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Goshawk nestlings with BTO and PIT rings. |
Given the success of our use of pit tags to better understand peregrine falcon populations (Click here to visit our web page on this), we have decided to use them also for goshawk.
The goshawk population presents an interesting research opportunity. Despite being long re-established as a breeder in the UK, the population has remained relatively small, and its distribution patchy. The main reason for this is, almost certainly, the level of persecution goshawks suffer rather than any natural limitations of food or nesting habitat. This informed suspicion is supported by the fact that many fewer goshawk rings are recovered than one might expect from its size and habits. Enhancing the research situation is the fact that a goodly proportion of the goshawk nest sites that are productive (and some that are unproductive) are monitored every year by Scottish Raptor Study Groups (Click on their logo below to visit their web site), and chicks are often ringed.
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PIT ring used for goshawk and peregrines |
Because the population is relatively small, and because we can electronically ‘capture’ breeding goshawks with pit tags much easier than we can physically capture them, the use of pit tags will allow us to collect important data on goshawk demography. In doing so, we should be able to estimate the level of persecution and judge how persecution in one area might affect recruitment of young goshawks into the breeding population at a larger scale.
PIT ringing goshawks compliments our creation of a databank of goshawk DNA. Click here to read more about that initiative.
If you would like more information on this work, please contact Mike McGrady, mike.mcgrady@natural-research.org
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