PRODUCTIVITY OF GOLDEN EAGLES WEARING BACKPACK RADIOTRANSMITTERS

We examined the association between the presence of backpack radiotran smitters and Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) reproduction (percentage of occupied territories producing young, and number of nestlings prod uced) over three years. The association between radio-tagging and nest ing success and the number of nestlings produced varied significantly among years. A negative association with tagging was observed in one o f three years, which coincided with low prey (jackrabbit) populations and a cold spring. However, small sample size and breeding by subadult s may confound this result.