Of those species, here is a selection of 7 common species that you can learn to identify: Situated within a major north-south bird migration path known as the Pacific Flyway, 28 species of raptors have been documented on the Santa Lucia Preserve over the years. “If we can keep everything the same every year, we can get a better idea of how the population has changed over time.”Īt each raptor point, we set a timer for 5 minutes and scan the surrounding landscape 360 degrees with our binoculars, especially the tops of trees and other high perch locations, recording the species and number of each raptor we see or hear. As with all scientific methods, “the goal is standardization,” Mike says with his eyes on the horizon. We visit the same 34 locations (known as “raptor points”) in February, April, and June, making sure to get all of the points done within the same 4 hour window over a period of two days in order to decrease the potential for variation in the data. That said, we must also grasp that raptors on The Preserve don’t exist in a vacuum populations here often reflect what scientists are seeing at a regional level and may also be tied to climatic factors. Giving us one piece of the larger ecological picture, this data helps the Conservancy evaluate whether our efforts to protect habitat and promote conservation-compatible residences are working, particularly in our grasslands and oak savannas.įor instance, if enough Preserve residents were to use rodenticides rather than the recommended Integrated Pest Management (IPM), we could see a cascading negative impact on raptor populations, among other predators. As key indicator species, “understanding raptor populations also indirectly helps us understand rodent populations,” Conservation Ecologist Dr. Understanding how populations of sky-faring predators change over time gives us a better idea of what’s happening with their prey species on the ground. It’s raptor breeding season right now, which makes it an especially good time to venture out and observe these birds as they mate and nest.Įach year, the Conservancy partners with Mike Stake, Senior Wildlife Biologist at Ventana Wildlife Society, to conduct surveys on The Santa Lucia Preserve in an effort to monitor raptor populations.

In fact, the word raptor stems from the Latin rapere, which means to seize or plunder. Raptors, or predatory birds, have characteristically hooked beaks, sharp talons, and powerful eyesight that give them the ability to zero in on their prey.

Soaring overhead on rising thermals, dive-bombing rodents in the rolling grasslands with their piercing screeches echoing off of the hills – birds of prey are a striking sight in the Santa Lucia Mountains. MaBy Alix Soliman, Communications & Outreach Coordinator

Kite birds sl