Feeding Frequencies in Captive-reared Harpy Eagles, Harpia harpyja

Abstract

Harpy eagles (Harpia harpyja) are one of the largest raptors in the world and little is known about their reproductive behavior. Typically, two eggs and the incubation period is 53-55 days in a zoo setting and the fledgling period can be anywhere from three to six months. They are listed as vulnerable and face threats of habitat loss, hunting for their feathers, and fear that they may kill livestock or take small children. In the wild, these birds are difficult to observe and in human care, only a few institutions have been successful breeding this species. This study focuses on the chick rearing behavior of one pair of eagles at Zoo Miami and the feeding frequency of hand-reared chicks at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The Zoo Miami pair laid eggs for several years but weren’t successful hatching a chick until September of 2009. Data was gathered on the nesting and chick rearing behavior for four chicks. The focus of this study is the feeding frequency of parent-reared chicks versus that of hand-reared chicks in hopes of providing information that could contribute to current hand-rearing protocols of breeding harpy eagles. It is thought that the hand-reared birds will feed at a more consistent rate and more often than the parent-reared birds due to being fed on a more precise schedule. It is also expected that there will be a negative linear relationship between the age of the chick and the number of feedings per day for both groups.