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SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah conservation nonprofit is looking for volunteers who are passionate about conservation and the outdoors to assist the project in its efforts to gather data on the state's raptor population during this year's nesting season.
"The amazing thing is that our volunteers really do come from all walks of life," said Robyn Macduff, the director of the Raptor Inventory Nest Survey — a nonprofit conservation initiative that actively tracks the population and nesting behaviors of Utah's raptor species which include hawks, eagles, falcons and owls.
Partnered with the Utah Bureau of Land Management, the organization on Tuesday requested Utahns' help during this year's nesting season, which starts in March and ends in July.
Utahns who choose to heed the nonprofit's call to action would be joining a growing team of approximately 250 volunteers from all across the state who go out each year during nesting season to monitor raptor nests and habitats in their areas, record that data and use it to create a comprehensive picture of how Utah's raptor population is doing year to year — a purpose that the organization and its volunteers have fulfilled for the past 25 years.
Using data collected from GPS units and the watchful supervision of its volunteers, the Raptor Inventory Nest Survey presents accurate data regarding nest locations and nest success. Macduff explained how a remarkable variety of birds of prey call the Beehive State home — sometimes, Utahns are surprised to learn raptors can even be found in their own backyard.
While some raptor species aren't very tolerant to living near humans, some, like the red-tailed hawk, are often found in large trees in peoples' backyards. When this happens, Macduff tells KSL, the conservation nonprofit works with its volunteers to then set up an observation environment that allows the person who found the bird to participate in monitoring and learning about the raptor on their property.
Red-tailed hawks are among the most commonly sighted raptor species in Utah, with data from last year showing that under the monitoring of the survey, approximately 250 red-tailed hawks were able to successfully leave their nests and join the active population in 2023.
Additionally, the Raptor Inventory Nest Survey organization often works closely with Utah's BLM office to correspond with other state and federal agencies, allowing the data to be put to good use. Macduff told KSL of a time when survey volunteers located near the construction site of the recently completed West Davis Highway reported to her that the construction zone was beginning to conflict with the nesting areas of multiple birds.
Thankfully, the conservation nonprofit and Utah BLM were able to collaborate with UDOT to alter the construction zone in a way so that it didn't interfere with or encroach on the raptors' habitats and nests — it's through collaborative efforts between the community, the nonprofit and state agencies that the survey was able to protect 13 active raptor nests during construction in 2023
The Raptor Inventory Nest Survey and Macduff understand that along with collecting nesting and population data, education and community involvement are also key factors in doing as much as they can for the conservation of Utah's raptor species. Macduff herself leads training workshops and classroom presentations, telling KSL that she considers education and outreach one of the most important parts of her job.
"The more people know about these birds, the more people love them," Macduff explained, highlighting how she's seen a lot of success in bringing survey workshops to students in elementary schools. Children in the third and fourth grade find the nonprofit's presentations fascinating and kids from this age group often rope their parents in so that they can volunteer, she said.
Empowering citizens to be able to participate in the conservation and monitoring effort is a huge priority for the organization because it believes that education and awareness are key to protecting Utah's raptor population.
Without a concerted awareness of Utah's raptor populations, habitats and nesting environments, human development stands the risk of driving out these birds or worse. Utah's raptor species are not very tolerant of human development, since their needs necessitate that their habitats are biodiverse and suitable for nesting.
Macduff explained she finds that most people want to protect wildlife, but they often don't think about Utah's raptors and how fragile their populations and habitats are.
"People preserve what they love," Macduff said, highlighting the Raptor Inventory Nest Survey's commitment to the conservation of Utah's raptor population and to educating Utahns, from all walks of life and age groups, about the importance of learning how to live alongside Utah's raptors.
