Breeding phenology and nest survival of Cinereous (Circus cinereus) and Long-winged (C. buffoni) Harriers in the agricultural landscapes of north-east Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe present novel data on breeding ecology and nest survival of the Cinereous (Circus cinereus) and Long-winged (C. buffoni) Harriers in modified grasslands of southern Argentina and we evaluate variations in daily nest survival rates (DSR) in relation to temporal and habitat variables. We studied three mixed nesting colonies embedded in agricultural landscapes along a road. We found that DSR decreased linearly with time of breeding and increased with vegetation height above the nest and the distance to the road. This is the first and most complete reproductive study concerning two species of conservation concern, namely the Cinereous and Long-winged Harriers in Patagonia. Our study provides valuable and novel insights into the population dynamics of these little-known species.