The development of “snapshot” metrics that can serve as reliable diagnostic tools for rapidly assessing population status has great appeal. We used stochastic simulation modeling and recursive partitioning to evaluate the reliability of two proposed snapshot metrics in territorial raptors: the floater/breeder ratio and the rate of nest occupancy by immature subadults. A demographic model, parameterized with field data from an intensively studied population of golden eagle (), showed that neither metric, alone or together, is a good indicator of population status. However, one snapshot metric, the floater/breeder ratio, can help predict the risk of population decline when considered in combination with other information about the population or environment that may be quickly appraised in the field or literature. Specifically, qualitative knowledge of adult survival and whether the population is limited by prey or habitat availability can help with rapid risk assessment of raptor populations.

中文翻译：

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长寿领地鸟类种群状况的衡量标准：金雕种群统计的案例研究

开发“快照”指标可以作为快速评估人口状况的可靠诊断工具，具有巨大的吸引力。我们使用随机模拟建模和递归分区来评估领地猛禽中两个拟议快照指标的可靠性：漂浮者/繁殖者比率和未成熟亚成体的巢穴占用率。一个人口模型，以来自金雕种群的深入研究的现场数据为参数，表明无论单独还是一起，这两个指标都不是种群状况的良好指标。然而，当与可在现场或文献中快速评估的有关种群或环境的其他信息结合起来考虑时，一种快照指标，即流动/繁殖比率，可以帮助预测种群下降的风险。具体来说，对成体生存以及种群是否受到猎物或栖息地可用性的限制的定性了解可以帮助对猛禽种群进行快速风险评估。