First record of cannibalism and possible siblicide in geranoaetus polyosoma registered in the atacama desert, Chile Primer registro de canibalismo y posible fratricidio en Geranoaetus polyosoma registrado en el desierto de atacama, Chile

Abstract

© 2017, Universidad de Tarapaca. All rights reserved. The Variable Hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma) is a raptor species distributed throughout Chile. In Atacama Desert it feeds particularly lizards and on a littleproportion of rodents, but the biological information of this species is scarce for northern Chile, particularly about their reproduction and ethology. In this work, we present first records of cannibalism and possible siblicide observed on the Atacama Desert. We observed a juvenile plucking another, also with juvenile plumage and were possibly his brother. It behavior coincides with the disappearance of the last event of flowering desert, where there is a substantial decrease in the vegetal biomass, and consequently with the availability of prey.