Title: Breeding Behaviour of the Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus
Abstract: Brown Goshawks Accipiter fasciatus were studied near Melbourne, Victoria during the 1980-83 breeding seasons. Pre-laying displays including conspicuous perching, unilateral and mutual soaring and pair pursuit are described, as are courtship feeding and copulation . Both sexes were involved in nest construction. A territory of 200-300 m diameter around the nest was defended against conspecifics and certain other raptors. Nests were also defended against human visitors and avian predators, however the manner and intensity of defence was variable . Females played the main role in nest and territory defence, although it was not determined which sex initially established the territory. Males provided all f ood for themselves and their mates during the lat e pre-laying and incubation periods. Egg coverage was near-constant from about the time of clutch co mpletion to hatching. Although males usually covered the eggs while their mates fed, less than 90% of incubation was undertaken by females. Female attachment to the nest remained high in the days after hatching, declining from 89% to 10% of observation time from the first to the third week of the nestling period. Males continued to provide all food in the early nestling period, the stage of female foraging recommencement varying from nest to nest. Rates of prey delivery declined from approximately 4-5 to 3-4 meals / day during the nestling period. Various other aspects of adult and young behaviour are also described . Of 55 breeding females, two were in first-year plumage and two were identified as second-year birds. All 23 breeding males appeared to be in full adult plumage. No evidence was found for polygamy or polygyny. At one nest a male (grey morph) Grey Goshawk A. novaehollandiae replaced a male Brown Goshawk as the mate of a female Brown Goshawk at about the time of laying.
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-03-22
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 3
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