wildlife Research & Monitoring program
Ferruginous hawk nestlings wondering who their new visitors are just before researchers collect them for processing. The nestlings will recieve aluminum leg bands with unique identification numbers and will have several morphological measerments taken before being returned to the nest. This research is conducted with federal and state permits in place.
Overview
The Wildlife Monitoring & Research Program provides the scientific foundation for BOPP’s conservation work. Through long-term monitoring and collaborative research, BOPP helps track raptor populations, prey species, and habitat conditions within the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.
Data collected through this program informs habitat restoration priorities, provides training opportunities for the next generation of research professionals, creates public outreach opportunities, and supports science-based management decisions.
Why It Matters
Understanding how raptor populations and their habitat change over time is critical to effective conservation. Long-term monitoring allows trends to be detected, recovery to be measured, and emerging threats to be identified.
This program ensures that conservation actions are guided by evidence and that restoration efforts can be evaluated for effectiveness.
Program Projects
Raptor Nest Monitoring:
Surveys of nesting raptors track population trends, territory occupancy, reproductive success, and productivity across the NCA.
Prey Base Surveys:
Monitoring of prey species populations helps assess the health of the food web that supports raptor populations. Abundance data and diet analysis guides native plant species compisition at our Habitat Improvement Program planting sites.
Habitat & Vegetation Monitoring:
Vegetation and habitat conditions are tracked over time to evaluate ecological change and responses to disturbance and restoration efforts.
Get Involved
Ways to participate in monitoring and research:
Explore the Work
See where research and monitoring efforts are happening in the NCA.
Other projects
Native Youth for Habitat Restoration
This project provides habitat restoration training and education for native youth from the Duck Valley Reservation.
Youth will participate and learn about all components of habitat restoration from seed collection, seed cleaning, propagation, and installation, while helping to enhance existing BLM restoration site in the Morley Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.
Ferruginous Hawk Nest Monitoring
We are conducting long-term ferruginous hawk nest monitoring in and around the NCA. These efforts are facilitated by internships provided through the MILES Undergraduate Research and Internships program.
By identifying and regularly motioning nest sites, this project is contributing to USFWS and USGS research on ferruginous hawk ecology, as well as facilitating BLM educational field trips and banding activities.
National Public Lands Day
In late September 2021, our incredible BLM NCA staff, led by Ecologist Ann Marie Raymondi, hosted a native plant installation project at Dedication Point, not only to celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD - 24th of September, 2021), but also the 75th Anniversary of the BLM. Over 700 native shrubs and forbs were planted by over 25 volunteers as part of a multi-year restoration project at the NCA’s most visited site. The large amount of rainfall the area received in the days following the NPLD planting gave an important head start to all the new plants.
Native Perspectives
This project introduced students from the Duck Valley Reservation to the NCA. The BOPP coordinated a field trip to Dedication Point and Celebration Park, where students, tribal elders, and BLM and BOPP staff discussed the wildlife and landscape features that make the NCA unique.
During the field trip, tribal elders and students had the opportunity to discuss native perspectives on concepts like conservation and sustainability.