Survival rates of birds of tropical and temperate forests: will the dogma survive?

Survival rates of tropical forest birds are widely assumed to be high relative to the survival rates of temperate forest birds. The first detailed comparison of survival rates of tropical and temperate forest birds is here based on extensive data bases and modern capture-recapture models. No support is found for the conventional wisdom. Because clutch size is only one component of reproductive rate, the frequently assumed, simple association between clutch size and adult survival rates should not necessarily be expected. Results emphasize the need to consider components of fecundity in addition to clutch size when comparing the life histories of tropical and temperate birds. -from Authors