It can be hard for those of us who love raptors to believe that others would intentionally harm them. Unfortunately, raptors are still being shot around the world for a variety of complex social and cultural reasons. And shooting is still a major problem here in the U.S., despite long-standing legal protections, education programs, and even high-profile cases where perpetrators were caught and prosecuted. So why is shooting still one of the top threats to raptors in the U.S.? It’s a tough and uncomfortable topic, but one that deserves our attention.
The shooting of raptors likely goes back to the first guns, but impacts became truly concerning in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with the modernization of guns. Many populations of raptors near towns and farms were so decimated by shooting and other kinds of human persecution that the ornithologists of this era incorrectly assumed that many raptors could only thrive in wilderness. Shooting was often directed at species that were believed to be threats to poultry or desired game birds, but any raptor could be shot on sight. Perceptions of raptors were certainly not helped by tall tales of eagles carrying off children and babies in stories and art of the day! And don’t even get me started on the recent fake video of an eagle snatching a baby in Montreal that racked up over 5 million views in a day.
Surprisingly, wildlife managers of the day did little to champion raptors, as their focus was often on game populations. Some states, like Pennsylvania, even paid bounties on raptors due to the perceived threat they posed to human interests. Believe it or not, one of the longest-running fall raptor count sites in the U.S., Hawk Mountain, was originally a popular place to shoot migrating raptors (if you’re interested in learning more, check out the book “Rosalie Edge, Hawk of Mercy,” to learn how Rosaleie Edge stopped this massacre and became an icon in raptor conservation history).
Fortunately, the tide began to turn in the 1920s and 30s, through the work of people like Rosalie Edge and others, but raptors were still often neglected compared to the attention given to other birds. Did you know that the long-standing and oft heralded Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was not amended until 1972 to include raptors? Despite this general neglect of raptors until fairly recently, it was still tempting to think that shooting had become a minor and somewhat random issue for raptors these days. Unfortunately, there are multiple lines of evidence to suggest this simply isn’t true. For example, a recent study that HawkWatch International participated in found that nearly 700 Golden Eagles are shot per year in the western U.S.To put that in perspective, the U.S. only supports ~31,000 eagles total. This makes shooting one of the top issues for eagles, alongside collisions, and there is every reason to believe eagles are not alone.
So, coming back to this blog’s title, why are people still shooting raptors today? Although it is hard to quantify or rank these, let’s look at the main reasons that come to mind.
- A perceived threat to pets, domestic animals, or game species
- Convenience
- Black market trading
First, many people view raptors as competitors for the species they like to hunt or fish (e.g., pheasants, grouse, ducks, fish) or predators of the animals they tend (e.g., chickens, lambs). While raptors can and do take each of these species, they rarely cause major impacts. In those rare cases, the impacts can usually be mitigated non-lethally. Often, the perceived threat is exaggerated or completely unfounded. It is important to note that raptors are very beneficial to humans through the free-of-charge pest control services they provide. Rodents are a major threat to agriculture, for example. There is a reason many farmers welcome barn owls, hawks, kestrels, and other raptors on their property!
The next reason, and perhaps this isn’t very satisfying, but I’m convinced that it’s a major reason raptors are still being shot—simple convenience. They make good targets perched on power poles, fences, and trees, often alongside roads in rural or remote areas. No one’s around, and there is this big target just sitting there! A recent study found that 72% of raptors found dead along power lines were shot, not electrocuted as often has been assumed. And just take a look at road signs in remote areas: they are full of gunshot holes, also because these are convenient and conspicuous targets. Many shooters may not appreciate the value of raptors, even if they have nothing against them specifically. On the flipside, some may find a thrill in shooting a large predator, or even engaging in an illegal activity (there are some recent examples of people being caught by the authorities because they were bragging to their friends about their shooting behavior).
The final reason I’ll touch on is personal gain. Unfortunately, the black market trade in raptor (especially eagle) feathers and parts is alive and well in the U.S. and around the world. While the scale of the problem is unknown, we’ve witnessed a Golden Eagle shot and collected on one of our roadside carcass cameras! There are many recent stories that have made the news, including a man who was sentenced to 48 months in prison and $777,000 in fines for killing at least 118 eagles and 107 hawks to profit off their feathers and parts in 2024 (link).
I’m sure there are other reasons that factor into this complex problem, but that’s enough for now. Most importantly, what can “we” collectively do about the problem? At HawkWatch International, the monitoring, banding, and tracking work we do with various species continues to help the science community bring this issue into focus.
Public education is also obviously key. We provide raptor education programs to every high school in Utah on a three-year cycle. We also strive to engage with rural landowners through our field work, when our research brings us on or near their lands. It is critical to promote the role that raptors play in terms of “ecosystem services” (e.g., pest control). For example, many rural landowners are surprised to learn that we find raven remains (as prey) in eagle nests. Suddenly, eagles seem like an ally.
Beyond research and education, we also need to do our part to ensure that the current regulations protecting raptors are not weakened and that their enforcement remains a priority. If you’re reading this, you have a role to play, too. If you see a wildlife crime committed, report it to the US Fish and Wildlife Service here. You can share your passion and knowledge of raptors with your friends and family. Sometimes, all it takes is a conversation to change a behavior.
I’ll close with a personal anecdote along those lines. When I was a young kid fascinated with birds growing up in Michigan, I “caught” my older brother and his friend in the act of shooting a chickadee with a .22, just because it was there. I gave my brother absolute heck about this! He never shot anything ever again (and now he helps us make “passive perch scales” to weigh eagles, to boot!)
This blog was written by Dr. Steve Slater, HWI’s Conservation Science Director. You can learn more about Steve here.
