INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF PREY AND WEATHER ON GOLDEN EAGLE REPRODUCTION

1. The reproduction of the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos was studied in southwestern Idaho for 23 years, and the relationship between eagle reproduction and jackrabbit Lepus californicus abundance, weather fac tors, and their interactions, was modelled using general linear models . Backward elimination procedures were used to arrive at parsimonious models. 2. The number of golden eagle pairs occupying nesting territor ies each year showed a significant decline through lime that was unrel ated to either annual rabbit abundance or winter severity. However, ea gle hatching dates were significantly related to both winter severity and jackrabbit abundance. Eagles hatched earlier when jackrabbits were abundant, and they hatched later after severe winters. 3. Jackrabbit abundance influenced the proportion of pairs that laid. eggs, the prop ortion of pairs that were successful, mean brood size at fledging, and the number of young fledged per pair. Weather interacted with prey to influence eagle reproductive rates. 4. Both jackrabbit abundance and winter severity were important in predicting the percentage of eagle p airs that laid eggs. Percentage laying was related positively to jackr abbit abundance and inversely related to winter severity. 5. The varia bles most useful in predicting percentage of laying pairs successful w ere rabbit abundance and the number of extremely hot days during brood -rearing. The number of hot days and rabbit abundance were also signif icant in a model predicting eagle brood size at fledging. Both success and broad size were positively related to jackrabbit abundance and in versely related to the frequency of hot days in spring. 6. Eagle repro duction was limited by rabbit abundance during approximately two-third s of the years studied. Weather influenced how severely eagle reproduc tion declined in those years. 7. This study demonstrates that prey and weather can interact to limit a large raper population's productivity . Smaller raptors could be affected more strongly, especially in colde r or wetter climates.