Raptor Visitation to Natural and Artificial Water Sources in a Tropical Forest in Southern Mexico

Raptor visitation to water sources in Calakmul, Mexico, is significantly influenced by temperature and the type of water source. The study found that as daily maximum air temperatures rise, visits to artificial drinking troughs increase 4.5-fold, while those to natural sartenejas (rock cavities) increase 4-fold. Natural water sources, including waterholes and sartenejas, attract a higher diversity of raptor species compared to artificial ones, with notable dissimilarity in species composition between these habitats. The research highlights the critical role of both natural water conservation and managed drinking troughs in supporting raptor populations, particularly those classified as globally declining.

Cruz-Romo, L., Contreras-Moreno, F. M., Jesús-Espinosa, D., Sánchez-Pinzón, K., Méndez-Tun, J., Sánchez-Cordero, V., Cal y Mayor, C. C., Simá-Pantí, D. E., Flores-Martínez, J. J., & Lavariega, M. C. (2025). Raptor Visitation to Natural and Artificial Water Sources in a Tropical Forest in Southern Mexico. Journal of Raptor Research, 59(2). https://doi.org/10.3356/jrr243