You can learn more about the status of Golden Eagles and 27 other raptors at the new Raptor Population Index website (photo by Paul Konrad).

Last month, the most current assessment of the status of migratory raptors in North America was released as the newly developed Raptor Population Index (RPI). Presented online to share the most up to date analyses from 2009 to 2019, this impressive report includes count information from 76 fall and spring raptor count sites that reveal 1,009 trend estimates for 28 species of raptors. The new Raptor Population Index provides counts, assessments, and trend results across all of North America, as well as for 4 regions (West, Central, East, and Gulf).

This research is possible because of the contributions of count data and the time and dedication of the staff, counters, and volunteers at raptor count sites, and the RPI partnering organizations. You can learn about results of the new Raptor Population Index online by reviewing an interactive map of count sites and species observed, count site specific graphs for each species, and synthesized short species conservation assessment reports. The RPI is a product of the partnership of Hawk Migration Association of North America, HawkWatch International, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association, and Birds Canada.

Species Assessments are very insightful in understanding the current status and population trends of raptor species using the count information during the 10-year period from 2009 to 2019. Site-specific Graphs show each species’ count trends at each count site, and the Trend Summary Index is especially interesting to see how each species, and all species, are trending in a single graph. Plus there is a comparable Trend Summary Index that shows species count trends over the greater 20-year period from 1999 to 2019.

At the end of the report, there is a helpful Raptor Gallery for you to enjoy and study to improve your own raptor identification skills with some birds perched and others in flight. You can access it all at Raptor Population Index (rpi-project.org)