An abundance of overwintering raptors

How do you count up overwintering hawks and eagles? And, just as importantly, who cares?  Raptors are hunters. Our smaller birds mostly feed on insects, seeds, and fruits: foods that are often abundant on a local scale. But raptors hunt animals. Depending on the species, their diets may include deer mice, voles, ground squirrels, jackrabbits, trout, suckers, sparrows, and ducks. And for this reason, raptors are relatively rare. Just as there are countless thousands or millions of seeds in the world for every sparrow that exists, there must be many sparrows for every sharp-shinned hawk. For every red-tailed hawk that exists, there are many more voles and deer mice. For raptors to thrive, their prey must be thriving, too. And so, each red-tailed hawk, bald eagle, or sharp-shinned hawk in the Helena Valley is a sign of health. And when our overwintering raptors diminish, it’s a clue that the landscape is becoming less healthy for all life.