Breeding habitat preferences and reproductive success of Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) in exotic Eucalyptus plantations in southwestern Europe

Abstract With ongoing degradation of natural forests and spread of forest plantations, plantations must play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation. Study of habitat selection and reproductive success of surrogate species in plantations can guide forest management decisions for increasing biodiversity. In this paper we studied the suitability of exotic Eucalyptus plantations managed at low intensity in northwestern Spain as breeding habitat for Northern Goshawk ( Accipiter gentilis ), a top predator frequently considered a surrogate species in conservation. Goshawks showed high breeding density, high reproductive success and a regular spatial distribution of nesting territories. Territoriality was the most important determinant of habitat selection. Goshawks selected extra-mature Eucalyptus trees in areas of high structural complexity (high tree density, tree species richness, and number of tree strata) in the most heterogeneous forest stands (old-mixed Eucalyptus). Reproductive success decreased with increasing local density of breeding pairs, but reproductive success was not related to structural characteristics of nest stands. The studied plantations provided a suitable breeding habitat for Goshawks. The birds preferred to nest in large Eucalyptus trees with appropriate structure in their immediate surroundings. The strong preference of Goshawks for structurally mature forest patches may make them useful as a surrogate species for assessing the ability of forest management practices to promote overall biodiversity in exotic Eucalyptus plantations exploited at low intensity.