Plain Language Summary: Behavioural responses of Bonelli’s eagles to human disturbances: assessing the effect on reproduction and suggested mitigating measures.

By José E. Martínez, Iñigo Zuberogoitia, José F. Calvo, Mario Álvarez, Beatriz Arroyo, and Antoni Margalida.

Read the full paper here.

Science-based management strategies are necessary to minimise the detrimental effects of human activities on wildlife. Here, we studied the effects of human activities on the behaviour and breeding success of Bonelli’s eagles breeding in south-eastern Spain.

Our results showed a weak behavioural response to human activities. Breeding success did not vary with a pair’s experience, nor between the periods before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdown, but did increase with the frequency of human activities. Our study indicated that Bonelli’s eagles can develop a degree of tolerance to human activities during the nesting season. Our research can contribute to minimising the adverse effects of human activities and optimising the conservation management of the Bonelli’s eagle population in south-eastern Spain.