Nest-Site Selection of Red-Shouldered and Red-Tailed Hawks in a Managed Forest

• Published in: The Wilson bulletin (Wilson Ornithological Society) 1996-06, Vol.108 (2), p.357-368
• Main Authors: Moorman, Christopher E., Chapman, Brian R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Animal and plant ecology; Animal nesting; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Aves; Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Bird nesting; Birds of prey; Buteo jamaicensis; Buteo lineatus; Demographic aspects; Forest birds; Forest canopy; Forest habitats; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Habitat selection; Hardwoods; Hawks; Highlands; Nesting sites; Vertebrata
• ISSN: 0043-5643; 2162-5204

We compared nest-site macro- and microhabitat selection of Red-shouldered (Buteo lineatus) and Red-tailed hawks (B. jamaicensis) and examined potential relationships between habitat selection and nest success in a managed forest in central Georgia. We located 12 Red-shouldered and 10 Red-tailed hawk nests during the 1994 breeding season. Circular plots (1 km2) were mapped around each hawk nest and 100 random points, and selected macrohabitat characteristics within the plots were measured and compared. Red-shouldered Hawk nest-site macrohabitat was characterized by significantly more bottomland hardwood habitat, less older age (>50 yr) pine habitat, and larger nest-site stands than random plots. Red-tailed Hawk nest plots contained significantly more agriculture habitat, more young (6-20 yr) pine habitat, less upland hardwood habitat, less total amount of edge, fewer number of stands, and larger average stand size than random plots. Red-shouldered Hawk nest sites (0.04 ha) had more large (>69 cm DBH) trees and lower percent total canopy cover than random points. Red-tailed Hawk nests were placed close to habitat edges and openings in the canopy, and nest sites had taller trees, larger (>69 cm) trees, and greater percent understory cover than random points. Successful Red-tailed Hawk nests were placed in shorter trees than unsuccessful nests. On the study site, large floodplain forests offering mature trees were important to breeding Red-shouldered Hawks, and mature pine forest edges near openings created by silvicultural and agricultural practices were important to breeding Red-tailed Hawks.