Northwest Winter Raptor Survey Project to Highlight 22 Years of Community Science

Join the celebration Wednesday, October 14, at 7 p.m. via Zoom

information released; featured photo above by kevinsphotos

The NCW Audubon Society will host a special online program highlighting the Winter Raptor Survey Project (WRSP), a remarkable community-science effort documenting wintering raptors across the Pacific Northwest by the East Cascades Bird Alliance.

The presentation will take place Wednesday, October 14, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Those interested in attending can sign up by emailing events@ncwaudubon.org.

Based in Bend, Oregon, the East Cascades Bird Alliance sponsors the Winter Raptor Survey Project. The project was originally established to survey areas throughout Oregon, with the goal of determining the density and distribution of wintering raptor species and monitoring changes from year to year.

As interest in understanding how Oregon’s wintering raptors fit into the broader Pacific Northwest ecosystem grew, so did the project. What began with just 79 survey routes has expanded dramatically. By the end of the 2025–26 winter season—the project’s 22nd year—WRSP included 654 routes, more than 35,000 miles of transects, and more than 500 volunteers.

Today, surveys extend throughout Oregon, Idaho and Washington, as well as the northern tier of California and Utah, the western half of Montana, and southern portions of British Columbia.

The upcoming presentation will explore how the Winter Raptor Survey Project was developed and how it has grown over more than two decades. Participants will see photographs representing 31 species documented during more than 25,000 project surveys.

Many of the photographs were taken by WRSP participants themselves, offering a personal look at the birds and the people who have made the project possible. The presentation will also feature charts and maps illustrating the data collected through years of volunteer fieldwork.

The Winter Raptor Survey Project demonstrates the power of community science to gather meaningful, long-term information about wildlife while connecting people with the landscapes and birds around them.

Event Details

What: Northwest Winter Raptor Survey Project Presentation
When: Wednesday, October 14, at 7 p.m.
Where: Zoom
Registration: Email events@ncwaudubon.org to sign up
Click here for additional information

The North Central Washington (NCW) Audubon Society is a local chapter of the National Audubon Society serving the areas of Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, and Ferry counties – one of the largest areas for a single Audubon chapter in the state.

Its mission is to enhance, protect, and restore healthy natural ecosystems and native biodiversity using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation to promote the welfare of birds in North Central Washington. For more information visit www.NCWAudubon.org.