Habitat use by Red-tailed Hawks wintering in the delta region of Arkansas

Citation
Hd. Garner et Jc. Bednarz, Habitat use by Red-tailed Hawks wintering in the delta region of Arkansas, J RAPT RES, 34(1), 2000, pp. 26-32
Citations number
13
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences
Journal title
JOURNAL OF RAPTOR RESEARCH
ISSN journal
0892-1016 → ACNP
Volume
34
Issue
1
Year of publication
2000
Pages
26 - 32
Database
ISI
SICI code
0892-1016(200003)34:1<26:HUBRHW>2.0.ZU;2-P
Abstract
We examined use and avoidance of specific habitat types by Red-tailed Hawks (Buleo jamaicensis) during the winter in Arkansas. We conducted biweekly r oad surveys to determine the relative number of hawks present throughout th e winter season and to record which habitat types hawks used for hunting pu rposes. Available cover types were used significantly (P< 0.05) out of prop ortion to their availability. A total of 55.6% of Red-tailed Hawks used ric e fields, which made up 49.3% of the available habitat. Additionally 12.1% of Red-tailed Hawks were in forest patches that comprised only 0.9% of our study area. Hawk numbers were less than expected in soybean fields with onl y 26.5% of red-tails observed in 39% of the available habitat. Likewise, 5. 8% of Red-tailed Hawks were in wheat fields that made up 10.8% of the habit at available. Juveniles and adults were not observed to use the various cov er types differently (chi(2) = 2.221, P = 0.528). Numbers of Red-tailed Haw ks over the winter season were significantly correlated with rodent numbers (r = 0.618, P = 0.05). Our results suggested that Red-tailed Hawks were bo th spatially and temporally affected by variations in rodent abundance duri ng the winter in the Delta region of Arkansas.