Data from: Timing of departure from natal areas by Golden Eagles is not constrained by acquisition of flight skills ...

• Main Authors: Hemery, Arzhela, Mugnier-Lavorel, Lucas, Itty, Christian, Duriez, Olivier, Besnard, Aurélien
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2023
• Subjects: GPS tracking · Aquila chrysaetos · post-fledging dependence period · dispersal · parent–offspring conflict · flight · raptor; Aquila chrysaetos; golden eagle
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7802538; https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.7802538

The post-fledging dependence period (PFDP), which extends from a fledgling’s first flight out of the nest to its departure from the parents’ territory, is crucial in the lifecycle of birds. During this period, juveniles develop their flight and foraging skills to become fully independent. Despite the importance of this life stage in basic bird ecology and conservation, it remains largely overlooked – notably its link with the acquisition of flight skills. In this study, we modeled the variation in seven proxies describing flight skills of 84 GPS-tracked Golden Eagle juveniles in France between 2016 and 2020. Juveniles had a long but highly variable PFDP, averaging 177.9 (±62.2) days after departure from the nest. This period is divided into two phases: a first phase of rapid increase in flight skills over the first 60 days after departure from the nest, followed by a plateau in which flight skills no longer develop until independence. These results suggest that the full development of flight skills is not a ...