The BirdLife Australia Raptor Group was founded in 1979 to promote the study, conservation and management of diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey. It fosters communication and cooperation among raptor enthusiasts across Australasia.
We are involved with many projects, including:
Involving more than 300 people across Victoria, the Victorian Peregrine Project (VPP) is a unique and exciting volunteer-based conservation initiative, with more than 500 volunteer days invested each year. The VPP combines three key areas of activity: field research; community engagement and education; and developing innovative management techniques for site managers wishing to conserve this species.
In spring each year, volunteers monitor Peregrine nest sites attended by breeding adults which have been fitted with coloured leg bands. With support from Mirvac, the VPP has provided advice on the installation and hosting of a live web based video link to a camera trained on the nest site at 367 Collins Street Melbourne.
Since 1991, a pair of Peregrine Falcons has been observed in a nest on a ledge at 367 Collins Street. As the only known Peregrine Falcon nesting site within Melbourne’s CBD, the building plays an important role in the ongoing breeding success of these fiercely territorial birds.
From the foyer of the building (and on their computer screens at home), thousands of people each year enjoy watching CCTV footage of the birds as they lay their eggs and hatch their chicks from August onwards.
Check out the live stream of a Peregrine Falcon nest in Melbourne’s CBD.
Simon Cherriman is studying key aspects of Wedge-tailed Eagle ecology in Western Australia through an ongoing bird-banding study at two sites: Matuwa, in the Arid Zone and the Perth region, in the Mesic Zone, both having an area of about 2500km.
By tracking banded birds, breeding territory occupancy and breeding productivity can be monitored annually at each site, while data on morphometrics and breeding chronology are collected when eaglets are banded before they fledge. The study also involves engaging with the general public via social media and encourages people to share their sightings of banded eagles.
Additional information on Simon’s research project is available here.
Boobook is the biannual Journal of the BirdLife Australia Raptor Group. It provides a forum for the discussion of issues relating to birds of prey. Contributions are made by both professionals and amateurs from around the world. The journal is packed with valuable information on raptors, covering a wide range of interests including reports on the management of raptors, problems facing raptors, sightings, and raptor rehabilitation. In addition, Boobook contains regular book reviews and competitions.
Become a member of BirdLife Australia Raptor Group. Membership costs $35 annually and is open to anyone.
