First record of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) nesting on Hispaniola
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Abstract: Though the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) is present year-round on Hispaniola, nesting for this species has not been documented in either Haiti or the Dominican Republic. During March to June 2011 and 2012, we located four active Turkey Vulture nests in the Dominican Republic: three in Los Haitises National Park and one on private land near the town of Pedro Sanchez. This paper provides the first nesting record of Turkey Vultures on Hispaniola, a description of these four nests, and general information on three other previously unreported nests.
Keywords: Cathartes aura, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola, Los Haitises National Park, nesting records, Turkey Vulture
Resumen: Primer registro de anidación de Cathartes aura en la Española—Aunque Cathartes aura está presente todo el año en La Española, la anidación de esta especie no ha sido documentada en Haití o República Dominicana. Durante marzo y junio de 2011 y 2012, encontramos cuatro nidos activos de esta especie en República Dominicana: tres en el Parque Nacional Los Haitises y uno en terrenos privados cerca de la ciudad de Pedro Sánchez. Este documento proporciona el primer registro de nidificación de Cathartes aura en La Española, una descripción de estos cuatro nidos e información general sobre otros tres nidos no reportados previamente.
Palabras clave: Cathartes aura, La Española, Parque Nacional Los Haitises, registros de anidación, República Dominicana
Résumé: Première mention de nidification de l’Urubu à tête rouge (Cathartes aura) à Hispaniola—Bien que l’Urubu à tête rouge (Cathartes aura) soit présent toute l’année sur l’île d’Hispaniola, la nidification de cette espèce n’est pas documentée en Haïti ni en République Dominicaine. De mars à juin 2011 et 2012, nous avons trouvé quatre nids occupés d’Urubu à tête rouge en République Dominicaine: trois nids dans le parc national Los Haitises et un nid sur des terrains privés près de la ville de Pedro Sanchez. Cet article présente la première mention de nidification d’Urubu à tête rouge sur l’île d’Hispaniola, une description des quatre nids, et des informations générales sur trois autres nids non signalés précédemment.
Mots-clés: Cathartes aura, données de nidification, Hispaniola, Parc national Los Haitises, République Dominicaine, Urubu à tête rouge
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