The mission of HawkWatch International is to conserve the environment through education, long-term monitoring, and scientific research on raptors as indicators of ecosystem health.

We believe that through our efforts to monitor and protect birds of prey (also known as raptors), we can also protect our shared environment, our rich natural heritage, and ourselves. HawkWatch International fulfills its mission through long-term monitoring, ecological research, applied conservation, and education. Through each of these efforts, we promote an ethic of ecological sustainability and conservation for this and generations to follow.

HawkWatch International has been awarded a prestigious Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) grant. The project will use HWI's 25+ years of raptor migration data to help ensure that potential new ridge top developments, such as wind turbines, are situated in low-impact areas to avoid or minimize risk to sensitive species such as Golden Eagles. Read more about the project. Read the press release.

"Raptors are more sensitive to landscape development because they have longer life spans and lower reproductive rates," says HWI Science Director Dr. Markus Mika. "This project will help protect and conserve raptors in the face of often necessary but increased mountain ridge energy development."

NMBCA funds support projects that promote long-term conservation of Neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. HWI was one of 28 projects selected throughout the Americas, and one of just two projects operating solely within the United States. We look forward to working with our project partners, Montana Audubon and Idaho Bird Observatory over the next two years.