| Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton utilizes a variety of techniques to manage predators, including translocation, as part of its efforts to protect federally listed species that nest on Base. This study quantified return rates and survival of raptors fitted with satellite transmitters and translocated at least 240 mi. Over three breeding seasons we translocated 20 raptors of five different species. Northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) were the most frequently documented and translocated species. Eleven individuals returned. Most (80%) birds survived 60 days or longer following translocation. There is some evidence to suggest that birds that had achieved breeding age returned more quickly to the Base and survived longer. However, our sample size was small and there were no significant differences in return rates or mortality based on species, age, sex, or breeding status. We recommend an approach for "problem raptors" of different species and breeding status based on these initial results. Additional research is needed to compare return rates of raptors translocated the shorter USFWS recommended distances with the results from this effort and also to research the effects of a short period of captivity, to further reduce homing behavior, coupled with translocation. |