Hawkwatch International, Inc.

1. To conduct standardized, annual fall migration counts on raptors throughout the western U.S. to keep tabs on population health; analyze the data against seasonal trends and long-term averages; share the data with land and wildlife managers, stakeholders and the general public; and work with state and federal wildlife officials in conservation planning. Ultimately, we want to prevent any raptor species from reaching the endangered species list, and address conservation needs of population dives before it reaches a critical stage.

2. Conduct research throughout the raptor lifecycle--spring nesting studies and wintering studies--to more holistically conserve raptors and their habitats by tracking nesting success rates and resource needs and use. By better understanding raptor needs throughout their lifecycle, we are well positioned to take conservation steps and research when threats affect raptor species.

3. Provide education and outreach programs to schools and the general public to teach about raptors in our ecosystem, and instill appreciation for the natural world. An environmentally literate society is key to producing policy that protects our wildlife and public lands, while allowing for smart development for human needs. Outreach programs reach thousands of individuals and students each year, and include raptor education programs, outdoor field trips, citizen science volunteer programs, and curriculum-based school programs that use migration data to teach science and math concepts.

4. To serve as a intermediary organization that brings agencies and stakeholders together to address raptor and avian conservation issues, and development comprehensive protection plans for wildlife that cross multiple state and country borders. These efforts bring leaders to the table to share best practices, prevent duplication and resource waste, and keep information flowing between involved parties.

1. HWI will conduct annual migration research at 8 sites across the western U.S. and Gulf Coast region to track migration ecology and population health within the Pacific and Western Continental Flyways. HWI holds the largest data sets of migratory raptors in this region, and is poised to continue it's monitoring efforts to provide the critical and necessary data required for sound wildlife protection planning. Each year the migration sites attract an abundance of visitors who learn about raptors and the conservation needs of the species. HWI promote visitation to the sites for this reason, coordinates festivals at several of the sites with partners, and coordinates guided field trips for groups throughout the migration season.

2. HWI will work with partners in monitoring the states of current and new threats raptors face, and will help to mitigate threats that pose significant displacement or mortality rates. Citizen science projects allow HWI to attract a broad base of volunteers to help with spring and winter studies, increasing the size of our study area and the amount of data collected for on-going monitoring. Volunteers are engaged in HWI's work and learn about field research, ultimately fostering a passion for wildlife and our shared environment.

3. HWI partners with dozens of community centers, libraries, schools, and other businesses and organizations to provide education programs, which include use of non-releasable education birds that provide individuals with the opportunity to witness a raptor up-close. Through a grant provided by the Utah State Office of Education, HWI is providing a Raptor Biology program to every high school biology class in the state. These informal science and math education programs include lesson plans and exercises that are able to be replicated in other schools throughout the country.

HWI has been a leader in raptor research and conservation in the western U.S. for more than 30 years. Indeed, HWI was the first organization to begin monitoring raptor migrations in this part of the country, and currently holds more data on western raptor migrations than anyone else. HWI stays involved with the Raptor Research Foundation and the Hawk Migration Association of North American, two of the foremost leading raptor institutions in the country. HWI has a long history of partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. National Park Service, and state wildlife offices in many states. Through a partnership with the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA), Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (HMS), HawkWatch International (HWI), and Bird Studies Canada (BSC), with support from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, HWI helped build the Raptor Population Index (www.rpi-project.com). The RPI project houses migration data from all partners, and allows public access to view population trends and pull statistical graphs from the various migration sites; it has helped open up access to migration data that is easily accessible to anyone interested parties. HWI received a prestigious grant in 2011 from the USFWS Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act to use our migration data, conduct ground-truthing research, and build predictive map models that will accurately identify remote migration corridors used by migratory birds for development planning and protection. HWI has weathered the financial and economic landscape for 30 years, keep our operations running and growing our financial and volunteer capacity. HWI current manages and endowment fund in excess of $1 million, to serve as perpetuity funding for our science and research operations. Social media and modern marketing tools have allowed HWI to reach a more diverse and wider audience, educating on our programs and the importance of raptors in our environment. HWI will continue to serve as a leader for raptor education and conservation for many more decades to come.

HWI's migration network has been streamlined to maintain data integrity in times of government sequestration and funding cuts. This has provided additional challenges in funding the migration network, which has been met through increased individual support. Growing public support of the migration network and diversifying the revenue stream to support the project will be key for long-term success. The migration network has also served as a platform for modern science research projects like blood sampling that has been taken place at our trapping/banding stations from 2011-2013. The migration network will continue to serve as a platform for those who need an outlet to conduct research for masters programs and scientific exploration. HWI started a Professional Services program in 2011 to grow our revenue stream through providing consultation services to the private sector. After an incredibly successful year with the boom of wind energy development, it took an unanticipated dive. Through on-going efforts and growing recognition, private contracts have been on the rise in recent years for our Professional Services and will continue to propel HWI as the leader in raptor related consultation services. HWI's education efforts have been steadily growing since programs services began. Huge progress has been made in getting HWI into schools and providing science and math programs. In 2010, HWI started partnering with school districts to prepare teachers to start teaching statistics. That experience has lead to the on-going effort of providing professional development workshops for teachers on issues related to statistics, data analysis, and environmental education. That success lead to HWI receiving grant funding from the state of Utah to provide informal outreach programs to every high school statewide. HWI's next accomplishment will come in building a website for teachers to access across the nation to download lesson plans and incorporate our raptor biology and statistics programs into their annual curriculum.