About the Project
Gray Hawks are one of the rarest North American birds of prey, with only about 300 pairs nesting in the southwest United States. Though widespread in the tropics, in the northern-most part of their range they are restricted to narrow strips of forest along rivers, also called riparian ecosystems. Ranching, damming, and groundwater pumping destroyed large portions of their habitat in the early 20th Century, though recent recognition of these areas as biodiveristy hotspots has prompted conservation efforts.
The San Pedro River in southeast Arizona is a stronghold for Gray Hawks, and their population there has been expanding since it was first documented in the 1980s. In addition to nesting at higher density along the river itself, they have also begun settling in the higher elevation oak-sycamore areas of the nearby Huachuca Mountains. Gray Hawks have never been studied in the uplands, and questions remain about their diet and productivity there as well as the potential causes of this shift. This research will be the first to examine how local ecology affects Gray Hawk prey selection and nest success in order to understand which landscape elements are critical for this unique fringe population.
The San Pedro River in southeast Arizona is a stronghold for Gray Hawks, and their population there has been expanding since it was first documented in the 1980s. In addition to nesting at higher density along the river itself, they have also begun settling in the higher elevation oak-sycamore areas of the nearby Huachuca Mountains. Gray Hawks have never been studied in the uplands, and questions remain about their diet and productivity there as well as the potential causes of this shift. This research will be the first to examine how local ecology affects Gray Hawk prey selection and nest success in order to understand which landscape elements are critical for this unique fringe population.