Broad-winged Hawk Research

In 2021, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources asked The Peregrine Fund to begin conducting an island-wide distribution and abundance study on the Broad-winged Hawk.  The results of our initial pilot study survey indicate that the population declined by a stunning 82% between 2016 and 2021, likely driven by Hurricane Maria. During the following 2022 field season, we observed only 52 individuals. This subspecies is at imminent risk of extinction and urgent research and conservation investments are needed.  

During the 2022 assessment, we were able to establish a baseline understanding of where Broad-winged Hawks occur on the island, and importantly, to develop strong working relationships with private landowners and forest managers where it occurs. Along with these relationships, we were able to secure permits and authorizations from state and federal agencies to monitor this unique hawk. 

The critical next steps for saving this subspecies from extinction will be to advance our understanding of its population status and ecology. To do this, we will need to continue monitoring the population to determine with more precision how many territorial pairs exist and to assess whether the population continues to decline. With additional funding, we hope to launch full conservation efforts similar to those we have established with the Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk. Our goals would be to find and monitor nests closely throughout the breeding season in order to provide important information on breeding, behavior, diet, competition, and threats. In addition, we will band nestling hawks, which is the first step towards monitoring dispersal and survival, key attributes of species’ population biology. This in-depth approach to studying the Broad-winged Hawk will help us develop a recovery strategy, making our impact efficient and effective.