Growing Capacity for Sharp-shinned Hawk Conservation in Puerto Rico

The weather may be just starting to warm here at our Boise headquarters, but down in Puerto Rico, field season for our Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk team is well underway! “Thus far, the crew has recorded 30 individual Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawks and ten occupied territories,” reports Puerto Rico Program Director Hana Weaver. “The hawks have just recently started to build nests and are settling into their territories. Our team has been busy searching for nesting pairs, clearing trails, organizing hack site equipment, and preparing our new propagation facility.”

This last task is a new one, as our Puerto Rico team is re-starting propagation and release efforts for these endangered hawks after a three-year hiatus. The team will be removing hawk eggs from wild nests, hatching them in captivity, rearing the young birds to fledging age, and then returning them to the wild. Meanwhile, the wild pairs from these nests usually lay second clutches of eggs and raise these nestlings to fledging as well. This technique, known as double-clutching, effectively doubles the productivity of the wild hawks.

 “Our program had stepped back from propagation due to limited available resources, during which time we adjusted our focus to reducing deadly nest fly infestations,” says Hana. “This has proven highly effective, but we believe we can do more to recover the population.”

The restart of propagation efforts in Puerto Rico has been made possible by a growing partnership with Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and significant infrastructure provided by Victor Gonzalez, owner and CEO of Windmar Energy (a locally-based solar energy company in Puerto Rico). This support has allowed us to build a new and more effective propagation facility on the island. “The provided facility, equipped with reliable solar backup energy systems installed and maintained by Windmar, will ensure delicate incubation and nestling rearing equipment functions safely and effectively as we hatch and raise young hawks,” reports Hana. “We also have better access to resources and an improved ability to raise awareness about our project.”

The team has high hopes for the season. “The increased support has ensured that we are ready to take the project to the next level,” Hana concludes. “We will continue to reduce nest fly infestations, but by re-starting propagation and release activities as well, we have perhaps the most potential of any year on the project so far. We’re off to a strong start and have a big season ahead.”