Nesting Success and Food Habits of Breeding White-Tailed Hawks (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) in South Texas

Abstract

The white-tailed hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) is a neotropical bird of prey listed as state-threatened in Texas due to a lack of information regarding population demographics and a restricted breeding range. The subsequent chapters detail my investigation of white-tailed hawk nesting success (chapter II) and food habits (chapter III) along the Gulf Coast of Texas. This broad-scale assessment identified the positive relationship between daily nest survival estimates and nest height in Texas. Additionally, my research showed the white-tailed hawk had a broad diet, supporting observations from more recent studies compared to historical publications. My results indicated geographical differences in the primary taxon of prey items selected with three pairs selecting more mammals and one pair selecting more reptiles. However, increased sampling and long-term monitoring of the white-tailed hawk in Texas is necessary to further investigate limiting factors that may be impacting their nesting success and to effectively manage for the species.