Bitterroot Audubon is honored to host a special program, January 16^th, on Raptors by Steve Hoffman, whose entire 38-year career has been dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and the study of raptors. Steve recently retired as Executive Director of Montana Audubon, where he served in this capacity from 2006 to 2016. Along with all of his responsibilities, he also managed to share his knowledge, love and enthusiasm for raptors through workshops and field trips for many of the local Audubon Chapters. Anyone who has been with Steve at any of these events will attest to the joy he brings to this field.

After 10 years of government service (mostly as an Endangered Species Biologist for the US Fish & Wildlife Service in the American Southwest), Steve founded HawkWatch International, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to monitoring and conserving hawks, eagles and other raptors in the West. Steve moved from his birth state of Pennsylvania to Bozeman in 2004. He has authored more than 35 scientific papers on raptor migration ecology & conservation and endangered species management. Steve has given dozens of presentations on the identification, migration and conservation of raptors to diverse audiences throughout the US. He earned his M.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology from Utah State University.

Steve will present an overview of the Veracruz River of Raptors Project (VRR) near the Gulf Coast in eastern Mexico. This project is designed to monitor the largest raptor migration on Earth (4-6 million raptors of 20+ species observed each autumn). As co-founder of the project, Steve will describe how VRR was launched, as well as key findings of this 25-year raptor population monitoring effort. Finally, Steve will highlight his upcoming fall 2017 birding tour to Veracruz, focusing on opportunities to enjoy this stunning migration spectacle, as well as many other exciting birding experiences in central and southern Veracruz (300+ bird species possible on this trip!).

Join Bitterroot Audubon to hear Steve and to learn about this fascinating project Monday, January 16^th 7:00P.M. at the Forest Service/Natural Resources building, 1801 North 1^st  (north end of Hamilton), west side of HWY 93. Enter the building on the west side. The Public is invited. Contact Kay Fulton for more information (642-3794).