Conserving the Ridgway's Hawk in Punta Cana, DR

July marks the tail end of the breeding season in Punta Cana. We had a very productive year with 28 pairs and 29 fledglings!! A close second to our record numbers last year when the pairs fledged 30 young. We continue to monitor the young birds, of which all but one have already flown from the nest. Life for these young birds will now become more challenging. Though they will remain with their parents for the next month or so, they must learn to hunt on their own, avoid dangers, and otherwise learn to survive in the big, wild world on their own. By this time next year, some of these young birds might have found a territory and even a mate of their own. Though these hawks tend to start nesting when they are two years old, some individuals start young - nesting at one year of age!

As for the young bird still in the nest, we banded this nestling on the evening of 15 July. If all goes well, it will be ready to leave the nest in about 2 more weeks!

We continue to work daily with our wonderful Ambassador Hawks.  We currently have 3 Ridgway’s Hawks and two Red-tailed Hawks as part of our Ambassador team. These amazing birds have traveled with us to rural and urban communities and schools, giving people the opportunity to have “nose to beak” encounters with these birds. This helps create a personal connection and inspire them to conserve these raptors in the wild. 

On the other part of the island, in Los Haitises National Park, the hawks are also finishing up their nesting activities. This year, we translocated 28 young birds which were released in Aniana Vargas National Park and our team there continues to monitor these birds that have been in the wild for over one month. They are all starting to hunt on their own and soon they will be dispersing from the release site and searching for their own territories.

An important component of our project is also ensuring the health and safety of our local team members. This season, two representatives from the U.S. Forest Service in Puerto Rico, traveled to the Dominican Republic to lead a 4-day workshop in safe climbing techniques. Two members from each of our teams, 3 members from The Peregrine Fund’s Harpy Eagle project in Panama, and 3 members from The Peregrine Fund’s Sharp-shinned Hawk project in Puerto Rico also participated. The workshop combined both theoretical and practical experience. Participants learned to analyze and evaluate the status of a tree (for safety purposes), how to care for and inspect their climbing gear to ensure it is in good condition for climbing, which gear is essential, which hazards to look out for, and other safety information. They also practiced new climbing and knot-tying techniques, as well as rescue techniques.

This year, we have hired 5 women from different parts of Los Haitises National Park to work as educators, visiting schools and doing door-to-door visits. With their help, we have tripled the number of people we reach each year from about 3,000 to over 9,000.  They work with adults and children around important areas for conservation of the Ridgway’s Hawk. This not only has a positive impact on the project, but also on women from vulnerable communities where job opportunities are very scarce. We remain focused on continuing to restore the population of this highly threatened species, as well as reaching every Dominican through our environmental education program.

With funding from a generous donor, we were also able to hire an intern who is assisting us with our Ambassador Hawk program and environmental education efforts. She will be with us for at least 6 months, gaining experience in raptor handling and learning about birds of prey in general.

March is upon us and the Ridgway’s Hawk nesting season is in full swing. We are excited to tell you everything that has been happening since our last report.

The population in Punta Cana is growing rapidly, and it is notable how our efforts are bearing fruit. Each season, the number of observed territories is greater than the previous year. We have been visiting Suero Juanillo, a community with which we have been working for years doing environmental education. Some time ago, we had a pair of hawks in this territory, and unfortunately, they were shot. This territory has always been visited by our field biologists, but it wasn't until last season that we saw two new individuals in the area, and they are still there this year. This means that people in the area are starting to change their mindset and see the Ridgway’s Hawk as an ally rather than a threat.

This season, we are monitoring about 35 territories, some of which have only one individual waiting to find a partner. The first chicks of the season have already hatched, and every week we find pairs incubating. Our goal is to surpass the number of chicks born and banded last season. I am certain that we will achieve this.

At the same time our Ambassador Hawk Program now has a new member, a juvenile female hawk that had hatched and was banded last season. She was rescued thanks to a security guard who found her injured and immediately contacted us. It took us a few days to recover her, but, with a lot of persistence, we were able to do it. The hawk had injuries in both eyes and unfortunately, she lost sight in her right eye, but we were able to save her left eye. Currently, this young bird is in our facilities being rehabilitated and trained.

On the other part of the island, in Los Haitises National Park, the hawks are starting their nesting activities, and we already have pairs with chicks, 25 of which will be taken this year to Aniana Vargas National Park to continue with our release program in the area.

This year, we have hired 5 women from different parts of Los Haitises National Park to work as educators, visiting schools and doing door-to-door visits. In the short time they have been hired, they have managed to reach more than 700 adults and children around important areas for conservation of the Ridgway’s Hawk. This not only has a positive impact on the project, but also on women from vulnerable communities where job opportunities are very scarce. We remain focused on restoring the population of this highly threatened species, as well as reaching every Dominican through our environmental education program.