An Introduction to HWI's International Program

Founded in 1986, HawkWatch International didn’t always have an international focus. In fact, that wasn’t even our name! Founded as the Western Foundation for Raptor Conservation, our work focused on monitoring raptors across the Western United States. Our journey with these incredible creatures stopped when they migrated outside North America in the fall. We then spent several years supporting local partners in Veracruz, Mexico with their migration site.

Then in 2019, HWI launched its International Program with the aim of filling knowledge gaps and working to conserve the least known and most endangered raptors worldwide. An initial goal was to identify which raptor species were in the highest need of investment. In 2019 we did just this, identifying research and conservation priorities for all raptors in a scientific publication. We found that there is a tremendous discrepancy in where research and conservation efforts focus on raptors, with species in Europe and North America receiving a lot of attention, while most species from the Global South are overlooked and often much more endangered with extinction. The International Program is working to overcome this discrepancy by targeting projects and investments on those raptor species that need the most support.

In this presentation, we will provide an overview of the status of all raptor species worldwide and an up-close look at the on-the-ground projects you’ve helped support in Africa, focused on eagles and vultures. We’ll provide updates on the breeding ecology of one of Africa’s fiercest predators, the Martial Eagle, the latest findings from our long-term vulture conservation project in Ethiopia, and new insights from our work to mitigate the impacts of wind energy on raptors in South Africa. You’ll also learn more about our latest initiative—a grant to support high-priority raptor conservation projects worldwide.

Please join Drs. Evan Buechley and Megan Murgatroyd for this joint presentation of this important work.