los Andes
(Lat. = 04 51' 24.8"; Long = 73 09'
22"), in the municipality of San Luis
de Gaceno, at an altitude of 819 m.
in habitat composed of a mosaic of
pasture and secondary forest (photo
2). This type of landscape is the
product of human development in the
region, mainly for cattle and
agricultural purposes.
C6sar MArquez
observed one
Orange-breasted
Falcon two times,
on the 10th and
11th of September
2007. It was seen
again on March 1,
2008 by Sandra
Quiroga. On both
occasions we
observed the
falcon engaging
in territorial
defense; the
falcon was
ns nof scnrlnr vocalizing and
in was seen.
C(
continued on page 10
Issue 5
P6gino 5
First Record of the Orange-Breasted Falcon in Chile
Lorenzo Demetrio Jara. Codelco Norte, Pasaje Cucuter 535, Villa Sn. Rafael, Calama, Provincia
del Loa, Regi6n de Antofagasta, Chile. Idemetri@codelco.cl; Idemetrioj@qmail.com
On 4 June 2007 I observed, and
photographed an Orange-breasted
Falcon Falco deiroleucus in Calama,
Chile. I frequently observed this
falcon over a 98-day period; until mid
October when the falcon was seen for
the last time. The falcon was recorded
in the city of Calama, which is located
in the midst of the world's driest
desert, at 2.248 m.a.s.l.. Due to the
presence of the Loa River, small
patches of desert vegetation, with
some scattered trees, are found in the
area, and some limited agricultural
activity is also practiced. There are 97
local bird species, mainly seed and
insect eating passerines, as well as
shorebirds. Diurnal and nocturnal
raptors are represented by 8 and 4
species, respectively.
At first sight, I could not identify the
falcon because its morphological
characteristics did not match any of
the known falcons in Chile. It had the
shape of a dark Peregrine Falcon and
was the size of an Aplomado Falcon. I
wondered if it could be a wandering
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco
deiroleucus, a tropical falcon that has
never been recorded in Chile and is
associated with rain forests. The
closest record for this species occurred
in Calilegua National Park, in
Argentina, at ca. 440 km. in a straight
line (G Pugnali, pers. comm.). Based
on plumage similarities, the other
likely species was a Bat falcon Falco
rufigularis, which occurs in the
lowlands (<1600 m, Birdlife
International 2008) in a wide range of
tropical forest types.
The photographs I took were not
sufficient to identify the falcon to the
species level (see photos). This
limitation made me realize that I
needed to think of another method to
achieve proper identification. I
decided to compare the size of the feet
and body length of the observed falcon
with actual measurements of the
antenna it used as a perch. Using
software for managing antennas and
photographs of the falcon, I estimated
H nting site; open with
st site fe trees (chaparral,
riculture, livestock) t
that body length measured between
35.6 and 39.4 cm and the middle toe
length between 4.7 and 4.9 cm, which
confirmed that the size of the observed
bird would be considerably larger than
the Bat Falcon (body length 25 to 29
cm, see http://www.birds.cornell.edu/
obf/ID). Therefore, with the results of
these measurements and evaluation of
plumage coloration I concluded that
the observed falcon was indeed an
Orange-breasted Falcon, probably a
young male. Several falcon experts
agreed with this conclusion. The buff
coloration on the upperparts and
chevrons on the breast also
corroborated that the individual was a
sub-adult (1-2
years) Orange-
breasted Falcon.
The falcon was
observed, on a
daily basis,
perched on the
antennas of
buildings in
downtown Calama
(2227'48.27"S, 68
55'32.39"W) or
flying in nearby
farms. I visually
tracked the bird's
move me nt s,
determining that
it used an area of
approximately 150
km2, which included the city of
Calama and adjacent forested areas.
It frequently moved to the Ojo de
Apache Valley where I believe it had
its roosting
Photo ,1 perches.
Based on prey
remains found
under perches, I
could determine
the following prey
items caught: 4
Zenaida
auriculata, 3
Zonotrichia
capensis, and 2
undetermined
passerines.
n arks where Z. I appreciate the
1ulata is abundant, contributions and
Se I most observed comments of Bob
Berry, Hernin
Vargas, Angel Muela, Clayton White,
Mark Prostor, Bud Anderson, Jaime
Jim6nez and Christian GonzAlez.
Photo 1. Calama, Chile. Habitat
characteristics and areas where the
Orange-breasted Falcon was most
frequently observed.
Photo 2. Young Orange-breasted
Falcon perched on antenna, urban
area in Calama, Chile.
Vol 5
Searching for the Black-collared Hawk Busarellus nigricollis in Panama.
By Edwin Campbell-Thompson ecampbell@fondoperegrino.orq and F. Herndn Vargas hvargas@fondoperegrino.orq
Despite its wide distribution
in the Neotropics, from south
-western Mexico to Bolivia,
and northern Argentina to
southern Brazil, the Black-
collared Hawk has not re-
ceived much attention from
those who study and care
about the conservation of
raptors. There is insufficient
information about its natural
history; we only know its
main prey is fish and its pre-
ferred habitat is shallow wet-
lands with still or slow mov-
ing water. There are only
anecdotal data on their nesting hab-
its.
Since the middle of last century, this
species has been likely declining in
Central America, possibly due to
drainage of wetlands for agriculture
and urban development. But even
with this regional decline, the Black-
collared Hawk has not been listed by
the IUCN as a globally threatened
species (IUCN 2007, BirdLife Interna-
tional 2004). However, in Panama,
this species is considered critically
endangered (Angehr 2003, Important
areas for Birds in Panama, Audubon
Society of Panama) and it is the only
raptor species included in this cate-
gory. The last reliable record from
Panama is from 2000 at the Bayano
Lake, east of Panama Province.
In response to this critical conserva-
tion status in Panama and to the lack
of knowledge about the species, in
by semideciduous forest in the
lowlands and some areas are
deforested. Punta Patifio, a
private reserve, property of
the National Association for
Conservation (ANCON), is
characterized by wetlands
where mangroves (Fig. 2) are
the main feature in the river
marsh and where lagoons are
flooded in the rainy season.
We visited Bayano Lake on
October 5-6 and November 2,
S ya ae aama 2007 and Punta Patiio in
March 14-_16, 2008. For this
racm o e a lad anoes propelled by 15 HP outboard mo-
March 2008, we organized a pilot tors (Fig. 3). We surveyed 221 km of
study in Panama, with three main
study in Panama, with three main wetland shore and did not detect any
objectives: 1) locate viable populations single individual Black -collared
of the species, 2) validate its conserva- H A p n, o o r-
Hawk. At present, we do not under-
tion status and design a research pro- stand why we failed to find the spe-
ject to identify the causes of popula- cies, but we can identify some factors
tion decline and 3) promote a conser- i
tion decline and 3) promote a conser- that may be affecting its abundance
vation pro- and distribu-
gram. The Black-collared Hawk is critically tion in Pa-
To conduct this endangered in Panama nama.
study we se- Between Au-
lected the sur- gt a
gust and De-
vey sites according to historical and e e en r atr ar eating
member, when raptors are migrating
recent records of the species. Histori- h
ca rafrom north to South America, Bayano
cal records were obtained fom publi- Lake has an increased visitation of
cations and more recent data by inter- thousands of Ospreys Pandion hali-
viewing naturalist atetus which may be competing for
guides and tourism op- food (fish) with the resident Black -
erators. We focused our collared Hawk, influencing its distri-
search in the Bayano bution and abundance.
Lake area, in the Prov-
ince of Panama, where In Punta Patifio some inhabitants
the last record for this informed us that they had seen the
species occurred in Black-collared Hawk in lagoons close
2000. We also visited to the beach (<1 km) during the rainy
Punta Patifio, in the season (May Dec). Our visit in
Province of Darien, March was during the dry season (Jan
where naturalist guides -Apr) and these lagoons were dry.
have observed the spe- Consequently, we predict that during
cies in 2006-2007. Both the rainy season it will be more likely
sites are listed as to find the species.
"Important Bird Areas" in Panama Knowing that the Black-collared
(Angehr 2003). The two places have hawk is abundant in some places in
different characteristics: Bayano South America, such as the Llanos of
Lake has areas with aquatic vegeta- Venezuela and Pantanal in Brazil, we
tion and there are emergent logs or take this opportunity to ask all mem-
trees (Fig. 1). This lake is surrounded
(Continued on page 7)
Page 6
Issue 5
Issue 5
(Black-collared Hawk in Pa-
nama..... Continued from page 6)
Edwin Campbell looking for the
Black-collared Hawk in Punta
Patinfo, barien.
bers of the Neotropical Raptor Network
to please forward us information about
habitat characteristics, and locations
that hold high density of individuals.
With this information we hope to im-
prove our selection of survey sites in
Panama and in the future extend and
direct these efforts to South America.
4
Page 7
Arsonous fire burns the urban nest of Grey
Eagle-Buzzards in southeast Brazil
Article and photo by Luiz Salvador: neotropicalresearch@hotmail.com
Since 2000, the Serra do Curral moun-
tain ridge, famous for sheltering the
only known urban nest of the Grey Ea-
gle-Buzzard, has not seen such a sad
day as last August 5, 2005. The target
of arson, two-thirds
of its entire extent
burned for 18 con-
secutive hours, re-
sulting in much
damage to wildlife,
including the loss of
the Grey Eagle-
Buzzard's nest. Al-
though breeding ac-
tivity has not been
detected on this
ridge since 2005, the
burning of the nest
structure, composed only of dry sticks,
is one more factor to discourage nesting
attempts in the area. The fire brigade
Canopy Survey ....Continued from Page 1...
fined here as two birds of different monitored pairs of White-necked
sizes, presumably male and female, Hawks. A new fieldwork season will be
carrying out courtship displays to- carried out in late 2008.
gether). During the breeding season Although we did not find nests, impor-
(September- December) I conducted ant data on the breeding cycle, display
simultaneous counts of neighboring 1
simultaneous counts of neighboring behavior and courtship, relative den-
pairs observed in flight or in courtship .
pairs observed in flight or in courtship sity of pairs (seven pairs identified un-
displays and was able to identify at til now for the White-necked Hawk and
least seven breeding pairs of the
one active pair for the Mantled Hawk
White-necked Hawk in an area of 360 species), pattern of movements and
km2. I only observed one pair of the vocalizations were obtained for both
e H k vocalizations were obtained for both
Mantled Hawk and recorded quality
data to fully describe their
courtship behavior. ig. 2 Black-and-White Hawk Eagle young
Canuto gatherig data on nest struct
As no nesting records for any of
the two species exists for this
part of Brazil, a great portion of
the researcher's time was de-
voted to searching for nests.
Between January 2004 and De-
cember 2007, the researcher
spent > 400 hours of field effort
searching for nests, and no
nests were found. However, a
nest structure belonging to a
presumed medium sized raptor
species' was found in the center
of the territory of one of the
a
u
E.
and collaborators worked together
in a desperate effort to save the
ridge's vegetation cover and associ-
ated fauna, but despite the help of
two agricultural airplanes and a
helicopter,
they were
unable to
stop the
fire dam-
age due to
the strong
winds that
fed the
flames and
the bad
mainte-
nance of
the anti-
fire system kept by a mining com-
pany that explores the ridge. One
Continued on page 8
species. Also, despite the high fre-
quency of elaborate display behavior
over the canopy, the White-necked
Hawk, which is not only a canopy but
also middle and under story species,
was not seen at all carrying any nest
material or prey to a particular loca-
tion. I recorded up to 34 vocalizations
(a harsh, loud and short scream) of
the White-necked Hawk in one morn-
ing. Despite the fact that the ob-
server was unable to know if the vo-
calizations were emitted by the same
bird or from the pair, it
t nest. M. was possible to record
re their locations and col-
lect data on habitat use.
Through this study we
also found a Black-and-
White Hawk Eagle
(Spizaetus melanoleucus)
nest (Fig. 2) and gath-
ered data on other spe-
cies within the raptor
community.
tv
Page 8
OBFs in Central America....from page 2...
Darien, Panama
most likely represent the northernmost
South American population.
With the goal of gaining information
about productivity and reproductive
success of the Orange-breasted Falcon
in the wild, TPF is currently monitoring
ten nests in Belize, four in Panama, and
five in Guatemala. Some of these nests,
mainly the ones located in Panama, are
found in very remote areas of difficult
access. Because of this, it is only possi-
ble to visit these specific nests twice or
three times per year to evaluate the
reproductive success of those pairs.
However, in Belize and Guatemala
there are several nests located in areas
of easy access, which allows for a less
complicated and more detailed follow-up
of those pairs' productivity.
Even though there are records of nests
found in the tops of large trees, all nests
currently studied in Belize, Guatemala
and Panama are found in limestone
cliffs. Most of these are found within
well preserved neotropical forest, or
close to the forest's edge, where
there appears to be a relative
abundance of prey species.
Most of these nests are close (<1
km) to rivers, and at least two
are also close (<1 km) to areas
that have been deforested for
farming or cattle fields.
Similar to other species of fal-
cons, the Orange-breasted Fal-
con often lays its eggs on a
ledge, with or without vegeta-
tion, or within a crevice on a
hik, cliff, which affords the nest at
least some protection.
We have found that more than 60% of
the nests we are studying are oriented
to the north or the east, probably be-
cause they are shielded from direct ex-
posure to the sun during the hottest
hours of the day. One of the nests we
are studying is on top of one the Mayan
Temples in Tikal National Park, Guate-
mala. This area of Peten has very few
appropriate natural walls where the
falcons could nest. This is similar to
what has been seen with the Peregrine
Falcon in many cities around the world;
where they use ledges on top of build-
ings as places to raise their chicks in-
stead of natural structures. However, a
big difference is that the Orange-
breasted Falcon not only needs suitable
ledges, but also high quality forest with
abundant prey base.
During the past few years (2003-2008),
we have been collecting productivity
information on several of the nests in
Belize in order to compare it to the data
collected from the same nests during the
Issue 5
90's. Preliminary data suggest that
there is a decrease in the yearly produc-
tion of chicks fledged per pair of falcons.
To date, we have not been able to deter-
mine the exact reasons for this possible
decline in the productivity of these
birds. However, we theorize that sev-
eral factors have affected their ability to
successfully reproduce. One cause may
be the instances of deforestation close to
a pair's territory, which can affect, di-
rectly and indirectly, the productivity of
chicks and the permanency of a pair of
falcons in a given area. It is also possi-
ble that the proximity to human en-
croachment increases the number of
other bird species like the Black Vul-
ture, Coragyps atratus, which may not
Continued on page 10
~-
Maya Temple in Tikal,
Guatemala similar to where an
Orange-breasted falcon nest
has been found.
(Arsonous fires..... Continued from page 7)
more time, wildlife paid for human
acts. The fire was started by teenag-
ers looking for fun. During the fire, no
adult Grey Eagle-Buzzards were seen,
although a juvenile of the species was
observed searching for prey over the
flames. Aplomado Falcons and a
White-tailed Hawk were also seen
taking advantage of the fire. The first
were seen hunting from high perches,
while the latter was observed gliding
over the ridge, even enjoying the wa-
ter dropped by the aircraft. In spite of
the damage caused by the fire, at least
this event brought some good news:
the Minas Gerais government is going
to transform the slope facing the city
of Belo Horizonte into the Paredoes da
Serra municipal park. Maybe, in this
way, the Grey Eagle-Buzzards may
enjoy better days on the Serra do Cur-
ral mountain ridge.
~Yat
What would you
like to see in this
newsletter? If you
have ideas or
recommendations
for the editors, please send a
message to Magaly at
mlinares@fondoperegrino.org
Do you have your article ready?
Send it anytime for the next
edition!
Issue 5
Students conserving...
volved? I spoke with my students at
Brader School in Panama City, Pa-
nama, where I am a science coordina-
tor, and they were very enthusiastic
about helping to protect Panama's
national bird.
On a warm April morning in 2004, I
brought some of these students to
visit The Peregrine Fund's Neotropi-
cal Raptor Center in Clayton, Pa-
nama. There, students and teachers
were amazed to see a live Harpy Ea-
gle for the first time. After our visit,
we discussed ways in which we could
help. Out of these discussions grew a
student group called Mission Harpy
Eagle, whose main goal is to educate
as many people as possible about the
magnificent Harpy Eagle. Since then,
we have gotten so much support and
Through the voices of the stud
delivering a message that c
forgotten, and a reminder tha
Earth's keepers.
information from The Peregrine Fund
experts. They provided us with all the
information we needed to get our pro-
ject underway.
In the beginning, Mission Harpy Ea-
gle was composed of only 7th grade
students. They decided to focus their
efforts first on educating the rest of
the students at our school. Club mem-
bers started sharing information
about the Harpy Eagle with children
from Preschool to Twelfth Grade. The
response was incredible. Everybody
wanted to know more about our na-
tional bird; many of these children
had no idea the Harpy Eagle was so
important to our tropical rainforest.
Today, Mission Harpy Eagle member-
ship has grown and we have students
from 7th. 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th. grades
working to spread information about
the wonders, biology, conservation
and importance of this impressive
eagle.
The group has also grown to such an
extent that we have already worked in
different schools around Panama City.
Continued from Page 1...
We have also participated in events
such as Festiarpia (hosted by Fondo
Peregrino PanamA), Biofest, Earth Day
and Scientific Fairs, and Eco-walks.
Some group members have also partici-
pated in video conferences broadcast
from Barro Colorado Island (a Smith-
sonian Tropical Research Institute sci-
entific research site). Through these
video conferences, they have been able
to share valuable information with
children from the United States of
America.
To better promote Harpy Eagle conser-
vation at these events and during
school visits, Mission Harpy Eagle
members have designed a great
amount of activities and promotional
items that include: CD's, videos, post-
ers, puzzles, pictures, key chains, caps,
table games, and
more. The group
cents, e are uses the funds col-
!annot be lected from those
Et we are all items to create new
products that have
educational value
and that can be
shared with other students and the
public in general. The income is also
used for organizing group meetings;
transportation to school presentations;
designing of banners, fliers, and stand
decorations. Every year, the upcoming
group of members brings new ideas
that are then taken into consideration
for development.
It is important to mention the highest
honor the group has achieved so far.
Because of the hard work displayed by
Mission Harpy Eagle,
three of the members
(Anais Jurado, Michelle
Wong, and Yvonne Ben-
nett) were chosen to par-
ticipate in the TUNZA
Conference 2008, in Nor-
way. The topic of the
conference is "Climate
for a Change."
I will accompany these
students to the confer-
ence, where they will
have the great opportu-
nity to share their work
so it can serve as a
Page 9
model for other children and teachers
around the world.
Mission Harpy Eagle has come a
long way since it started. Every year,
we welcome new members that have
the motivation, devotion, and desire to
better our planet. Their goal is not
only to conserve the Harpy Eagle but
nature in general. Through the voices
of the students, we are delivering a
message that cannot be forgotten, and
a reminder that we are all Earth's
keepers.
Mission Harpy Eagle website: http://
missionharpveagle.tripod.com/
Other related links:
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/
latin america caribbean/countrv/
nanama/nanama eanle.html
http://www.usaid.gov/stories/panama/
ss pa eagle.html
Morning Assembly celebrating "Hrpy
Eagle Day" at Brader School.
Page 10
Orange-breasted Falcons... From page 8
only compete with the falcons for places
to nest, but can also predate on their
eggs and/or chicks.
If we can determine that, indeed,
there is a significant decline in the
production of Orange-breasted
chicks in Belize and Guatemala, it
would be important to identify the
specific causes of such a decline, and
to consider the possibility of supple-
menting the natural production of
birds with the release of captive-
bred individuals.
Diurnal raptors... From page 4
stooping a Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo
brachyurus) and a Grey-headed Kite
(Leptodon cayanensis).
By the size of the individual
observed, we conclude it was
possibly a subadult female (Photo 1)
that is perhaps a year-round
resident in "Los Alpes". This
sighting is important because it is
the first record of this species on the
eastern side of the Eastern Chain in
Colombia.
t-
(First record of Orange-breasted Falcon
in Quito....Continued from page 2)
most important painters from Ecua-
dor and a diligent bird watcher,
lives at the edge of Itchimbia Park,
a public urban space of 54 ha that
has been recently ecologically re-
stored by the Municipal Administra-
tion in Quito (Fig 1). Until six years
ago, this park was treeless and occu-
pied by settlements of impoverished
people. Nowadays, Itchimbia Park
shows an improved landscape;
50,000 trees of several species have
been planted, and include, among
others, Oreopanax sp. Myrcianthes
hallii, Alnus acuminate and Cedrela
montana. A small artificial pond
was also made available. These
modifications have transformed
Itchim-
bia
Park
into a
real
green
lung" in
the his-
torical
center
of Quito (Fig 1), a cultural city de-
clared as the the first Cultural
World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
If the small Itchimbia Park provides
the Orange-breasted Falcon suffi-
cient food to temporarily reside in a
city like Quito, it might be possible,
then, for conservation biologists and
urban developers to improve the
habitat on the landscape scale and
provide conditions for increased food
availability and successful reproduc-
tion. By doing this we could attain
ecological greenways and self-
sustainable populations of falcons in
a mosaic of urban-rural landscapes
connected to wild, pristine areas
within the Neotropical region.
Since 2006, when ongoing bird
watching activities were initiated at
Itchimbia Park by members of the
current municipal administration
and other birdwatchers, several
photographs of unusual bird species
have been recorded. Some of these
records are of particular interest
because they document sightings of
species that had not been reported
in urban areas before in Quito or its
surroundings, or had not been seen
for over 40 years. That is the case
for Larus
cirro-
cephalus,
Anas dis-
cors, Asio flammeus, and Butorides
striatus, among others.
Fig 3. Juvenile Orange breasted
Falcon (possibly a female)
perched on an Eucalyptus branch
in Itchimbia Park, August 2007.
t-
Special thanks to
Herndn Vargas, Rus-
sell Thorstrom, Saskia
Santamarfa, Marta
Curti, and Rick Wat-
son for helping in re-
viewing all articles be-
fore publication.
Fig 2. Adult Orange-breasted
falcon (possibly a female) feeding
on an Eared Dove Zenaida
auriculata in Quito. July 2007
Issue 5
Issue 5
Recent Articles on Neotropical
Raptors compiled by Cesar Sdnchez.
Copies can be sent as PDFs via email:
harpyhaliaetus@yahoo.com
Actkinson, M. A., W. P. Kuvlesky JR., C. W. Boal, L. A.
Brennan, & F. Hernandez. 2007. Nesting habitat rela-
tionships of sympatric Crested Caracaras, Red-tailed
Hawks and White-tailed Hawks in south Texas .The
Wilson Journal of Ornithology 119: 570-578.
Aleixo, A. & F. Poletto. 2008. Birds of an open vegetation
enclave in southern Brazilian Amazonia. The Wilson
Journal of Ornithology 119: 610-630.
Alvarado-O., S., R. A. Figueroa-R., I. Shehadeh & E. S.
Corales-S. 2007.
Diet of the Rufous-legged Owl (Strix rufipes) at the nort-
hern limit of its distribution in Chile. The Wilson Jour-
nal of Ornithology 119:475-479.
Cabanne, G. S., & I. Roesler 2007. A description of a nest
and nestlings of the Rufous-thighed Kite (Harpagus
diodon), with additional comments on diet and be-
havior. Ornitologia Neotropical 18: 469-476.
Donadio, E., M. J. Bolgeri, & A. Wurstten. 2007. First
quantitative data on the diet of the Mountain Caraca-
ra (Phalcoboenus megalopterus). Journal of Raptor
Research 41: 328-330.
Eduardo, C., A. Carvalho, and M. A. Marini. 2007. Distri-
bution patterns of diurnal raptors in open and forested
habitats in south-eastern Brazil and the effects of ur-
banization. Bird Conservation International 17: 367-
380.
Figueroa-R., R. A., S. Alvarado-O, D. GonzAlez-Acufia & E.
S. Corales-S. 2007. Nest characteristics of the Chilean
Hawk (Accipiter chilensis, Falconiformes: Accipitridae)
in an Andean Nothofagus forest of northern Patagonia.
Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment 42: 1-
4.
Johnson, J. A., R. Thorstrom, D. P. Mindell. 2007. Syste-
matics and conservation of the Hook-billed Kite inclu-
ding the island taxa from Cuba and Grenada. Animal
Conservation 10: 349-359.
Navarro R., R., G. Marin, & J. Mufioz G. 2007. Notas sobre
la ecologia reproductiva de tres accipitridos en Vene-
zuela. Ornitologia Neotropical 18: 453-457.
Piana, R.P. 2007. Anidamiento y dieta de Harpia harpyja
Linnaeus en la Comunidad Nativa de Infierno, Madre
de Dios, Per6. Revista Peruana de Biologia 14: 135-
138.
Ramirez-Llorens, P., & M. I. Bellocq. 2007. New records
clarify the southern distribution of the Spectacled Owl
(Pulsatrix perspicillata). Journal of Raptor Research
41: 268-276.
Page 11
R6he, F. & A. Pinassi Antunes. 2008. Barred Forest Fal-
con (Micrastur ruficollis) Predation on Relatively Lar-
ge Prey. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120: 228-
230.
Sarasola, J. H., J. Bustamante, J. J. Negro, & A. Travaini.
2008. Where do Swainson's hawks winter? Satellite
images used to identify potential habitat. Diversity
and Distributions doi: 10.1111/j.1472-
4642.2008.00477.x.
Sarasola, J. H., & R. Jovani. 2006. Risk of feather damage
explains fault bar occurrence in a migrant hawk, the
Swainson's hawk Buteo swainsoni. Journal of Avian
Biology 37: 29-35.
Sarasola, J. H., & J. J. Negro. 2006. Role of exotic tree
stands on the current distribution and social behaviour
of Swainson's hawk, Buteo swainsoni in the Argentine
Pampas. Journal of Biogeography 33: 1096-1101.
Sarasola, J. H., J. J. Negro, K. A. Hobson, G. R. Bortolotti,
& K. L. Bildstein. 2008. Can a 'wintering area effect'
explain population status of Swainson's hawks? A sta-
ble isotope approach. Diversity and Distributions
doi:10.1111/j. 1472-4642.2008.00475.x
Sarasola, J. H., M. A. Santillin & M. A. Galmes 2007.
Comparison of food habits and prey selection of the
white-tailed kite, Elanus leucurus, between natural
and disturbed areas in central Argentina. Studies on
Neotropical Fauna and Environment 42: 85-91.
Scheibler, D. R. 2007. Food partitioning between breeding
White-tailed Kites (Elanus leucurus; Aves; Accipitri-
dae) and Barn Owls (Tyto alba; Aves; Tytonidae) in
southern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology 67: 65-
71.
Seipke, S. H., & G. S. Cabanne. 2008. Breeding of the Ru-
fous-thighed Hawk (Accipiter erythronemius) in Argen-
tina and Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical 19: 15-29.
Silva-Rodriguez, E. A., J. E. Jim6nez, M. A. Sep6lveda-
Fuentes, M. A. Sep6lveda, I. Rodriguez-Jorquera, T.
Rivas-Fuenzalida, S. A. Alvarado, & R. A. Figueroa-R.
2008. Records of the White-throated Hawk (Buteo albi-
gula) along the Chilean coastal forests. Ornitologia
Neotropical 19: 129-135.
SuArez, W. & S. L. Olson 2007. The Cuban fossil eagle
Aquila borrasi Arrendondo: a scaled-up version of the
Great Black-Hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga Gmeln).
Journal of Raptor Research 41: 288-298.
Trejo, A. & S. Lambertucci. 2007. Feeding habits of Barn
Owls along a vegetative gradient in northern Patago-
nia Journal of Raptor Research, 41: 277-287.
Contributions to raptor research in urban areas. Mendoza, Argentina
Viviana E. G6mez, vqomez@lab.cricyt.edu.ar Geobot6nica y Fitogeografia (CRICYT), CC 507, 5500 Mendoza.
Summary: In order to make a list of the raptors found within urban areas, and to learn about their habitats
and behaviors, we organized three weekly surveys, on average, during the early morning and early afternoon
hours, between January 2003 and 2005. The study was conducted in General San Martin Park, in areas
where birds are more likely to be seen, based on vegetation type (G6mez 2006). We intend to contribute to
raptor research with a list of the raptors living in urban areas, given that this is a little known subject in this
province. Usually raptor research studies are carried out in areas far from cities, according to the revised
literature. We registered and analyzed seasonal changes in composition and abundance of raptors and made
observations on ecology and behavior of three orders, four families and eight species of raptors. The orders
were Ciconiformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes. Families were Accipitridae, (two species); Falconidae
(three species); Cathartidae (two species) and Strigidae (one species).
TO READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE, PLEASE CONTACT THE AUTHOR.
Determination of clinical reference values, prevalence of selected diseases
and exposure to heavy metals in captive and wild Crowned Solitary-Eagles
(Harpyhalieatus coronatus) in Argentina.
Miguel D. Saggese1 DVM, PhDy Agustin Quaglia2 Est. Cs. Veterinarias
1College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California msaggese(westernu.edu
2Fundaci6n de Historia Natural F61ix de Azara. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Antropologia. CEBBAD Universidad
Maimonides. Ciudad Aut6noma de Buenos Aires. Republica Argentina. pseudo darky@yahoo.com.ar
The Crowned Solitary-Eagle
(Harpyhaliaetus coronatus), (Order
Falconiformes, Family Accipitridae),
can be found in north and central
Argentina, in the south of Brazil,
Paraguay, Uruguay and in the eastern
part of Bolivia. Internationally, it
has been classified as
"endangered" and it is currently
considered one of the most
threatened raptors in South
America. There is little
information about its biology and
natural history. Like other large
raptor species, it requires vast
territories to live and find prey.
The majority of the existing
reports about its reproductive
biology suggest this species raises Vet
only one chick every two years. Lob
Direct persecution, habitat loss, chic
collision against vehicles and prove
electric lines, and a decline in
prey availability are among the
known causes for the low numbers and
continuing decline.
because no such information exists in
this species' natural history. It is
fundamental to understand the role of
macro and micro parasites and the
effects of heavy metals as causes for
the decline of the species in the wild;
student A. Quaglia and park ranger R. Per
os drawing blood samples from a Crowned E
k at the Reserva Provincial Bosques Tell
incia de Mendoza, Argentina. Photo: R. Perei
and also in ex-situ conservation
projects, to better manage and
In 2007 we initiated a study to conserve the species. The specific
determine clinical reference values, objectives are: 1) to obtain information
prevalence of selected diseases and about basal reference values in
exposure to heavy metals in captive matology, blood biochemistry and
and wild Crowned Solitary-Eagles, plasmatic cholinesterase; 2) to
and wld CrwnedSohitary-Eagles, '
investigate the prevalence of
exposure to infectious and parasitic
diseases, and heavy metals; 3) to
train veterinarians, biologists, park
rangers and advanced students in
biomedical sampling in raptors, and
4) to inform and educate local
communities about the species'
conservation problems and its
importance in natural
ecosystems.
For the first time, this study
will generate accessible data
about basic health parameters
and will allow a better
understanding of the role that
heavy metals such as lead
might have on its decline.
eyra Because of the large number of
agle eagles that are currently being
eca, rehabilitated, this information
ra L. will contribute to improving
the management and
treatment of these captive birds.
The field work is being done in La
Pampa and Mendoza, in
collaboration with several research
groups that study the biology and
Continued on page 14
Page 12
Issue 5
Page 13
Searching for the elusive White-collared Kite (Leptodon forbesl) in
northeastern Brazil Translation and photo by Sergio Seipke seipke@yahoo.com.ar
In 1882 W. A. Forbes collected an odd-
looking, medium-sized kite in the small
state of Pernambuco in northeastern
Brazil, and this specimen was deposited
in the British Museum of Natural
History (Tring). Forty years later, in
1992, the specimen was formally,
though sketchily described by H. Kirke
Swann, who named it the 'Forbes's Kite',
and assigned it the scientific name
Odontriorchis forbesi. By the 1950s the
genus name Leptodon had
replaced Odontriorchis and
currently the kite is known as
Leptodon forbesi, the White-
collared Kite, or occasionally by
its former name, the Forbe's
Kite.
This rare, mysterious bird,
known for decades by the one
museum specimen, has been
questioned by many scientific
authorities as to the validity of
its species status. The
specimen at Tring has been
consistently referred to as an
aberrant individual of the
common and broadly distributed Gray-
headed Kite (Leptodon cayanensis).
Currently, a number of biologists do
consider it a valid species, and also one
of the most critically-endangered birds
in the world deserving more appropriate
conservation action.
Pernambuco and Alagoas States in
northeastern Brazil are important to
biological diversity conservation due to
their high endemism, but unfortunately
about 95% of the Atlantic rainforests
have been lost to sugar cane
plantations, and this region is one of the
most heavily deforested areas in Brazil.
Several species of forest birds, and even
more subspecies, are only known from
this area. These two small states have
received increasing attention from
biologists and bird watchers as new and
unique avian species have been recently
discovered in this region. The White-
collared Kite, despite many unconfirmed
sightings and reports of its existence,
continues to elude the efforts of
biologists searching for them in
northeastern Brazil.
In May 2007, Bill Clark, Jean-Marc
Thiollay and I joined Francisco Denes
and Luis Fabio Silveira from the Zoology
Museum of the University of Sao Paulo,
Brazil, to try and solve the long standing
question: are there any White-collared
Kites remaining in the wild? Conducting
a carefully planned investigation would
be the best, and perhaps most effective
way to determine its status, and
hopefully settle this issue. I received kite
survey support from The Peregrine Fund,
the Neotropical Bird Club, and The
Funda9ao de Amparo A Pesquisa do
Estado de Sto Paulo.
The Institute for the Protection of the
Atlantic Forest, a nongovernmental
organization (NGO) based in Murici,
helped us with contacting landowners
and establishing priority areas for White-
collared Kite surveys. Bill Clark and
Jean-Marc Thiollay were so excited and
confident about the expedition they
decided to contribute financially as well.
So did Ildiko Tzabo, who also provided
much appreciated help in the field. The
Peregrine Fund even made yet another
contribution to the project... Russell
Thorstrom would add his vast experience
to the team, and Argentinean
photographer Dario Podesta joined the
team too.
We conducted a three-week White-
collared Kite survey during October 2007.
In three busy weeks we surveyed for
kites in a dozen sites owned by three
different usinas (sugar mills): Serra
Grande and Caete in Alagoas state, and
Trapiche in Pernambuco state. Beyond
all expectations we found White-collared
Kites in ten out of twelve study sites
surveyed! Nine sites contained kite
pairs, and at two sites we observed what
we believe were neighboring pairs
displaying simultaneously over the
forest. Overall, we detected thirty White-
collared Kites. News couldn't be any
better; not only were White-collared
Kites still in existence in the wild, but
they also seemed to be more common
from what has been reported on them
during earlier investigations, and than
we expected. We detected White-
collared Kites predominantly during
display flights above the forest early in
the morning. After display flying, the
birds perched for a few minutes, and
then dropped into the forest for
the rest of the day. Outside this
e r I relatively narrow window of
e display flying (30 90 minutes)
Sthe kites were virtually
undetectable, and perhaps one of
the reasons why they had been
largely overlooked.
In February 2008 we conducted
a follow up kite survey to
confirm the presence of birds at
selected sites previously
surveyed in October 2007.
Marco Granzinolli from the
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
joined Fransico Denes, Russell
Thorstrom and myself this time. Not
only did we confirm several kite pairs in
the sites surveyed, but we also recorded
a pair of near threatened Mantled
Hawks (Leucopternis polionotus),
another Atlantic rainforest endemic.
What's next? Team members and
supporting institutions agree that now
that we know how to detect White-
collared Kites we need to survey other
areas to determine their presence and
distribution throughout Alagoas,
Pernambuco, and neighboring states.
Knowing the geographic range of the
White-collared Kite is crucial in
establishing a conservation strategy for
this species. It is important to
determine, once and for all, the
taxonomic status of this species, and to
learn more about its ecology while
involving local personnel and
organizations, landowners, students and
conservationists too. Achieving a sound
understanding of the biology of the
White-collared Kite and making
information available to local
stakeholders are important objectives
for the future a future now brighter
than ever for the White-collared Kite.
t
Issue 5
Page 14
J To join the NRN
please send an email to
ST 1 mlinares@fondoperegrino. org,
Neotropical introducing yourself and stating your
Raptor interest in Neotropical raptor research
network and conservation.
NRN Coordinator Magaly Linares
Smlinares@fondoperegrino.org
Fondo Peregrino -_Panam is a nmembership-b,, d .
Telefax: (507) 317 -_0064 I research and conserv-,ased oo nizt 'ion Its
Apdo. 0844-00230 communication and collaboration Neoropgoal to aid the
Republica de Panama enthuis f. and other among biolosts, y
www.peregrinefund.org S, and oher o ng b sts Oithologis
www.fondoperegrino.org Conserv.tioniss king in the raptor
Conferences and Meetings Neropcs.
XII CONFERENCE OF THE MESOAMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION El Sal-
vador, November 10-14, 2008. For more information visit http://www.smbcelsalvador2008.com/
25th INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS August 22-28, 2010.Campos do Jordao, Sao Paolo,
Brazil. For more information visit http://www.ib.usp.br/25ioc/
3RD NEOTROPICAL RAPTOR CONFERNCE October 28-30, 2009 Bogota, Colombia: Please stay tuned for
more upcoming information through the Neotropical Raptor Network! www.neotropicalraptors.org
THE ORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA announce
the Tropical Ecology and Conservation course, Jan 14-Feb 23, 2009. For more information visit contact or visit
academic@ots.ac.cr http://www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?lang=en
BOOKS
NEOTROPICAL RAPTORS, 2nd Neotropical
Raptor Conference Proceedings, Iguazfi, Ar-
gentina, June 2006
Order from:
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Bookstore
1700 Hawk Mountain Road
Kempton, PA 19529 USA
1-610-756-6000
$28.00 (including surface mail)
bookstore(ahawkmountain.org V|-A
Crowned Solitary-Eagle... from page 12
conservation of this species. Also a significant number of
captive birds were studied at zoos in Argentina. For further
information or to collaborate, please contact Dr. Miguel D
Saggese and/or Agustin Quaglia. This work is possible
thanks to the generous support of Schubot Exotic Bird
Health Center.
Project Participants:
Park Ranger Roberto Pereyra Lobos y collaborators:
Reserva Provincial Bosques Telteca, Direcci6n de Recursos
Naturales, provincia de Mendoza.
Lic. Juan Jose Maceda and collaborators: Fundaci6n de
Historia Natural F61ix de Azara, provincia de La Pampa.
Dr. Jose H Sarasola y collaborators, CECARA, Province
of La Pampa.
PCRAR Zoo de Buenos Aires, Zoo Cordoba, Zoo
Mendoza, Zoo San Rafael, Guira Oga, Zoo Tatu
Carreta, Zoo Pte. Saenz Peiia.
Issue 5
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