BELIZE RAPTORWATCH MONITORING MANUAL Belize Raptor Research Institute In collaboration with Toledo Institute for Development and the Environment Ya’axché Conservation Trust 3rd Edition Written by Ryan A. Phillips Belize Raptor Research Institute June 2015 Adopted and customized with permission from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory’s Manual The mission of the Belize Raptor Research Institute (BRRI) is to strive to protect Neotropical raptors in Belize through research, education and partnerships. BRRI conducts long term scientific research to learn about the status and needs of raptors in the wild, while building local capacity, working with policy makers and educating local and international communities about raptor conservation. The Belize Raptor Research Institute (BRRI) is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization founded in 2009 by like-minded conservationists, bird enthusiasts and environmentalists that wanted to assist in learning about Neotropical raptors and their conservation. Raptors globally face many threats and most are considered to be declining in size. Being apex carnivores, raptors play a vital role in ecosystems and are considered key indicator species, as well as flagship and umbrella species. The Belize Raptorwatch Program is a collaborative effort between BRRI, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), the Belize Forest Department and Ya’axche Conservation Trust (YCT). 2 | P a g e Belize Raptorwatch Manual 3rd Edition June 2015 3 | P a g e Copyright 2015 Belize Raptor Research Institute Raptorwatcher’s Manual 3rd Edition, 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced without written permission by the: Belize Raptor Research Institute P.O. Box 110234 Campbell, CA, USA 95011 E-mail: [email protected] Citations should read: Phillips, R. 2015. BRRI Raptorwatch Manual – 3rd Edition. Belize Raptor Research Institute, Campbell, CA, USA. This manual was kindly allowed to be adopted from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory’s Hawkwatcher’s Manual, 13th edition. We thank GGRO for their support and usage of their manual. 4 | P a g e Preface Unraveling the Mysteries of Neotropical Raptors Raptors have captivated humans for thousands of years due to their keen senses, hunting capabilities, power, behaviors, complex migrations and key niches in ecosystems. Raptors play critical ecological roles often impacting ecosystems making them keystone and flagship species for conservation efforts. Using raptors as umbrella species in conservation can protect entire ecosystems and all the species that live within that community, due to their low densities, large area requirements, complex migrations and often specialized requirements. The Neotropical region, which spans much of the Americas, holds one of the least understood raptor communities across the globe as basic natural history information is lacking for most species. Research in the Neotropics and other areas indicates that raptors are important environmental indicators and can determine how intact an ecosystem is. Yet as they are facing many threats, such as habitat loss and persecution, the need for their study and protection grows urgent. Before a sound management plan for species preservation can be written and implemented, the species and ecosystems must be studied and understood. Therefore, due to the lack of information for most Neotropical raptor species, research on these species and their ecosystems is the first step in Neotropical raptor conservation and their protection. We strive to learn about raptor ecology, population dynamics, area requirements, habitat usage and threats to inform the scientific community, so that we can produce and implement sound management strategies and action plans, working with collaborators, for the conservation of raptor species in the Neotropics. Protecting and conserving raptors ultimately protects all biodiversity and the species and biological functions, we as humans, rely for our own survival. This Raptorwatch Program will unravel many mysteries we have about raptors in the Neotropical region and will ultimately allow for the conservation of these species as we work closely with locals and partners to achieve our goals. I want to thank you on behalf of the Belize Raptor Research Institute for being part of this critical research and conservation program and your long hours in the field counting raptors as we embark on this journey, to protect biodiversity globally, together. This program has benefited from the support of the Belize Forest Department and collaboration and support of the Toledo Institute for Development and the Environment and Ya’axche Conservation Trust. We are grateful for these key partnerships to reach our mutual goals. Let’s hit the field and count raptors! Ryan Phillips, Executive Director Belize Raptor Research Institute June 2015 5 | P a g e Table of Contents Chapter 1 -- Introduction 7 Chapter 2 -- A Short History of the BRRI 9 Chapter 3 -- Goals of the BRRI Raptorwatch 10 Chapter 4 -- The BRRI’s Quadrant System 11 I. Behavior of Migrating Raptors in Belize 11 II. The Count-site: Cattle Landing Soccer Field 13 III. The Quadrant System 14 IV. Communication is Vital 15 V. Quadrant Ranges 16 VI. Striving for Repeatable Raptor Data 17 VII. What the Results Look like 17 VIII. Analyzing Raptor Count Data 20 IX. Comparing the Quadrant System to other Count Systems 21 Chapter 5 -- The People Who Make it Work 21 I. Hawkwatchers 21 II. Dayleaders 27 III. BRRI Staff 28 IV. Personality Conflicts 29 Chapter 6 -- Tools of the Trade 30 I. Datasheets 30 II. Non-Raptor Documentation 32 III. Weather Meter- Kestrel 2500 32 IV. Binoculars and Scopes 33 Chapter 7 -- Tricks of the Trade 34 I. Scanning 34 II. Using Landmarks 34 III. Counting Kettles 35 IV. Undocumented & Unidentified 36 V. Counting Turkey Vultures 36 VI. Passing Hawks 37 Chapter 8 -- Who Else Watches Out for Raptors? 38 Chapter 9 -- Literature Cited 41 Appendices A through H 42 to 54 6 | P a g e Chapter One Introduction This 3rd edition of the BRRI Raptorwatch Manual is an important reference to your experience as a BRRI raptorwatcher in Punta Gorda, Belize. It describes in detail the methods, roles and responsibilities, and protocols of the BRRI Raptorwatch Program. As a tool, this manual works best if you read it at least once before your first day of raptorwatching, keeping track of any questions or obscurities, then read it again, cover to cover after you’ve had a few raptor-filled days at the Cattle Landing count-site. Other references that will help you learn hawks are: William S. Clark & Brian K. Wheeler. The Peterson Field Guide to Hawks -- first (1987) or second (2001) edition. Houghton Mifflin Co. Either edition is an excellent synopsis of all aspects of identification of US and Canada species. The second edition has more information, and more current info. Some prefer the color plates of the first edition for their simplicity. Peter Dunne, David Sibley, & Clay Sutton. 1988. Hawks in Flight, First Edition. Houghton Mifflin Co. Dunne is perhaps the greatest wordsmith and pair of eyes we have when it comes to describing raptors in flight. HIF gives a better illustration of how people really learn raptor shapes and behaviors than any other book. Specific for hawk migration sites. Sibley’s illustrations – it’ll amaze you what black and white can show. Peter Dunne, David Sibley, & Clay Sutton. 2012. Hawks in Flight, Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Co. An entirely new presentation of the basic hawkwatching material as soon through the eyes of three Cape May. Dunne’s precise and creative prose, combined with Sibley’s art make this a critical and cutting edge book for hawk migration students. An excellent book for every starting-out hawkwatcher. Jerry Liguori. 2005. Hawks from Every Angle. Oxford University Press. An excellent tool for advanced raptor migration students. The author has been a hawk counter at Cape May, NJ, and the Goshutes Mountains of Nevada. His critical eye and photographic talents have made his articles for Birding magazine among the best explanations of raptor plumages. HFEA is useful for learning how to “see” and evaluate hawks.. Jerry Liguori. 2011. Hawks at a Distance. Oxford University Press. Ligouri surpassed his first book with this treatment. Although the two books work well in partnership, HAAD is a tighter, more-polished treatment of some of the same material. It has many more photos, and is published in a smaller more transportable format. Although the emphasis is on what we might call “hawkdots,” the introductory material on each species includes the best basic ID info in one place I ever seen. An excellent book for every advanced hawkwatcher. David A. Sibley. 2002. Sibley’s Birding Basics. Knopf. A brilliant and readable handbook on aspects of identification (what most books don’t tell you). It includes info on molt, behavior, field marks, gestalt. This is a gem of a book for learning the art and background of bird identification. Brian K. Wheeler. 2003. Raptors of Western North America. Princeton University Press. Wheeler downloaded his raptor brain and gave us this brick (544 pp.) and its Eastern counterpart. What’s great? The photos. Many many variations on one species. What’s good? Practical advice about approaching raptors and their biology, and incredible detail on plumages and ranges. What’s not as good? Incredible detail on plumages and ranges. What’s not good as of late 2012? This book is hard to find for less than $100, and is more library tome than field guide. Crossley, Richard, Jerry Liguori, & Brian Sullivan. 2013. The Crossley ID Guide - Raptors. Princeton University Press. Cutting edge doesn’t necessarily work for everyone, but this photo-shopped rapto-rama is worth a long look. Crossley is making a name for himself by cramming many images of one bird species onto one page, or across a 2-page spread. The result, he states, is hawks how you will see them, in context, against a backdrop of field, forest and sky.