HawkWatch International’s Grant for Rocky Mountain Raptor Migration Study

HawkWatch International has established a long-term raptor migration monitoring and trapping site on Commissary Ridge, WY. The information collected by this endeavor will be used to better understand the life histories, ecology, status, and conservation needs of raptor populations utilizing the Rocky Mountain Flyway.

B. Project Objective:

The objectives are to:
1) track long term population trends of raptors in the Rocky Mountain Region by incorporating data collected at this site with data from other established monitoring sites in western North America;
2) establish intensive counting and banding operations on the commissary Ridge Site to collect information about breeding and winter distributions, migratory routes migratory behavior, mortality factors and longevity;
3) develop watchable wildlife and educational outreach opportunities through the establishment and furtherance of this program.

The information collected by this endeavor will be used to better understand the life histories, ecology, status, and conservation needs of raptor populations across North America. In 2000 and 2001, HWI conducted exploratory counts on Commissary Ridge documenting 17 species and nearly 2000 individual migration raptors each year. The flight volume and species diversity of this area, exceed that of other similar regional projects being conducted in the Bridger Mountains, MT and Wellsville Mountains, UT. Establishment and support of a long term raptor monitoring program here would provide valuable data for several species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act or as BLM sensitive species. All species being studied are regulated under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. All inform