Reproductive and spatial ecology of white-cheeked pintail in Puerto Rico

The white-cheeked pintail (Anas bahamensis) is considered threatened in Puerto Rico. At the Humacao Nature Reserve (HNR), I monitored 35 nesting pintails from 2000--2002. All hens, except one, survived. Survival rates of 93 radiomarked ducklings was 6.01% (95% CI = -2.54--14.55%), survival rates of 31 broods was 30.46% (95% CI = 10.07--50.86%). I documented 59 deaths and 6 mortality agents.; I used an AIC model approach to test sources of variation on duckling and brood survival. Best models for duckling survival included site and precipitation. Best models for brood survival included hatch date, hen weight, and precipitation.; Pintail hens tended to use herbaceous upland, emergent vegetation, herbaceous wetland, managed impoundments, mangrove swamp, beach scrub, and Annona spp. Pintails hens and broods used emergent vegetation, managed impoundments, and mangrove.; I found low wading bird abundance, particularly those considered duckling predators. Moist-soil habitat should be promoted at HNR to increase duckling survival.