Survival and recruitment estimates are important for predicting population viability and the efficacy of translocations. This information requires intensive monitoring postrelease, which is often economically or logistically infeasible. Since 2009, juveniles of the critically endangered Ridgway's Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) have been translocated from Los Haitises National Park to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Here, we use multistate capture–recapture models to estimate survival and recruitment of translocated Ridgway's Hawks. We further examine whether survival or recruitment differed between sexes or translocation status (translocated vs. wild-reared birds in Los Haitises). Survival was relatively high for breeders, nonbreeders, and juveniles, and did not differ by translocation status or sex. Translocated juveniles were recruited into the breeding population at Punta Cana at more than double the rate of wild-reared juveniles in Los Haitises—likely because more unoccupied territories were available in Punta Cana. Our results show that translocation does not reduce survival, but does increase recruitment, of Ridgway's Hawks when territories are available in suitable habitat. Future work should evaluate the reproductive performance of Ridgway's Hawks in Punta Cana and determine the effects of translocations on the population in Los Haitises. Although the types of data collected during postrelease monitoring are often determined by funding, feasibility, and research objectives, our results demonstrate the importance of continued monitoring of translocated animals.
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25 October 2017
Successful enhancement of Ridgway's Hawk populations through recruitment of translocated birds
Christopher J. W. McClure,
Brian W. Rolek,
Thomas I. Hayes,
Christine D. Hayes,
Russell Thorstrom,
Marta Curti,
David L. Anderson
![](/ContentImages/journals/cond/119/4/4/WebImages/00105422-119.4.cover.jpg)
The Condor
Vol. 119 • No. 4
November 2017
Vol. 119 • No. 4
November 2017
endangered species
hacking
Hispaniola
monitoring
recruitment
reintroduction
survival