Ecology and Conservation of the Crowned Eagle

in Neotropical Program: Student Education and Research: Argentina:

Status: Active, started in 2006

Donate

Goals:

Reverse the current eagle population trend of decline to a trend of population growth by increasing knowledge of diet composition, availability of main prey, habitat use and causes of mortality; and by carrying out an education campaign targeted to gauchos (farmers) and children from rural communities.

Background:

The Crowned Eagle Harpyhaliaetus coronatus inhabits lowland areas of semi-open seasonal dry country and moderate altitude hill ranges of southern South America. Its conservation status was recently uplisted to Endangered, with a declining world population estimated at <1000 individuals in 2001. The causes of the endangered status of Crowned Eagle are not well documented. Both habitat loss and persecution have been separately suggested as the main causes of the species’ decline. Nor we know much about its ecology, diet and behavior, mainly due to its very low density and patchy distribution; therefore this project aims to increase knowledge on the species’ ecology and biology by studying the population in Provincia de la Pampa in central Argentina. This area is considered as the southern limit of the species’ range.

In the past, the study area in La Pampa was devoted primarily to raising sheep for wool production. There are some anecdotal records that eagles were preying on sheep when they were plentiful. The economic impact of this predation was never assessed, nor do we know the frequency of predation. What we do know is that this eagle, like other birds of prey, usually has the ability to adjust its feeding preferences to the most common prey in the habitat. We assumed that because of these records of predation on sheep, the Crowned Eagle earned its reputation as a predator of livestock. The same farms that had sheep before are now raising cattle. It is unlikely that eagles would be able to kill calves, but persecution continues.

From the environmental perspective, this study is providing basic information to: 1) reverse the current eagle population trend of decline to a trend of population growth, 2) identify important areas for conservation for the Crowned Eagle in Central Argentina, and 3) conserve the habitat of the Crowned Eagle with reliable prey sources to ensure conservation of Crowned Eagles in the long term.

From the human community perspective this project is: 1) carrying out an environmental education and awareness campaign to reach out to children and adults of rural La Pampa Province, 2) seeking agreements with landowners to reduce persecution of eagles and to achieve habitat protection on private farms, and 3) strengthening the research group CECARA and local authorities of the Province of La Pampa to achieve conservation goals that would benefit Crowned Eagles, its prey sources, and ultimately benefit the local communities.

Recent Results:

  • Video camera recordings in 2010 showed poisonous snakes to be the bird’s main prey. This is an important finding as ranchers can see that conserving Crowned Eagles protects humans and livestock and that the birds are not feeding on lamb or other domestic animals.
  • Interviews with local farmers indicated that direct human persecution is the main threat to the species in Argentina. There is some mortality by electrocution on power lines.
  • Methods developed to search for nests, monitor nests, capture eagles, and sample prey availability.
  • A total of 26 nests located, of which 4-6 are active every year.
  • Movements and dispersal studied (2007-2010) on one juvenile tracked via satellite telemetry.
  • Reptiles and mammals are the main prey for the species.
  • A total of 24 schools from 15 villages/towns selected for environmental education activities imparting the conservation message to about 1000 children.
  • A total of 50 ranchers (with and without eagle nests) selected to participate in awareness campaign.

Project Links:

(no history) (no field notes)
Publications and Data (no misc. information)
Photos and Videos

Location Note:

Our research program is running in the province of La Pampa, Central Argentina

Species involved

People involved in this project:

Hernan Vargas Ph.D. Program director – Neotropical Science and Student Education
Rick Watson Ph.D. Vice President and Director of International Programs
Jose Hernan Sarasola CECARA - CONICET advisor
Maximiliano Adrián Galmes Ph.D. Student

Cooperating Partners:

  • Universidad Nacional de La Pampa
  • Centro para el Estudio y Conservación de las Aves Rapaces en Argentina-Universidad Nacional de La Pampa (CECARA)
  • Universidad Nacional del Comahue (UNCOMA)
  • Government of La Pampa Province
  • Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCYT)
  • Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
  • Aves Argentinas