THE DIFFICULTY OF BECOMING A BREEDING OSPREY: Research Conducted by Raptor View Research Institute

By Rob Domenech and Adam Shreading

Raptor View Research Institute is a non-profit research and education organization founded by Raptor Expert, Rob Domenech, in 2004, initially to study Golden Eagles and other raptors. In 2005,when a decision was made to remove the Milltown Dam and restore the watershed, Rob realized there was an opportunity to track the results of the cleanup with the help of Ospreys. ”Ospreys are the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to the health of that ecosystem.”

In 2006, Raptor View began testing the blood of nestling Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) for mercury and other heavy metals to establish contaminant status, pinpoint pollution hotspots, and assess the success of restoration efforts associated with past mining activities along the Clark Fork River in western Montana. They began using colored leg bands with unique alphanumeric combinations in 2010 to investigate where these Ospreys travel each winter, and where juveniles disperse. They bolstered these efforts in 2012, when they began instrumenting Osprey families from three nests near Florence, Montana with GPS transmitters. 

To date, they have tracked 10 adult breeding Ospreys and 17 of their young from these nests. As predicted from resightings of their color-banded Ospreys, GPS tracked individuals wintered in Mexico, northern Central America, and along the Gulf Coast. Though approximately half of their GPS instrumented nestlings survive their initial meandering fall migration and first winter, they have yet to document one successfully producing a clutch of their own young. Similarly, they have yet to document a successful nesting effort by any of the 203 color-banded nestlings from their larger regional study. These results may suggest the process of becoming a breeding Osprey is longer and more arduous than they expected when they began their study. Ospreys hold a special place in the hearts and minds of those of us in the Bitterroot Valley. Many of you have participated in Osprey nest monitoring by “adopting a nest” or watching webcams trained on nests. It is research such as that of RVRI that allows us to learn much more about the actual status of this beloved bird. Adam and Rob will share their findings in depth at the Bitterroot Audubon meeting Monday, May 21^stat the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge. See details below

Adam Shreading graduated from the University of Montana in 2009 with a degree in Wildlife Biology. He began working exclusively with raptors in 2007, and has monitored populations of various species across Montana. Adam first came to RVRI as a seasonal field biologist during the fall migration of 2010, and became increasingly involved in RVRIâ_™s field studies over the next two years. Since becoming a full-time member of their team in August 2012, Adam has been a valuable asset in the planning, execution, and reporting of RVRIâ_™s field-based activities.

Rob Domenech, Executive Director of Raptor View Research Institute (RVRI), began exploring much of western Montana during the 1990s to locate a suitable site for establishing the first mountaintop raptor migration banding study in Montana. He founded RVRI in 2004 to facilitate this ongoing in-depth research of Golden Eagle and other raptor migration ecology. His work includes standardized migration counts, satellite tracking, feather isotope analysis, wing-tagging, morphometric analysis, examination of blood contaminant levels and more. RVRI's data and analysis has contributed to numerous studies, some of which have been published in peer review journals such as, The Journal of Raptor Research, The Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology and Northwestern Naturalist. Rob graduated from the University of Montana in 2002 with a Wildlife Biology degree. When not in the field, you can find Rob promoting awareness of raptor ecology to youth and community groups. Rob enjoys whitewater kayaking, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking and bird watching.

COME JOIN BITTERROOT AUDUBON SOCIETY MONDAY, MAY 21^ST, 7:00 P.M. AT THE LEE METCALF WILDLIFE REFUGE FOR THIS SPECIAL END OF THE YEAR PROGRAM. THE REFUGE IS LOCATED NORTH OF STEVENSVILLE JUST OFF OF THE EASTSIDE HIGHWAY ON WILDFOWL LANE. COME TO THE VISITORS’ CENTER.  THE PUBLIC IS INVITED. BE SURE TO COME EARLY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FANTASTIC BIRDS AND WATERFOWL AT THE REFUGE, INCLUDING OSPREYS!! Contact Kay Fulton (360-8664) for more information.