Use of mixture models to characterize site quality in philopatric animals: a case study with Bonelli's eagle

摘要: The French population of the Bonelli’s eagle Aquila fasciata has suffered a sharp decline over last decades, resulting in implementation several conservation actions since 1990. In parallel, capture–recapture (CR) program been conducted to monitor population. Field practitioners suspected that certain breeding sites were responsible for most adult deaths and interested confirming this hypothesis order focus their on these particular sites. Our study sought determine whether there was indeed quantifiable difference quality eagle’s Since eagles are highly faithful site, we tested turnover individuals observed at different resulted from mixture two rates. We also used recent multi-event CR modeling approach test or not could detect survival heterogeneity revealed breeding-site decade ago, before large efforts made insulate high-voltage power lines, but failed more recently. No detected. These counterintuitive results be due lack statistical because performed 20 years cloud issue. When no priori information is available habitat differences, advocate use it consistent fairly general.