Citizen Science for Raptors
Citizen science is a crucial tool for industry experts to monitor key species and plan management actions to preserve them. Currently there is not much information on the movements and presence of birds of prey species in the Central West region.
Raptors or birds of prey play a crucial role in the Australian ecosystem and often fill the role of apex predators. They help to balance the ecosystem by regulating the size of prey populations ensuring there are enough resources for biodiverse and robust environments. Without this role being fulfilled, overpopulation of prey species can occur leading to degradation of the environment. As a result both the presence and absence of raptors can serve as an indicator to the overall health of an ecosystem. Across Australia there are around 36 species of raptor with the most common groups in the Central West region being eagles, hawks, falcons and owls.
There is currently little information on the movements and presence of raptor species in the Central West region of NSW. To remedy this, Mid Macquarie Landcare is launching a project to record and document the raptor species present in the local area. We need the help of households and landowners to capture and record sightings of raptors on iNaturalist. The data you collect will create a database that can help design and implement strategies to help conserve these critical species. This project aligns with our goals for the bird year of our BBBB project and is proudly funded by EnergyCo's Community and Employment Benefit Program. The group on iNaturalist will become live on 1st March 2026.
