Multiple‐brooding in birds of prey: South African Black Sparrowhawks Accipiter melanoleucus extend the boundaries

Abstract

Multiple‐brooding (raising more than one brood of young in quick succession) occurs infrequently in raptors and is generally restricted to either smaller species with shorter nesting periods, co‐operative breeders or species capable of capitalizing on conditions of prolonged food abundance whenever they occur. This paper presents the first recorded cases of multiple‐brooding in the Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus from two distinct locales in South Africa. In the Western Cape (Cape Peninsula), four attempts to multiple‐brood were recorded in four different years, involving three distinct pairs of birds, and in KwaZulu–Natal (Eshowe), three distinct pairs of Sparrowhawks successfully multiple‐brooded on several occasions over a 5‐year study period. These results establish the Black Sparrowhawk as one of only two relatively large, monogamous raptor species, and the only specialist bird‐eating raptor, in which multiple‐brooding has been recorded with any frequency. The species’ capacity to thrive in human‐modified environments (i.e. alien plantations) and particularly to exploit associated foraging opportunities (e.g. high densities of doves and pigeons in suburban areas) may, at least partly, account for the instances of multiple‐brooding reported here. We suggest that biologists be more vigilant for cases of multiple‐brooding in raptors, as it is possible that this trait is more common than originally thought and has previously been overlooked.