Raptor Population Index Project  (visit RPI website now)

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary	Hawk Migration Assoc of North America	HawkWatch International

Bird Studies Canada

About the Raptor Population Index Project
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a founding partner in the award-winning Raptor Population Index Project, the most far-ranging raptor population monitoring tool on the planet.

RPI is a partnership between four leading hawk watch and migration research organizations: 
1. Hawk Migration Association of North America
2. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
3. HawkWatch International
4. Bird Studies Canada (joined in 2009)

The partnership resulted due to a lack of reliable information about many populations of raptor species, a conspicuous gap in North American bird monitoring. The founding vision of RPI was to contribute to effective conservation of migratory raptors through continent-wide, long-term monitoring of raptor migration, scientifically sound assessments of population status, and public outreach and education.

Support
Funding to launch the RPI Project has been provided in part by generous challenge grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as by private donations from Hawk Mountain members, friends and other individuals, and in-kind support from HMANA, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, HawkWatch International, and now this year, Bird Studies Canada.

State of North America's Birds of Prey
The RPI four-year pilot study resulted in the publication of this landmark book, which represents preceeding of the first-ever co-hosted Raptor Research Foundation and HMANA annual meeting.|

The book was considered groundbreaking work, and tests the RPI concept and feasibility: a continental-wide program to monitor migratory raptors. [click here to puchase].

This synthesis of a massive dataset spanning several decades, collected by citizen-scientists at dozens of migration monitoring sites across the continent would not have been possible without the dedicated support of front-line hawkwatchers, matched with the expertise of RPI staff, and the backing of several funding agencies. Together we did what none of us could have done alone.