Lin W.-L.Lin S.-M.JHAN-WEI LINWang Y.HUI-YUN TSENG2020-02-032020-02-032015-02-0900063657https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/453158Capsule: A Crested Goshawk population recently colonizing an urban area of Taiwan is characterized by earlier egg-laying dates, a higher ratio of mixed-age pairs and higher nesting success. Aims: To compare breeding time, productivity and pairing pattern of Crested Goshawk populations between urban and rural areas. Methods: A total of 117 nests, comprising 49 rural and 68 urban ones, were monitored in Taichung, central Taiwan over six years. Age of parents, egg-laying date, clutch size and number of fledglings were recorded from each nest. Results: The urban Crested Goshawk bred 34 days earlier on average than the rural population with a significantly higher nesting success. Mixed-age pairs occurred in a higher frequency in urban (30.9%) than in rural (14.3%) areas. Predation (55.6%) and inclement weather (27.8%) were the two main factors causing nesting failures in rural areas, whereas neither occurred in the urban area. Conclusion: We conclude that the urban Crested Goshawk population benefits from high food supply and low predation risk. The year-round abundance of prey might increase the breeding success of young adults and advance their breeding schedule, which coincidently shifts the brooding period away from the heavy rainy season. © 2015 British Trust for Ornithology.enjournal article10.1080/00063657.2015.10055702-s2.0-84929263243https://www2.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84929263243&doi=10.1080%2f00063657.2015.1005570&partnerID=40&md5=c5c2c0e0a4337568e2aec5d10c4c5a12