Newsletter Winter 2009/2010
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Winter 2009 - 2010 Adopt a Wild Raptor! CONTRIBUTE TO RVRI THROUGH OUR ‘ADOPT A RAPTOR PROGRAM’ When you adopt a raptor, you will receive a packet which includes an adoption certificate specific to your individual bird with band number, wing tag (Golden Eagle only), age, sex, size and when and where it was banded. You will also be notified of RESEARCH INSTITUTE any follow-up information regarding re-sightings, re-capture and recoveries. Furthermore, you will get a 4 x 6 color photo of your adopted bird and an informative Natural History fact sheet. P.O. BOX 4323 MISSOULA, MT 59806 (406) 258-6813 AVAILABLE RAPTORS [email protected] www.raptorview.org Sharp-shinned Hawk........................................................... $25 American Kestrel ................................................................ $25 Cooper’s Hawk ................................................................... $35 Message From The President Northern Harrier .................................................................. $35 Merlin ................................................................................... $45 Prairie Falcon ....................................................................... $45 ello and welcome to RVRI’s 5th annual newsletter. From our fall raptor migration and Golden Eagle research Red-tailed Hawk ................................................................. $50 This year is quickly coming to a close and with the fall along The Rocky Mountain Front, to our Missoula area Osprey Rough-legged Hawk .......................................................... $50 Hfield season behind us, it is time to focus our efforts and Swainson’s Hawk projects, we are in the field nearly year- on report and manuscript preparation, public presentations, round and our work has drawn international attention from re- Swainson’s Hawk.................................................................. $75 and of course, fundraising. Spring will be upon us before we searchers, conservationists, and educators. For example, our Northern Goshawk ............................................................. $100 know it, (late March for our work here in Missoula) marking the Golden Eagle research will be part of an up-coming episode Golden Eagle ................................................................... $150 beginning of yet another field season. As field biologists we on the National Geographic Channel. (see page 12) Golden Eagle with satellite transmitter .......................... $1000 love nothing more than being out in the field, but we also rec- Indeed, we have been busy and have no intention of slow- ognize the importance of writing up our findings for science ing down. Since 2004 we have banded a total of 934 raptors, and for the larger purpose of conservation. We could never comprised of 14 species, including 130 Golden Eagles, 132 Write down the raptor you want to adopt in the accomplish all that we do without the continued generosity Northern Goshawks and 111 Ospreys. The number of Golden Space provided in the enclosed envelope of many financial supporters, collaborators, and friends. Eagles rivals that of any similar study in the world. Many rap- These last five years seem like a “flash-in-the-pan.” Where tor species show signs of declining. The causes are likely nu- does the time go? Yet, when we consider what has been ac- merous, but most of the available evidence points to human- We are a 501{c} 3 non-profit organization; all donations are tax deductible. A receipt for your tax records will be provided. complished in the short amount caused impacts to the environment and raptor habitats as a time since our inception, major contributor to the declines. However, we are only now we couldn’t beginning to scratch-the-surface in terms of truly understand- be more ing the extent of these impacts and developing effec- RAPTOR VIEW pleased. tive ways of mitigating them. Most of our research RESEARCH projects are multi-faceted, long-term studies that specifically address human-caused im- INSTITUTE pacts on raptors. In response to these concerns, a p.o. box 4323 growing number of researchers are calling for more long-term, missoula, mt in depth studies. We 59806 (cont’d next page) Erick Greene photo Greene Erick Osprey Fledgling message (continued from page 1) Golden Eagle Denali National Park, AK agree, as it is only through longevity of study that research- Wing Tag Update ‘09 ers answer some of the more pressing questions regard- 2 June 2006 ing population trends and the effects of human-caused Denali National Park, AK change on the environment. For example, long-term migra- 15 September 2008 tion point counts along eastern flyways alerted researchers and conservationists to the lethal effects of organochloride (DDT) insecticides on raptors, most notably, Peregrine Fal- cons, Bald Eagles and Ospreys. These same point counts were the first to observe the subsequent recoveries after DDT was banned in the U.S. This need for long-term studies is the rationale for continuing our point count from Nora Ridge and our continued search for other viable fall and Livingstone, AB, 19 October 2006 spring migration count sites in Montana. Also, point counts Crows Nest Pass, AB, 17 November 2009 are the most cost effective way to monitor changes in mi- gratory raptor populations on a landscape level over time. Waterton Lakes NP, AB, 24 April 2009 Likewise, our on-going Golden Eagle wing-tag study con- Choteau, MT, 16 June 2006 tinues to bring together pieces of the puzzle regarding their Bowmans Corner, MT, 23 March 2008 migratory and breeding ecology from Alaska to Mexico. The monitoring of lead, mercury, and other heavy metals in Lincoln, MT, 15 October 2005 Golden Eagles and Ospreys is an effective long-term meth- 9 October 2009 od of assessing the health of ecosystems upon which we all 14 October 2009 depend. These continuing projects have already revealed Ranch photo Vermejo some very interesting and exciting results! Townsend, MT, 11 October 2007 In closing, I would like to thank everyone who has con- Eagle C-42 photographed remotely at a wolf research Bozeman, MT, 8 October 2007 tributed in the past, whether through donations or volun- site in northern New Mexico, spring ‘09 11,12 and 14 October 2007 teer time. I also appeal to you to continue supporting our VRI has been applying vinyl wing-tag markers (blue programs, even during these tough economic times. I ask Thermopolis, WY, 23 March 2006 those of you who are just learning of our work for the first Rwith white alpha-numerics) on all captured Gold- time, to consider a tax deductible donation to Raptor View en Eagles since 2004, and to date roughly 130 migrant Vermejo Park Ranch, NM, 5 October 2009 eagles have been wing-tagged and banded from our or consider volunteering your time. Your contribution of any Albuquerque, NM, 3 May 2004 stations. This technique is considerably more effective size is essential to the continuation of our research, con- Albuquerque, NM, 25 March 2005 servation, and education programs. We look forward to than banding alone as a means of identifying individu- hearing from you and making new als and receiving return information. Truth or Consequences, NM, 26 February 2007 These encounters are helping us learn more about partners in conservation. Have a Chihuahua, Mexico 7 October 2004 wonderful year! Golden Eagle migratory ecology, such as, where mi- grants are wintering and summering, how far they trav- Sincerely, el, how long they live and the cause of individual ea- Robert Domenech gle mortalities. In 2009, four of our wing-tagged eagles Map of Golden Eagle Wing-Tag Encounters, as of Fall 2009 were encountered. Two were remotely photographed while feeding at bait stations in New Mexico and Wa- terton Lakes National Park, Canada; two were re-sight- ed feeding on road-killed deer near Lincoln, MT. tailed Hawks that arrive annually on After getting the ‘thumbs up’ from and MEC retrofitted more than 20 Paws-Up Ranch in late winter and ranch manager Jim Nielson, we utility poles in the summer of 2009! early spring. conducted foot surveys of the utility This collaborative effort in con- They all come to feed on Colum- poles on the ranch and document- servation between Raptor View, Paws-up Ranch Power Line bian Ground Squirrels that have re- ed the remains of dozens of electro- MEC, and Paws-Up Ranch is a fine cently emerged from hibernation cuted raptors. It was clear this was a example of how research, industry Retro-fitting Project and whose colonies number in the large scale problem and not limited and landowners can work together thousands. These open pastures are to just a few poles. to protect these ecologically vital, n spring 2008, RVRI received a call The Paws-Up guest ranch is lacking in trees, therefore the eagles We contacted our friend David federally protected species. We Ifrom the Paws-Up Ranch, as ranch located in the scenic Blackfoot and other large raptors use the util- Lopez, operations specialist with Mis- will continue working with MEC and hands had discovered an injured adult River Valley and has beautiful ity poles that stretch out across the soula Electric Cooperative (MEC). other utility companies in our efforts Bald Eagle in one of their pastures. We open pastures and large expans- fields to hunt, feed, and perch from. We showed David what we had dis- to identify and retrofit old and even arrived to find the eagle, standing in es of relatively undisturbed land. The poles, designed primarily of ear- covered. David explained the flaws newer utility poles that do not adhere the field with one wing drooped, under- The valley is home to numerous ly 1970’s three phase, cross-arm con- in outdated design style and how to standards for raptor protection. neath a row of utility poles. We secured wintering, migrating and breed- figuration are known by the industry to effectively correct the problem the injured bird and brought it to a lo- ing raptor species. Most notable, and others for electrocuting large by retrofitting the poles with “raptor cal rehabilitation facility. We noted the are the high numbers of Bald and raptors. RVRI felt the need to inves- safe” equipment.