Food habits of breeding bald eagles (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus) in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park

• Other Authors: Hanson, Matthew (author)
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Florida Atlantic University
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004249

The population of Bald Eagles in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park has declined over the past few decades. It is hypothesized that changes in prey availabilities from alterations to ecosystem conditions have contributed to this decline. Our goals were to document diet and explore how prey availabilities may affect the Bald Eagle. For the 2009 and 2010 breeding seasons we collected prey remains from nest sites and video monitored provisioning of prey. Prey remains consisted of 33 species and were compositionally different than prey remains collected prior to ecological changes, suggesting changes in prey availabilities. Also, provisioning rates were significantly lower than Bald Eagles in other North American regions and declined throughout the breeding season. Our results suggest that prey availabilities has affected the food habits of breeding Bald Eagles in Florida Bay, which may be contributing to their decline. === Includes bibliography. === Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012.