Raptor Research Foundation

Raptor Research Foundation
Name	Raptor Research Foundation
Formation	1966
Type	Nonprofit organization
Purpose	Research, conservation, education
Headquarters	United States
Region served	International
Leader title	President

Raptor Research Foundation is a nonprofit scientific society dedicated to the study and conservation of birds of prey. Founded in 1966, the organization brings together ornithologists, ecologists, wildlife biologists, rehabilitation specialists, and citizen scientists to advance knowledge about hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, kites, vultures, and related taxa. It promotes research, publishes peer-reviewed literature, funds grants, and organizes symposia and regional meetings.

History

The foundation emerged in the mid-20th century amid rising interest in raptor ecology and conservation following high-profile events and movements such as the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, the banning of DDT by regulators, and growing research at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and World Wildlife Fund. Early leaders included researchers associated with University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan, University of British Columbia, and University of Minnesota who sought a dedicated forum comparable to societies such as the American Ornithological Society and Wilson Ornithological Society. Over decades the foundation has interfaced with agencies and organizations including the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, BirdLife International, and The Peregrine Fund to address declines documented in species covered by lists like the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and protected under laws such as the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Mission and Activities

The foundation's mission centers on fostering scientific study and conservation of raptors through research support, publication, outreach, and policy-relevant science. Activities include coordinating long-term monitoring partnerships with programs at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Point Reyes National Seashore, Klamath Bird Observatory, and international sites linked to networks like the African Raptor Data Bank and European Bird Census Council. The foundation collaborates with universities such as University of Arizona, University of Oxford, McGill University, and University of Cape Town on telemetry, migration, and demographic studies, and works with organizations including International Union for Conservation of Nature, Conservation International, National Audubon Society, and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to translate science into conservation action.

Publications and Research

The society publishes a flagship peer-reviewed journal that features empirical studies, reviews, and management papers on Accipitriformes, Falconiformes, Strigiformes, and related clades, complementing other outlets like The Auk, Journal of Avian Biology, Condor, and Ibis. Articles often employ techniques developed at laboratories and facilities such as Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, British Trust for Ornithology, and Canadian Wildlife Service, and reference landmark works and datasets from scholars affiliated with University of Florida, University of California, Davis, University of Washington, and Oregon State University. The foundation also issues monographs, technical notes, and species accounts that inform management under frameworks like those used by the Convention on Migratory Species, Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, and regional conservation plans tied to agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and Canadian Wildlife Service.

Conferences and Meetings

Annual scientific conferences convene researchers, managers, and students, often hosted in collaboration with institutions such as Smithsonian Institution, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and international partners like University of Cape Town and University of Buenos Aires. Regional symposia and workshops have been held at venues including Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Ithaca College, and Montana State University, featuring sessions on migration ecology, telemetry, toxicology, and rehabilitation techniques pioneered at centers like The Peregrine Fund and HawkWatch International. Meetings foster networking with organizations such as BirdLife International, Raptors Conservation Türkiye, Pan-African Ornithological Congress, and national bodies including the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

Awards and Grants

The foundation awards research grants, student scholarships, and recognition prizes named for prominent raptor scientists and conservationists associated with institutions like Cornell University, University of Michigan, University of Oxford, and University of British Columbia. Grant recipients have conducted fieldwork in regions managed by entities such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuges, Bureau of Land Management, Parks Canada, and international sites coordinated with BirdLife International partners. Awards often acknowledge contributions comparable to honors from societies like the American Ornithological Society and funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and private foundations including National Geographic Society.

Membership and Organization Structure

Membership comprises professional scientists, students, wildlife managers, rehabilitators, and enthusiasts affiliated with universities, museums, and agencies including Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Smithsonian Institution, British Trust for Ornithology, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. The organization is governed by an elected board of directors and various committees overseeing publications, grants, conservation policy, and conferences, working with collaborators such as Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association, Raptor Rescue centers, The Peregrine Fund, and international networks including BirdLife International and regional ornithological societies like the North American Ornithological Conference.

Category:Ornithological organizations