The Harris Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) in Urban Areas of Argentina: Arrival in Mar Del Plata City and Green Area Use in Buenos Aires City

Abstract

Urbanization has a negative impact on raptor species diversity and abundance. However, some species can adapt to urban areas, and the process of city colonization by raptors has been documented scarcely in the Northern Hemisphere. Information about city colonization by raptors in the Southern Hemisphere is null, and studies about habitat use by raptors are scarce. The objectives of this study were: (1) to describe an event of Harris Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) arrival in Mar del Plata city, Argentina, and (2) to analyze its green area use in a recently colonized city, Buenos Aires. Long-term data collected during 2002–2019, along an urbanization gradient of Mar del Plata, was used to describe the city arrival by the Harris Hawk. Surveys of green areas in Buenos Aires were used to model the Harris Hawk occurrence in relation to green area size and isolation to other green spaces. The Harris Hawk arrival was observed during 2019, mainly in periurban areas of Mar del Plata, and at least three pairs were breeding. In Buenos Aires, the occurrence of the Harris Hawk in green areas was related to the proximity to other large green areas. The results obtained suggest the importance of green areas for raptor colonization in cities.

What makes an urban raptor?

“…However, our results showed no relationship between raptor presence in urban areas and diet, because common urban raptors were both generalist and specialist species. For example, Harris's Hawk and Chimango Caracara are generalist species that have been recorded in urban areas by several authors (Don azar et al 1993, Alvarez-L opez et al 1995, Leveau & Leveau 2004, Bellocq et al 2008, Carrete et al 2009, Cavicchia & Garc ıa 2012, Borsellino 2014, Barbar et al 2015, Dario 2017, Ruiz et al 2017, Leveau 2021b). Some raptors with a generalist diet, such as the Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus and the White-rumped Hawk Parabuteo leucorrhous, were absent in urban areas.…”