Most animals flee from fire, but the Savanna Hawk flies toward it. This resourceful raptor gathers in groups of 50 or more around grass fires, sometimes walking just meters behind the fire line in search of toasted prey. Savanna Hawk in Panama 📷 Russell Thorstrom #Raptors #Birds 🪶

Idaho Gives starts TODAY! Every gift is doubled thanks to a $50,000 match from Rebecca Gaples and Simon Harrison. Help us reach $100,000 for raptor conservation worldwide. 🔗https://bit.ly/IDGTPF26 #RaptorResearch #Ornithology #Birds 📷 Jim Shane

OUT NOW: The State of the World's Raptors 📖 https://a.co/d/0bqdBsHm Cover image of Secretarybird 📷 Jim Shane #RaptorResearch #Ornithology

Few raptors can match the Eurasian Kestrel's ability to thrive just about anywhere. This adaptable falcon is found across an enormous range spanning Europe, Asia, and Africa. Eurasian Kestrel 📷 Evan Buechley

The Peregrine Fund joins the many mourning the loss of our Board Chairman, The Honorable Dirk Kempthorne (1951–2026). His leadership leaves a lasting mark on our organization and the birds of prey we work to protect. Our deepest condolences go to the Kempthorne family.

Happy Earth Day! 🌍🌎🌏 From our teams in the: Towering red cliffs of Arizona 📷 Alan Clampitt Snowy Alaska tundra 📷 Kari Williams Texas coastal prairie 📷 Paul Juergens Luscious jungles of the Dominican Republic 📷 Carlos Suárez Imperiled wetlands of Madagascar 📷 Evan Buechley ...and beyond.

Deep in the fragmented forests of Brazil, our team is searching for a tiny owl that hasn't been reliably recorded in over 25 years. The Pernambuco Pygmy-owl is Critically Endangered and Possibly Extinct, but "possibly" is enough for us. https://bit.ly/4vqHVxR #RaptorResearch #Ornithology 🪶

A new study published in Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology documents a steep decline of breeding in White-backed Vulture in western Serengeti. https://bit.ly/3PZIsXv. 📷 Munir Virani #RaptorResearch #Ornithology 🪶

National Harpy Eagle Day in Panama 🎉 The Harpy Eagle is Panama's national bird and one of the most iconic raptors on the planet. The Peregrine Fund has been working in the Darién to study and protect this magnificent species for over two decades.  📷 Angel Muela #Raptors #Birds #RaptorResearch 🪶

The Rüppell's Vulture is built for endurance. This large African vulture has been known to spend seven or more hours aloft in a single day, soaring on thermal currents across the open savannas in search of food. Rüppell's Vulture 📷 Carlee Clarke #Raptors #Birds 🪶

A lovely short film about the Madagascar Fish Eagle Project - this is where I was based during many years of fieldwork for my MSc & PhD - it's hardly changed. And still the best raptor in the world, obvs 💚 Fantastic conservation effort, @theperegrinefund.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1iv...

New Publication 📰 American kestrel population trends and vital rates at the continental scale https://bit.ly/4c19FjT 📷 Jim Shane Figure 4 from Howell et al., 2026 #RaptorResearch #Ornithology 🪶

Black Vultures are shameless opportunists—these birds have been known to walk right into houses and help themselves to whatever food they can find!  Black Vulture in Panama 📷 Evan Buechley #Raptors #Birds 🪶

The Western Banded Snake-eagle does exactly what its name implies—it hunts snakes (both non-venomous and venomous) across sub-Saharan Africa. Once this eagle has made its catch, it often swallows its prey whole. 🐍 Western Banded Snake-eagle 📷 Nick Dean | #Raptors #Birds 🪶

A new study from our Aplomado Falcon Recovery Program examines how sea level rise and development could impact habitat in South Texas: https://bit.ly/412LsEB Aplomado Falcon 📷 Paul Juergens 📊 Figure 5, McCabe et al., 2025 #RaptorResearch #Ornithology

Happy International Women's Day! From Alaska and Boise, to Tanzania and the Caribbean, these are just a few of the amazing women working to conserve birds of prey worldwide with The Peregrine Fund.  (Photos by Hana Weaver, Bill Saltzstein, Matthew Danihel, Kate Persons, and Claire Bracebridge)

New Publication! 📰 Forest-dependent raptors have lost an average of 10% of their habitat since 2001, with only 52% of forest cover remaining, according to a new study: https://bit.ly/3OKiCWW. Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk 📷 Amanda Hancock  #RaptorResearch #Ornithology @ebuechley.bsky.social

🎙️ Tune in! Our Southern Africa Program Director, Dr. Corinne Kendall, joined journalists Jeff Barbee and Laurel Neme on The Wildlife Podcast to discuss vulture conservation. https://bit.ly/4rcmXzJ.  📷 Photo of Corinne by Claire Bracebridge

Happy World Wildlife Day! 🌎🌍🌏 From the wetlands of Madagascar and savannas of Kenya to the cliffs of Arizona and tundra of Alaska, we're working tirelessly to conserve birds of prey and the wild landscapes they depend on. African Fish-eagle 📷 Carlee Clarke #raptors #wildlife #birds

When The Peregrine Fund began researching the Ridgway's Hawk in the Dominican Republic in 2000, fewer than 300 individuals were estimated to remain. Today, after 26 years of conservation, the population has more than doubled.  Ridgway's Hawk 📷 Russell Thorstrom #RaptorResearch #Raptors #Birds

New Publication! 📰 Surveys of Sooty Falcons Falco concolor wintering in Madagascar in 2023 and 2024 https://bit.ly/4b044ek Photo by Ahmad Tarek; licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0 Figure 2 from Razafimanjato et al., 2025 #raptorresearch #ornithology

Out now: How to Count Birds 📖 bit.ly/how-to-count-birds #RaptorResearch #Ornithology

Egg-citing news from our propagation facility in Boise, Idaho! We have our first confirmed California Condor eggs of the 2026 season! The first was laid on January 31st and a second, by another pair, was laid on February 4th.  📷 Pawoco (60)♂ & Itaxmay (141)♀ with their egg #Raptors #RaptorResearch

Happy Superb Owl Sunday! 🦉🏈  Wrapping up our week-long celebration of superb owls, we highlight the superbly diurnal Northern Pygmy-owl. When thinking about owls, you might consider them nocturnal, but the Northern Pygmy-Owl is active during the day. #Raptors #Birds 📷 Russell Thorstrom

Happy Reverse the Red Day!  Reverse the Red is a global movement that ignites strategic cooperation and action to reverse biodiversity loss. When we combine data-driven science with partnership, we reverse extinction. 🌍 www.reversethered.org Ridgway's Hawk 📷 Carlos Suárez

Superb Owl 5: Eastern Screech-owl, Superbly Stealthy Today's superb owl: the Eastern Screech-owl. Their streaked brown plumage makes them vanish against tree bark—blending in is their key to survival! #Raptors #Birds 📷 Joanne Muis; licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Superb Owl 4: Great Horned Owl, Superbly Powerful Today's superb owl is the superbly powerful Great Horned Owl! This nocturnal predator's talons require 28 lbs of force to open. They hunt prey much larger than themselves—even skunks, thanks to their poor sense of smell! #Raptors #Birds 📷 Jim Shane

Superb Owl 3: Elf Owl, Superbly Small Today's superb owl is the superbly small Elf Owl. This tiny raptor weighs less than 0.07 lbs—that's the average weight of one standard light bulb! 📷 Laura Keene; licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 #Raptors #Birds

Superb Owl 2: Great Grey Owl, Superbly Tall Next up in our Superb Owl lineup is the superbly tall Great Grey Owl! Considered the largest owl in North America and the tallest owl in the world, the Great Grey Owl measures between 2-3 feet in height! 📷 Heather Morris #Raptors #birds

This week, leading up to Superb Owl Sunday (yes, you read that right), we're celebrating some superb owls!  We're starting with the Short-eared Owl, which is superbly widespread. This remarkable species is found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. 🌏 📷 Nick Dean #Raptors #Birds 🪶

California Condor development is extraordinary! From a ~0.6 lb egg to a ~20 lb juvenile in just 7 months!  California Condor 1342 as a 5-day-old egg & 7-month-old juvenile 📷 Kelsey Tatton #Raptors #RaptorResearch #Birds

A recently-released database called BIRDBASE is the most comprehensive avian trait dataset ever and compiles data on 78 different traits for all 11,589 bird species: https://bit.ly/3YHaDM4 Broad-billed Tody 📷 Chris Parish Fig. 2 from Şekercioğlu et al. 2025

Congratulations to Conservation Field Biologist Tom Hudson and Research Coordinator Carolina Granthon for winning the Andersen Awards at the 2025 Raptor Research Foundation Conference! Tom Hudson 📷 photo by Paul Juergens Carolina Granthon 📷 photo by Matthew Danihel #RaptorResearch

New Publication! 📰 A new publication in Journal of Raptor Research summarizes the current status and future priorities for island raptor conservation: https://bit.ly/IslandRaptors @consciglobal.bsky.social @hawkmountain.bsky.social #RaptorResearch #ornithology Ridgway's Hawks 📷 Thomas Hayes

NEW PUB: 369 forest-dependent raptor species, on average, have lost 10% of their forest habitat since 2001 and only 52% of forest remains within their ranges. Many species have <25% forest cover left. @theperegrinefund.bsky.social @globalchangebio.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Crowned Solitary Eagle (also known as a Chaco Eagle) Photographed by our Madagascar & West Indies Conservation Director, Russell Thorstrom, while on an expedition to Brazil in 2024.

The 2025 California Condor Release livestream starts soon! Tune in now: https://bit.ly/LiveCondorRelease25.

There's always room for another bird shirt in your closet—get your 2025 California Condor Release t-shirt or hoodie now: bit.ly/25CondorTshirt Shirt design by Emma Regnier #raptors

Happy International Vulture Awareness Day! We hope you’ll take a moment today to celebrate your local vultures and acknowledge the important role they play in our ecosystems. #Raptors #RaptorResearch #Ornithology #Birds Hooded Vulture 📷 Evan Buechley

The new book State of the World’s Raptors, led by Executive Vice President of Science and Conservation Christopher McClure, PhD, provides an original approach to setting priorities for the conservation of raptors across the globe.  Pre-order now: https://bit.ly/SotWR25 #RaptorResearch #Ornithology

New Publication! 📰 A new publication in Scientific Reports analyzed scavenging community composition and dynamics in dry forests of western Ecuador. Learn what they found: https://bit.ly/45uRP6X Turkey Vulture 📷 Sean Pursley #RaptorResearch #ornithology

New Publication! 📰 Tracking solutions to a persistent threat: spatial movement patterns reflect lead exposure in critically endangered California Condors Ecotoxicology, July 2025 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-025-02921-9 📷 Jim Shane #RaptorResearch #ornithology

Nine hand-reared Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawks released into the wild! https://bit.ly/3U55sDe Newly-hatched Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk 📷 Hana Weaver Recently-fledged Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk 📷 Hana Weaver #RaptorResearch #Birds #Raptors

Have you heard the story of how our Madagascar Program Director Dr. Lily-Arison Rene de Roland rediscovered a duck species which was feared to be extinct? This National Geographic article will have you laughing, gasping, and smiling ear-to-ear.

Just a glorious photo of a Merlin preening in the Dominican Republic, captured by Ridgway’s Hawk Field Technician (and talented photographer) Carlos Suárez.  #RaptorResearch #Birds #Raptors

In March, our Madagascar Program teamed up with the Mohamed bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund to trap and tag nine Sooty Falcons in Madagascar. After three months of tracking, the data is starting to tell a story: https://bit.ly/3IGmOUI. 📷 Munir Virani / MBZ Raptor Fund #RaptorResearch #Birds

2025 Prize Winner Dr. Lily René de Roland was awarded "Commander" of Madagascar's National Order – their highest honor! 🎖️ From student -> Indianapolis Prize Winner -> Conservation Knight. This is the power of 30 years of dedicated conservation. 👏 @theperegrinefund.bsky.social

We love this National Geographic article featuring a quote from our North and East Sub-Saharan Africa Program Director, Dr. Darcy Ogada! 

Aplomado Falcon four-nestling brood! For only the fourth time in the 38-year history of our Aplomado Falcon Recovery Program, our team documented a nest with four nestlings. http://bit.ly/4nVUFcm Aplomado Falcon four-nestling brood 📷 Paul Juergens #Raptors #Birds #RaptorResearch

Happy Father's Day While many human fathers get to kick up their feet and take the day off, many raptor fathers are as busy as ever with breeding season! Male American Kestrel bringing mouse back to nest 📷 Jim Shane