Abstract
Abstract We studied Double-toothed Kites (Harpagus bidentatus) in tropical lowland forest at Tikal National Park, Peten, Guatemala, documenting behavior and diet during the incubation and nestling periods. These 200-g kites are Accipiter-like in form and strikingly size-dimorphic for a kite. Modal clutch size was two, producing 0.63 fledglings per nesting attempt and 1.25 per successful nest. Nesting was largely synchronous among pairs, with hatching during the first month of the rainy season and fledging one month later. Incubation lasted 42–45 days and nestlings fledged at 29.5 days on average. A radio-tagged fledgling was fed near the nest for 35 days; 6–8 weeks after fledging it dispersed at least 10 km, presumably reaching independence. Males did not incubate or brood, and rarely fed nestlings directly. Males typically provided most but not all prey (mainly lizards) during incubation and early nestling periods. Insects in the nestling diet increased through the nestling period as females increasingly...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
