Journal
ORNITHOLOGY RESEARCH
Volume 28, Issue 1, Pages 13-37Publisher
SPRINGERNATURE
DOI: 10.1007/s43388-020-00003-4
Keywords
Cathartidae; Knowledge gaps; Management; Nesting; New World vultures; Reproduction
Categories
Funding
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)
- Fundacao deAmparo a Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAP-DF)
- Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)
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New World vultures (Cathartidae) have essential roles in ecosystem functioning, but are susceptible to increasing anthropogenic impacts. Knowledge of several breeding, behavioral, and distributional parameters of Neotropical vultures is poorly organized and have not been properly reviewed. Here, we made a comprehensive review of original breeding records from museums, literature, and citizen science (WikiAves) for each of the six species of vultures occurring in the Neotropical region. These data were used to review breeding patterns and geographical distribution, and identify information gaps. The 567 records of breeding from the Neotropics assembled are very biased, mostly for Black VultureCoragyps atratus(n = 319) and Turkey VultureCathartes aura(n = 166), and unevenly distributed among regions and subspecies. The four other species still have a great lack of knowledge about their breeding in the wild (Lesser Yellow-headed VultureCathartes burrovianus(n = 20), Greater Yellow-headed VultureC. melambrotus(n = 2), King VultureSarcoramphus papa(n = 21), and Andean CondorVultur gryphus(n = 30)). We show for the first time that Neotropical Cathartidae have convergent breeding seasons among sympatric taxa, delay start of breeding with increasing latitude, and have an allometric relationship between adult size and egg size. Nevertheless, larger samples of breeding data, especially from some regions and taxa, such as the two Yellow-headed Vulture species, are still needed. We also show that breeding traits could be helpful for preventive management and conservation strategies involving both expanding and decreasing populations of vultures in the Neotropics.
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