The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conducts a survey each winter to see how many birds of prey live in and around Cedar City.
Keith Day, a wildlife biologist, monitors hawks, eagles and American kestrels in Iron County fields, spotting different species through binoculars. He looks at the number of raptors and where they nest to see what the population looks like and could look like next year. The DWR is also looking at what might affect these populations and the environment where they nest.
“Electrocution is a problem. Pesticides and other poisons can be a problem and some diseases pop up periodically – you know that can be a problem,” he said.
Because raptors are at the top of the food chain, tracking them can help biologists track other species, Day said.
“Numbers are generally lower initially and may be more sensitive to environmental disturbances,” he said. “So watching them can give you an idea of when something is wrong and needs fixing.”
Other species of birds, insects and prey would be greatly affected by this type of change, according to Day.
Many of the raptors in these “drive-through surveys” are found in trees and along tall poles. However, since most of them are large birds, they will not be seen on power lines.
The DWR is gearing up for Bald Eagle Month in February and Day said those looking forward to spotting some may see fewer than in previous years.
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“A few years ago I estimated that between Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley we had 300 bald eagles wintering here,” he said. “I don’t think we have that many this year.”
The weather has been warmer over the years which has impacted the number of birds coming to Iron County.
“We also regularly collect iron hawks, golden eagles. American Kestrel, in general,” Day said. “There are about half a dozen, eight species. The Hen Harriers we can see along this route, but like the Rough-legged Hawks, we haven’t relied on them in very large numbers for the past few years.”
There is no evidence that the ecosystem was significantly impacted by not seeing these birds during the survey. The DWR does not band the birds it tracks, so these surveys are used to get more general figures.
For more on sightings of some of these raptors and especially bald eagles next month, visit bit.ly/3g4sDcH.
Elle Cabrera covers the latest news and topics. Please help us continue to produce this content at thespectrum.com/subscribe.