Meet our new intern Kateri Bilay! We asked her a few questions to get to know her better, and learn about her wonderful raptor experiences.

Each nesting season for the last 60 years, researchers with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, and more recently, the Raptor Research Center at Boise State University have monitored the golden eagle population in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. This is the longest running study of golden eagles in the world. This long-term study examines golden eagle population status, breeding biology, and post-fledging behavior to better understand the environmental factors shaping eagle survival and conservation in the western United States.

In December, the Birds of Prey Partnership joined agency partners to restore fire-damaged habitat in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey NCA. Over 1,000 native plants—including sagebrush, penstemon, and rabbitbrush—were installed to support threatened species and shrub-steppe ecosystems, marking a major step in ongoing post-fire restoration efforts.

This summer, the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area Partnership (BOPP) was thrilled to host Annabel, a Boise State University student, as our Science Communications Intern through the Andrus Scholars Program.

BOPP’s President, Steve Alsup, as well as NCA Biologist, Joe Weldon, joined Anthony Locatelli, a Ph.D student with University of Idaho’s Conway Lab, out in the field to conduct research on the movement of burrowing owls by attaching satellite transmitters to four fledgling owls in the NCA.

Join our seed collection days this fall and help us restore crucial raptor habitats in the NCA