Stopover areas and communal roosting by the White-throated Hawk (Buteo albigula) during its northbound migration in the Andes.

Rivas-Fuenzalida T.; Quispe-Flores Y. · Ornitologia Neotropical (2021) · DOI: 10.58843/ornneo.v32i2.307

Resumen

The White-throated Hawk (Buteo albigula) is the only South American Accipitridae that performs trans-equatorial migrations in the Austral-Neotropical system, and until now very little is known about its migratory ecology. Here we describe the use of communal roosting and stopover areas by this species during its northbound migration during the austral autumn. We recorded a communal roost, used by up to 15 individuals simultaneously in a small eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) plantation in Putre (northernmost Chile, 3,500 m a.s.l.). In the Mantaro Valley (central Peru, 3,250 m a.s.l.) we observed several individuals hunting in agricultural areas and resting in eucalyptus plantations. One of them (tracked by satellite telemetry) remained in the area for 17 days, before continuing its migration to the north. Our observations reveal the existence of temporary congregation areas of the White-throated Hawk that should be important for its conservation.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina