Primer registro de nidificación del Gavilancito Cubano (Accipiter striatus fringilloides) y nuevos datos sobre su biología reproductiva y distribución

Researchers document the first confirmed nesting record of the Cuban Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus fringilloides), an endemic subspecies of Cuba, providing detailed observations of its reproductive biology and distribution. The study, conducted in the peripheral area of Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Baracoa, Guantánamo, followed a pair from February to July 2021, capturing key stages such as pair formation, mating, nest construction, egg-laying, hatching, and parental care. Notably, this is also the first record of nesting in a non-mountainous region for any Caribbean form of the species, marking the lowest-altitude nesting confirmed to date. The study corroborated identification through historical records, specimens, and estimated the current occupied area at 21,473.7 km², with 24.5% under protected status. This research validates long-debated nesting claims for the Cuban subspecies and expands understanding of its ecological range.

Nils Navarro Pacheco, Roberto Jovel Lara, Wisdenilde Navarro Méndez, Juan Carlos Lobaina Montero, Noel Coutín Lobaina, & Carlos Hernández Peraza. (2023). Primer registro de nidificación del Gavilancito Cubano (Accipiter striatus fringilloides) y nuevos datos sobre su biología reproductiva y distribución. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology, 36, 135–146. https://doi.org/10.55431/jco.2023.36.135-146