When RVRI first started out, we focused nearly all our research effort on our fall migration studies. However, our studies now includes spring, summer and winter work as well. Our Swainson’s Hawk and Osprey Projects keep us busy throughout most of the spring andGOEAheadweb summer. Come mid August we are gearing up for our Fall Migration Monitoring and Banding Projects on the Rocky Mountain Front. Shortly there after, we are back at it, collecting data on wintering eagles which takes us into March and the peak spring migration season for Golden Eagle heading back to their northerly breeding grounds. Indeed it has become a year-round endeavor.    

Since 2004 we have banded a total of 934 raptors, comprised of 14 species, including 130 Golden Eagles, 132 Northern Goshawks and 111 Osprey. The number of Golden Eagles rivals that of any similar study in the world. Many raptor species show signs of declining. The causes are likely numerous, but most of the available evidence points to human-caused impacts to the environment and raptor habitats as a major contributor to the declines. However, we are only now beginning to scratch-the-surface in terms of truly understanding the extent of these impacts and developing effective ways of mitigating them. Most of our research projects are multi-faceted, long-term studies that specifically address human-caused impacts on raptors.

Please see our Newletters for the most up to date research information.