Large falconiforms are among the longest-lived birds, as shown both by records in captivity and by the slow breeding rates observed in the wild. Where not persecuted, populations of large falconiforms are remarkably stable. Breeding rates correlate with average life spans; i.e., longer-lived species breed slower than shorter-lived ones.
The falconiform life cycle consists of the four stages described below, each of which varies mainly according to size—the larger the bird, the longer the stage. Latitude also affects these periods, with longer fledging periods for equatorial species as compared with temperate species of similar size.
The fledging period
The fledging period (from hatching to first flight) varies from about three weeks in small accipiters to four months in large eagles and vultures and slightly longer still in condors. In this stage the downy nestling develops to adult size, during which time the bird may become up to 40 times heavier. The young must be fed at first, but before its first flight it learns to tear up prey brought by the parents. Fledging periods are comparatively longer in the tropics.
The postfledging period
During the postfledging period, the young remain near the nest and food is brought by the parents. This period ends when the young become independent, often apparently of their own accord—not, as in some other birds, in response to increasing parental aggression. During postfledging the birds grow no larger, but the flight quills harden. These immature birds are not strong fliers until three to eight weeks after the first flight. This phase varies from 1 to 11 months or even more, again mainly according to size but also showing specific variation. In the crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus), for example, the postfledging period is 9 to 11 months, but in the related martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) it is much shorter.
The period as a juvenile
The period as a juvenile, an independent but sexually immature form, is distinguished by various immature and subadult plumages, which are often very different from those of the adult. The young raptor flies about, migrates if necessary, kills its own prey, and behaves like an adult except for the fact that it cannot breed. This period varies from about nine months in small species that mature in their first year (sparrowhawks, kestrels, and some kites) to four or more years in large eagles and up to seven years in condors. It is usually a period of heavy mortality, particularly in migrant species of temperate climates.
The breeding adult
The breeding adult life is characterized by mating, nesting, and the rearing of young. Most adults pair. The duration of the breeding phase has been rarely recorded for wild individuals, but a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) bred on the Sun Life Building in Montreal, Quebec, for 16 years. Two female crowned eagles bred for 9 and 8 years and one male for 13 years.
Life spans of wild raptors can be calculated from leg-banding (ringing) records, from observed changes of mate, and from the percentage of immature individuals in the population, especially if different ages are recognizable.
Recoveries of banded birds indicate that 50–75 percent of young raptors die before sexual maturity. The smaller falcons and accipiters apparently average less than three years in total life span, but some individuals may attain 10 to 12 years. Larger species live longer. Ospreys and buteos may average 8 to 10 years but have higher mortality rates (75–80 percent in the first year). Life spans of more than 20 years have been recorded from both groups.
In certain large falconiforms, differences in plumage owing to age and individual variation allow an observer to recognize individual birds. Since large eagles mate for life, it may be assumed that a change of mates indicates that one of the pair is dead. In crowned eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) such changes have been observed to occur every 6 to 7 years, giving a mean adult life of 12–14 years or 16–18 years when the four years prior to maturity are included.
In many species immature birds are easily distinguished from adults, allowing an estimate of the average age of adults. Immatures make up about 30 percent of the population in the bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus), 18 percent in the lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus), and 16–25 percent in the African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer). Presuming 75 percent loss during the period of immaturity and the acquisition of adult plumage at 7, 5, and 4 years, respectively, the mean adult life span in these species may be estimated at 23, 27, and 18–24 years.
Such statistical methods provide, at best, an informed estimate; the potential life span is rarely, if ever, attained in the wild state. In captivity many large raptors live for over 30 years, eagles and vultures for 40–50 years. A bateleur at 55 is the oldest acceptable record; records of 60 or more years are poorly documented.