Comparison of survival rates of captive-reared and wild-bred Mauritius kestrels (Falco punctatus) in a re-introduced population

Published source details Nicoll M.A.C., Jones C.G. & Norris K. (2004) Comparison of survival rates of captive-reared and wild-bred Mauritius kestrels (Falco punctatus) in a re-introduced population. Biological Conservation, 118, 539-548.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Foster eggs or chicks of raptors with wild conspecifics Action Link
	Release captive-bred individuals into the wild to restore or augment wild populations of raptors Action Link

Foster eggs or chicks of raptors with wild conspecifics

A replicated 2004 study of a Mauritius kestrel Falco punctatus release programme (Nicoll et al. 2004) found no difference in survival between birds ‘hacked’ as fledglings (and provided with supplementary food until independence), those fostered to wild breeding pairs or wild-bred birds (80% for 42 fostered birds; 80% for 46 hacked birds and 75% for 284 wild-bred birds). This study is discussed in detail in ‘Release captive-bred individuals into the wild to restore or augment wild populations’.
Release captive-bred individuals into the wild to restore or augment wild populations of raptors

A 2004 review (Nicoll et al. 2004) of the same Mauritius kestrel Falco punctatus release programme as in Cade & Jones 1993, between 1987 and 2001 found that survival estimates for adult kestrels were similar, irrespective of whether they were ‘hacked’ as fledglings (and provided with supplementary food until independence), or fostered to wild breeding pairs or wild-bred (80% for 42 fostered birds; 80% for 46 hacked birds and 75% for 284 wild-bred birds). Survival estimates for juvenile kestrels were far more variable, but did not appear to differ between treatments (36-72% for hacked, 23-100% for fostered and 31-80% for wild-bred). A total of 40 breeding pairs were monitored in 2000-1. Overall, the wild kestrel population across Mauritius reached an estimated 500 to 800 individuals in 2000, compared to five individuals in 1973.