Relationships between Jackrabbit Abundance and Ferruginous Hawk Reproduction

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Abstract
From 1966-1970 and 1972-1974, relationships were studied between ferruginous hawk (B. regalis) reproduction and abundance of their main prey, the black-tailed jackrabbit (L. californicus) in the eastern Great Basin Desert of central Utah [USA]. Correlation tests showed significant relationships between jackrabbit abundance and hawk reproduction: the population of nesting hawks, number of nesting pairs, total eggs laid and total young fledged varied in synchrony with jackrabbit abundance. Key factor analysis and stepwise removal procedures indicated that jackrabbit abundance influenced hawk reproduction in the following order of decreasing importance: number of nesting pairs; failure of nesting pairs to achieve maximum clutch size; total number of young fledged and total number of young hatched. Regression tests revealed that 2 of these, the failure to nest and achieve maximum clutch size, are important limiting factors on reproduction and at least partially act to regulate the size of this ferruginous hawk population.

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