Point-count surveys with playback recordings have been used to estimate density and abundance for Hawaiian Hawks (‘Io; Buteo solitarius) on Hawaii. Playbacks are necessary for effective surveys, but attract hawks toward the observer prior to their detection. This attraction inflates estimates of density and abundance based on distance analytical techniques. We quantified movement of radio-tagged Hawaiian Hawks and evaluated six methods to adjust estimates to account for attraction. We evaluated methods by comparing density estimates determined by spot mapping to adjusted point counts at two study sites (Kona Forest, Puu Waawaa) during 1998 and 1999 on Hawaii. By spot mapping, we estimated densities of 0.59 and 0.76 hawks/km² at the Puu Waawaa and Kona Refuge study sites, respectively. We adjusted for (1) lack of response, (2) attraction to calls, (3) attraction and lack of response, (4) view obstruction, (5) view obstruction and lack of response, and (6) movement prior to detection. All methods were effective in adjusting density at the two study areas, but simply subtracting the mean distance moved from estimated distances (attraction) provided nearly identical density estimates to spot mapping. We describe a simple computer simulation routine to accomplish this task for future Hawaiian Hawk surveys.

French Guiana still has a full gradient of natural habitats, from coastal mangroves, marshes, and savannas (ca. 3700 km²), to swamp and terra firme lowland primary rain forest (ca. 80 000 km²). Thirty-two study sites, >2000 ha each, were surveyed throughout the country, including all major vegetation types from 1981 to 2003 during >5472 hr of effective daylight raptor searches. Census techniques took into account the behavior and detectability of every species to assess their abundance and habitat associations. The French Guiana raptor community included 27 forest species, five species restricted to forest edges and large gaps, five species of wetlands and mangroves, eight coastal grassland specialists, four nearctic migrants, and seven occasional taxa of unconfirmed status. In the 19 undisturbed primary forest sites, the most common raptor was the Lined Forest-Falcon (Micrastur gilvicollis). Many species were rare or patchily distributed: 15% of all species were found in only 5–11% of the 32 localities sampled and <30% were present in almost all of them. The abundance index was correlated with site occupancy frequency. There was no significant difference in species richness among parts of the country. Some taxa widespread in Latin America (Cathartes, Accipiter, Micrastur) were comparatively rare and local in French Guiana, where more typical Amazonian species were present. Mean abundance of forest vultures, eagles, and caracaras decreased with hunting and logging activities. Country-wide population estimates of forest species ranged from fewer than 100 pairs for habitat specialists such as Orange-breasted Falcon (Falco deiroleucus) and Black Caracara (Daptrius ater) and 400–500 pairs for the largest and widespread Harpy (Harpia harpyja) and Crested (Morphnus guianensis) eagles, to >10 000 pairs for the common Lined Forest-Falcon.

We fitted four nestling Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) with Doppler-based satellite Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs) in northern California in 1997–1999. We also fitted immature and adult Bald Eagles with apparent origins in Canada with PTTs on their wintering grounds in central and southern California in 1997–2002. Post-fledging California eagles moved northward in their first summer, three to coastal and near-coastal central British Columbia and one to Great Slave Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories (ca. 1200–1400 and 2200 km by straight line, respectively). Three eagles with still-functioning PTTs returned to California between October and April. In subsequent years, the California-fledged eagles returned to or near their original northern summer areas in British Columbia or Northwest Territories annually for as many as 2 yr. Migrations of one young California eagle to and from Great Slave Lake were geographically similar to those of adult and immature Bald Eagles we studied concurrently that spent the breeding season in Canada and wintered in California, but timing of movements differed. In migrations subsequent to their first year, California eagles departed California later (late May to late July) than wintering migrants of all ages (mid-February to mid-March), and returned as early as September, while the winter migrants did not arrive in California until December–January.

We studied the diet of the Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus) at Mar Chiquita Biosphere Reserve, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We identified 3033 prey items (two invertebrate and five vertebrate classes) corresponding to 116 prey types, from 158 prey remains and 558 pellets collected from five pairs of caracaras. Overall food-niche breadth at the species level was 11.5 (N  =  110 species), and the majority of prey items were insects (69.5%), followed by mammals (23.9%) and birds (5%). This pattern was noted in spring and summer; in autumn and winter, mammals dominated the diet sample and insects were recorded less frequently. In all seasons, mammals constituted the majority of prey biomass, followed by birds; insects represented only a small proportion of total prey biomass. Items suspected to be carrion constituted a larger proportion of the diet in winter and included primarily mammals and birds. Diet breadth was highest in winter, and dietary similarity was greater between spring and summer and between autumn and winter. Our results differ from those reported for the diet of Southern Caracaras in northwestern Patagonia probably due to differences in carrion availability between the two regions.

We investigated nesting of Barn Owls (Tyto alba) in central Punjab, Pakistan, from 1999–2002. We also documented diet of Barn Owls in southern Punjab and southeastern Baluchistan, Pakistan. Of 40 nests found in central Punjab, 33 were located in tree hollows, four in buildings, and three in nest boxes. Egg-laying was observed primarily between the second week of August and October (N  =  23), with a smaller number of nests started May–July (N  =  5). Fledging of the autumn nests was completed by early January, and all breeding efforts observed in May–July were unsuccessful. During the August–January breeding period, clutch size averaged 5.83 eggs (SE  =  0.47; range  =  1–12; N  =  23) and brood size 4.15 nestlings (SE  =  0.28; range  =  2–7; N  =  20). Shrews (59%), birds (19%), rats and mice (13%), and insects (7%) were the main prey in southern Punjab, whereas rats and mice (93%), shrews (4%), and amphibians and reptiles (3%) were the main prey in southeastern Baluchistan.

Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) have declined throughout much of their range over the past few decades. Management plans to address these declines require information on habitat requirements throughout the species' range. Despite this, there has been very little study on territory requirements or foraging habitat of Loggerhead Shrikes at the northern limits of their distribution. Here, we examined territory sizes, foraging habitat, and hunting success of shrikes in southeastern Alberta during the 1992 and 1993 breeding seasons. Territories averaged 8.5 ha (95% Minimum Convex Polygon) and were smaller in 1992 than 1993, but did not differ in size between incubation and nestling periods. Territory sizes were larger than those found in many core areas of the species' range, perhaps because this region is more arid and supports lower prey abundance. Foraging success was highest on the highway/railway right-of-way, followed by native pastures, and was lowest in crop fields, fallow fields, and improved pastures. Despite this, shrikes foraged less often than expected on the right-of-way, perhaps because tall, dense cover makes foraging there energetically expensive. Foraging shrikes also avoided crop and fallow fields in favor of native and improved pastures. Management strategies should take into account the larger territory requirements of shrikes in this part of their distribution. Based on territory sizes and foraging habitat use, we recommend limiting habitat disturbance within approximately 250 m of nest sites and maintaining native pasture on known shrike territories.