Capture, marking, & survey of eagles & other raptors in USFWS Region 6

The Service needs additional information on eagle (Bald & Golden) and raptor (especially Ferruginous Hawk) survival, mortality causes, habitat use, movement patterns, and territory size throughout their western ranges. Region 6 of the Service supports a large proportion of Golden Eagle and Ferruginous Hawk population in the U.S., including several states that support high breeding, migration, and overwintering densities. Bald Eagles are increasingly more common in Region 6 as well, and are even nesting in highly urbanized areas now. The Service needs additional data movement, survival, & habitat use data for these species of eagles, especially from WY (a core area for Golden Eagles and Ferruginous Hawks), CO (for Bald Eagles along the Front Range), and MT. Data gathered from this project will help inform various aspects of eagle management for the Service, which is vital to maintaining the preservation standard for the species under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Project data also will help inform future Service permitting decisions under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act by providing data essential to making science-based permitting decisions. Deliverables include between 20-40 territorial/breeding or migratory eagles and Ferruginous Hawks tagged (depending on number of telemetry units we are able to purchase or refurbish) and a report of surveys of a sample of historic Ferruginous Hawk nests.