NESTING OF THE GREATER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE (CATHARTES MELAMBROTUS) IN EASTERN PERU

The Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes melambrotus) is one of the less known cathartids (Cathartiformes, Cathartidae), especially in its reproductive biology, being the only species in the family that does not have nest description. Here I describe the discovery of one nest located in a cavity 55 m above the ground on a 70 m high x 130 m wide cliff at 1.230 masl. in the eastern rainforest of central Peru. The nest was found during late dry season (October 31, 2019), and contained a well-developed chick (50-60 days old) which was being fed by the parents. The habitat surrounding the nesting site presented thinned forests for shade of coffee crops, banana and citrus plantations and remnants of adult secondary forest in the streams

NESTING RECORDS OF THE TINY HAWK (ACCIPITER SUPERCILIOSUS) IN EASTERN PERU

Knowledge about the breeding biology of the Tiny Hawk (Accipiter superciliosus) is scarce. Here we describe the discovery of two nests in the rainforest of eastern Peru. The first nest was detected during the incubation period (September 2018) at a height of 14 m above the ground on a branch bifurcation in a 20 m tall unidentified tree, at 525 m a. s. l. The second nest was detected during the fledging period (October 2020) and was located 16 m from the ground on the bifurcation of branches of a 20 m tall and 0.89 m DBH Flame tree (Erythrina velutina), at 1.070 m a. s. l. That nest had been built and occupied during the previous season by a pair of Plumbeous Kite (Ictinia plumbea). Both nests were located within remnants of secondary forest surrounded by currently or previously cultivated land. Observations are presented on the feeding behavior and nest defense

PRIMER REGISTRO DE NIDIFICACIÓN Y OTRAS OBSERVACIONES SOBRE EL BÚHO VENTRIBANDEADO (PULSATRIX MELANOTA)

The Band-bellied Owl (Pulsatrix melanota) is among the least known Neotropical strigiforms, and up to now, no nesting records of the species have been published. In July 2020 in a locality in the eastern foothills of central Peru, an active nest occupied by a single chick and an adult pair of band-bellied owls was found. The nest was located on a small triangular ledge (≈170 cm2) at 6 m high in a forked trunk of a 17 m high and 93,3 cm DBH Albizia carbonaria tree, in a gently sloping hillside of a small ravine at 1290 m a.s.l. The nesting tree was located only at 4 m from a transited road and 40 m from a small village. The habitat in the nest site was dominated by agricultural land. In addition, we describe three other chicks, provide morphometric measurements of an adult and notes on the diet

First cliff-nesting record for the Rufous-tailed Hawk (Buteo ventralis) in southern Chile

El Aguilucho Cola Rojiza (Buteo ventralis) es una especie endémica del bosque templado austral. Hasta ahora el único sustrato de nidificación conocido para esta especie eran los árboles de gran tamaño. En octubre de 2012 se encontró una pareja de Aguilucho Cola Rojiza nidificando en una pared rocosa de un acantilado cerca de Curacautín, región de La Araucanía, sur de Chile. La observación contradice la información publicada previamente y sugiere que el Aguilucho Cola Rojiza puede ser más flexible en sus hábitos de nidificación.The Rufous-tailed Hawk (Buteo ventralis) is an endemic species of the temperate austral forest. Until now, the only know nesting substrate for this species were large trees. In October 2012, we found a Rufous-tailed Hawk pair nesting on a cliff near Curacautín, La Araucanía region, southern Chile. Our observation opposes to the previously published information on the subject and it suggests that the Rufous-tailed Hawk can be less restrictive in his nesting habits

BREEDING ECOLOGY, NESTING HABITAT AND THREATS TO A BLACK-AND-CHESTNUT EAGLE SPIZAETUS ISIDORI POPULATION IN THE MONTANE FORESTS OF CENTRAL PERU

The Black-and-chestnut Eagle Spizaetus isidori is an endangered and little-known top predator of South American montane forests. To better understand the breeding ecology and threats of this eagle, we studied several pairs between 2017 and 2022 in the central Andes of Peru. We recorded 62 adults, one immature, and 36 juveniles in 36 territories. These territories were in mountainous areas (altitudinal range 690–3,810 m a.s.l.), widely covered by montane forests (43.8–99.7% cover), and secondarily by open land (0.3–56.2% cover), far from urban settlements (1.3–27.1 km). Nesting sites (N = 15) were at medium altitudes (1,330–2,330 m a.s.l.) in steep hillsides or ravines (15–55°), having no preferential cardinal orientation, and relatively close to permanent water courses (20–800 m), open areas (30–930 m) and sites with human activity (120–2,200 m). Nests (N = 15) were placed at the top of tall (28–40 m) and thick-stemmed (DBH range 0.53–1.52 m) emergent trees of nine genera, with Ficus and Juglans being the most used. Incubation and brood-rearing occurred during the dry season (Mar–Nov). The wooded slopes where the eagles nested are being replaced by crops and livestock pastures, causing an estimated loss of 218.2 km2 of forest cover in our study area (5,056 km2) during the last 20 years. We detected human persecution in 55.5% of the territories, resulting in 26 juveniles, four adults, two immatures, and nine unaged eagles killed. Preventing the local extinctions of these eagles will require long-term population monitoring, improving knowledge of its ecology, mitigation of human-eagle conflict, development of education programs, and strengthening of land use inspection

ÁREAS DE ESCALA MIGRATORIA Y DORMIDERO COMUNITARIO DEL AGUILUCHO CHICO (BUTEO ALBIGULA) DURANTE SU MIGRACIÓN HACIA EL NORTE EN LOS ANDES

El aguilucho chico (Buteo albigula) es el único Accipitridae sudamericano que realiza migraciones transecuatoriales en el sistema Austral-neotropical, y hasta ahora conocemos muy poco sobre su ecología migratoria. Aquí describimos el uso de áreas de escala y dormide-ro comunitario por parte de esta especie durante su migración hacia el norte en el otoño austral. Registramos un dormidero comunitario, ocupado por hasta 15 individuos simultáneamente, en una pequeña plantación de eucaliptos (Eucalyptus globulus) en Putre (extremo norte de Chile, 3.500 m s.n.m.). En el Valle del Mantaro (centro de Perú, 3.250 m s.n.m.) observamos varios individuos cazando en áreas agrícolas y descansando en plantaciones de eucaliptos. Uno de ellos (seguido por telemetría satelital) permaneció en el área por 17 días, para luego continuar su migración hacia el norte. Nuestras observaciones revelan la existencia de zonas de congregación temporal del aguilucho chico que son importantes para su conservación

First cliff-nesting record for the Rufous-tailed Hawk (<i>Buteo ventralis</i>) in southern Chile

El Aguilucho Cola Rojiza (<i>Buteo ventralis</i>) es una especie endémica del bosque templado austral. Hasta ahora el único sustrato de nidificación conocido para esta especie eran los árboles de gran tamaño. En octubre de 2012 se encontró una pareja de Aguilucho Cola Rojiza nidificando en una pared rocosa de un acantilado cerca de Curacautín, región de La Araucanía, sur de Chile. La observación contradice la información publicada previamente y sugiere que el Aguilucho Cola Rojiza puede ser más flexible en sus hábitos de nidificación.The Rufous-tailed Hawk (<i>Buteo ventralis</i>) is an endemic species of the temperate austral forest. Until now, the only know nesting substrate for this species were large trees. In October 2012, we found a Rufous-tailed Hawk pair nesting on a cliff near Curacautín, La Araucanía region, southern Chile. Our observation opposes to the previously published information on the subject and it suggests that the Rufous-tailed Hawk can be less restrictive in his nesting habits

A MIGRATORY BOTTLENECK FOR THE WHITE-THROATED HAWK BUTEO ALBIGULA IN THE ANDEAN FOOTHILLS OF CENTRAL CHILE

The White-throated Hawk Buteo albigula is one of the most abundant migratory raptors in the Austral-Neotropical system, but no bottlenecks in its migratory routes are known. Here, we describe the finding of the first migratory bottleneck for this species on the Andean slopes of central Chile. We counted a total of 5,424 White-throated Hawks migrating from south to north from 17 March until 13 April 2023, in Cachapoal, O'Higgins Region, Chile (34° S; 70° W). In addition, we counted 1,314 Variable Hawks Geranoaetus polyosoma and seven Cinereous Harriers Circus cinereus migrating through this site for a total of 6,745 raptors, which represent the largest count of migrant raptors in the Austral-Neotropical system. Both, the passage rate (24.2 hawks/hour) and the total number of White-throated Hawks observed per season, were higher at Cachapoal than at any other previous count site (daily passage rate range = 1.0–7.2 hawks/hour; total hawks per season = 35–294). We estimated that over 84% of the breeding population of White-throated Hawks transit the Cachapoal bottleneck during their autumn migration. Remote tracking technologies and observations at other points of the Andes should help to further examine this proposal. Continuing with the long-term count of White-throated Hawks in this bottleneck will allow us to assess the population trends of this important predator in the southern temperate forests