title: Survival and population dynamics of the marabou stork in an isolated population, Swaziland.
abstract: Investigating the ecology of long lived birds is particularly challenging owing to the time scales involved. Here an analysis is presented of a long term study of the survival and population dynamics of the marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus), a wide ranging scavenging bird from Sub-Saharan Africa. Using resightings data of tagged nestlings and free flying birds we show that the stork population can be divided into three general life stages with unique survival probabilities and fecundities. Fecundity of the storks is inversely related to rainfall during their breeding season. Corroborative evidence for a metapopulation structure is discussed highlighting the impact of the Swaziland birds on the ecology of the species in the broader region. The importance of tag loss or illegibility over time is highlighted. Clearly, any attempt at conserving a species will require a detailed understanding of its population structure, of the sort examined here.
authors.affiliation: All Out Africa Research Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni, Swaziland. ara@uniswa.sz
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monadjem
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botha
authors.forename: Desire
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Antoinette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotze
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D013541:Eswatini; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011891:Rain; D016019:Survival Analysis