Glacier National Park boasts one of the most important golden eagle migration routes in North America. Nearly 2,000 golden eagles were recorded migrating past Mount Brown annually from 1994 through 1996. Recent trend data from outside the park, however, indicate significant declines in their numbers, attributed to environmental contaminants, habitat loss, prey declines and climate change. Many people are unaware of the risks raptors face while migrating and just to survive.
Golden eagles and other raptors are top predators and migration counts are a cost-effective and efficient approach to detect changes in their numbers. This project will outfit a Hawk Watch International Site below the Mount Brown lookout. From this vantage point, volunteers get close-up,unforgettable views of raptors, enabling reliable identification and fostering raptor knowledge and passion.
The primary observer would be responsible for monitoring raptors every day, and also teaching and assisting volunteer scientists who hike up to the site each day. Funding would ensure observers staying overnight in the lookout will be warm and safe between survey days, and allow the park biologist to coordinate logistics, train new volunteers and ensure quality control.
