Fidelity to territory, nest site and mate, survivorship, and reproduction of two sympatric Forest-Falcons

Fidelity, survivorship, and reproduction of Barred Forest-Falcons (Micrastu r ruficollis) and Collared Forest-Falcons (M. semitorquatus) were studied f rom 1988-96 at Tikal National Park. Guatemala. Forest-Falcons are year-roun d residents and nest in tree cavities. Barred Forest-Falcons and Collared F orest-Falcons had 100% fidelity to territories. Breeding pairs also had 100 % mate fidelity, with pair bonds perennial and long-lasting. Only one terri tory switch in 98 territorial years was observed during the study and that was by a widowed male to a neighboring territory with a widowed female. The rate of annual survivorship of breeding adult Barred Forest-Falcons banded in 1989 was 95.3% (N = 7 males) and 92.3% (N = 7 females). Nineteen percen t of females and males that bred produced >50% of thr offspring. Forest-Fal cons are longer lived and have a lower rate of a territory and mate switchi ng than similar-sized temperate-zone raptors such as the European Sparrowha wk (Accipiter nisus). The reproductive success of Barred Forest-Falcons dur ing this study suggested that the factors affecting lifetime reproductive s uccess in temperate and tropical species do not differ.