The Science and Research Committee was established to provide review of the Project’s ongoing banding efforts and to search out new research initiatives. The committee is interested in developing relationships with researchers who would benefit from hands-on access to migrating raptors. Interested individuals can contact us at capemayraptorbanding@gmail.com.
Photo Credit: Hannah Glass
Active Research Projects
Photo Credit: Hannah Glass
Raptor Feather Sampling – Our volunteer banders collected feather samples again in 2025. We collected samples from 118 raptors, including four from Sharp-shinned hawks that showed signs of Capillaria. The standard feathers will be shipped to the Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) for storage and analysis. In addition to the research done by BRI on mercury content, the feathers will also be made available to others for related research. Pending approval from our CMRBP Science and Research Committee, we may provide feather samples from Sharp-shinned hawks to a researcher for the purpose of isotope analysis to determine region of natal origin and several other purposes. We also will soon receive a request for American Kestrel feathers to be used for a research project.
Feather Samples of Prey Items – Remnant feather samples from prey items were collected from the talons and mouth area of 13 raptors in fall 2025 and will be forwarded to Dr. John Delong at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Delong is conducting research on how migration affects prey selection as the raptors move out of their home territories.
To learn more about this and related research, please watch Dr. DeLong’s presentation in our
CMRBP Zoom library:
Topic: Taking a Macro View on Raptor Diets – Dr. John DeLong, Associate
Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date: Nov 20, 2024
Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/dwfjAug80eEOxcYTeA1O1xZ5ca7VsoCuBN3PiESXlEl
1BqwSCRFIcmLDCDHYT-jx.YwysnWtyRn_MOpUd
Access Passcode: oZ47+x3%
Assessing Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation and Stable Isotope Ratios in Feathers of
Migratory Raptors – This project continued for 2025. Dr. Baer, his students from Colby-Sawyer College and CMRBP banding volunteers collected feather samples for later analysis.
To learn more about this research, please watch Dr. Baer and his student’s presentation in our
CMRBP Zoom library:
Topic: Update on Research Projects – Dr. Nick Baer, Professor at Colby-Sawyer
College School of Arts & Sciences and Biology Program Coordinator, and Quinn
Aldrich
Date: Nov 14, 2024
Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/P-fCeGJj2kboFYoCclWdiDR-
sqc1I_3krGudqjrqg3_xuys3eVDbNqUXeac7f4vp.5ApzWHRzHKUTX_PM
Access Passcode: +@+QK^h8
Quantifying West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis incidence in migratory raptors – Dr. Nick Baer and his students from Colby-Sawyer College, collected flat flies for research related to avian pathogens. This project continued for 2025, with banders noting the presence of flat flies on each captured raptor and collecting flat flies from 113 raptors for later analysis. Dr. Baer’s team and other volunteer banders also collected 266 mouth swab samples for this project.
To learn more about this research, please watch Dr. Baer and his student’s presentation in our
CMRBP Zoom library:
Topic: Update on Research Projects – Dr. Nick Baer, Professor at Colby-Sawyer
College School of Arts & Sciences and Biology Program Coordinator, and Quinn
Aldrich
Date: Nov 14, 2024
Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/P-fCeGJj2kboFYoCclWdiDR-
sqc1I_3krGudqjrqg3_xuys3eVDbNqUXeac7f4vp.5ApzWHRzHKUTX_PM
Access Passcode: +@+QK^h8
Transmitter telemetry for Golden Eagles – Dr. Trish Miller, West Virginia University, assisted by Mike Lanzone of Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT), continued Dr. Miller’s project to band and attach GPS telemetry units to Golden Eagles. Dr. Miller captured a Golden Eagle November 20, 2017, and attached a CTT transmitter to the eagle before release. Dr. Miller and Mr. Lanzone hope to attach additional transmitters to Golden Eagles in the future to learn more about movement ecology of coastal Golden Eagles and how they may differ from the Appalachian Plateau wintering population.
No Golden Eagles were captured in our fall 2025 season, so no CTT transmitters were applied.
Two previously captured and equipped Golden Eagles, Loves Swan (captured by John Shafer fall 2016) and Meadows (captured by Dr. Trish Miller fall 2017), did not reconnect to the cellular grid after spring of 2018 as they migrated north into eastern Canada.
To learn more about this research, please watch Dr. Miller’s presentation in our CMRBP Zoom
library. We will ask her for an update as well.
Topic: Update on Raptor Tracking Projects by Dr. Trish Miller
Date: Apr 15, 2025
Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/qxa4su5OGDaEzSa9I2C_eijTllP4YTesQW1vr-dcwwNag1QUdt6lmCt7GOfkC_7x.2K-CBMzh8yBPWeXq
Access Passcode: Q^x@7b@@
Photo credit: Hannah Glass
Capillaria in Sharp-shinned Hawks – This project continued in 2025. Mouth swabs were not collected; feather samples were collected on a voluntary basis. Project leader is Dr. David Mathiason. Banders participated by examining captured Sharp-shinned hawks (SSHA) for the presence of oral lesions/plaques and scoring severity. Additionally, we collected feather samples from four Sharp-shinned hawks that showed signs of Capillaria.
To learn more about this research, please watch Dr. Mathiason’s presentation in our CMRBP Zoom library:
Topic: CMRBP – Update on Capillaria Research – Dr. David Mathiason, PhD.
Banding Director, Braddock Bay Raptor Research
Date: Sep. 26, 2024
Meeting Recording:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/vJlv29WhzTv3acY0XKShD_1t6l4XvQBnAUZmB0Y_W1tw
MoNvS01NDqq2Z1VNteLL.NdggcaNc2awqQRE3
Access Passcode: xE0t+vd
Update on Capillaria Research – Paul Napier hosted a Zoom discussion in October 2025 with researchers and representatives from Hawk Ridge, Cedar Grove, and Braddock Bay to discuss informally what we have seen at our respective sites and what we would like to learn. This Capillaria Working Group will meet again in March 2026 to discuss additional work to be done.
Movement ecology of raptors in eastern North America – This project continued for 2025. Project leader is Dr. Trish Miller and Co-leader is Michael Lanzone. This project is specific to placing a transmitter on a Swainson’s hawk (SWHA) or a Rough-legged hawk (RLHA). Dr. Trish Miller agreed to apply a CTT transmitter to any Swainson’s hawks captured in order to track their fall migration and their spring return to their breeding areas.
On October 29, 2025, Paul Engman captured a hatching year Swainson’s hawk at the Meadows station, and Dr. Miller attached a CTT transmitter. The SWHA remained in Cape May until about November 29, primarily foraging off New England Road near our Hidden Valley blind. Alec Humman captured the bird again at Hidden Valley, and Dr. Miller and Michael Lanzone captured it once again using a BC to check its condition. They noted that it was gaining weight. Based on the tracking data, we learned that about November 29 the SWHA flew across the bay into Delaware and remained on the eastern shore for some time before apparently perishing about December 11.
Timing of stopover and use of habitat by migrant raptors in the southern New Jersey peninsula – this project was updated for fall 2025, adding Northern Harriers to this transmitter project. Mike and Trish live in Cape May, which allows them to respond quickly when called to attach transmitters to captured raptors. They are the only ones with permits and experience to do so. This project proposes to attach transmitters to Sharp-shinned hawks, Cooper’s hawks, Red-shouldered hawks, Red-tailed hawks, Broad-winged hawks, and Northern Harriers. Note that two Cooper’s hawks were transmittered in 2025.
Past Research Projects
Flight Kinematics: Dr. Suzanne Amador Kane of Haverford College filmed raptor take-off and maneuvering kinematics. For more information about Suzanne Amador Kane and her research…..click here. There is also an interesting YouTube video on her work here.
Assessing Body Condition of Migrating American Kestrels: CMRBP, Inc. provided historical data for Teresa Ely’s Master’s thesis research using body mass information to determine if lack of food availability reflected in body condition is a potential cause for the long term decline of the American Kestrel population.
Deterrence Effects of High Brightness Lights: In 2014 and 2015, researchers at Lite Enterprises, Inc., Donald Ronning, President, conducted research to assess the reactions of approaching Red-tailed hawks to newly developed high brightness lights. Preliminary feedback is positive and there are expectations that that the lights will prove to be an effective deterrent in areas such as airports, wind farms and more.
Possible Hen Harrier banded in Cape May: In the fall of 2010, Katy Duffy a long time bander with the Project, captured a harrier with unusual plumage, mass and physical measurements.
Male Kestrel Plumage: In 2010, the Project cooperated with Elizabeth Wommack from U.C. Berkley, on a study investigating correlation between genetic variation and plumage coloration in male American Kestrels (Falco sparverius). For more information about Elizabeth Wommack and the Bowie lab at U.C. Berkeley click here
Merlin Population Genetics Research: During the 2009 season, the Project cooperated with Dr. Joshua Hull on a molecular genetic investigation of morphological and genetic differentiation among the three subspecies of Merlin (Falco columbarius) to test whether there is a genetic east-west population division in North America.
Sharp-shinned Hawk Migration Counts: Nicholas Bolgiano studied and published a paper on: Were the declines in the Sharp-shinned hawk migration counts of the mid-80’s related to the Spruce Budworm population?
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Committee Members
Paul Napier, Chair of the Science and Research Committee, President of CMRBP, Inc.
Olin Allen, Board Member CMRBP, Inc.
Nick Baer, Ph.D., Board Member, CMRBP, Inc.
Kathleen E. Clark, Principal Non-game Zoologist with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Endangered and Non-game Species.
Katy Duffy, Board Member, CMRBP, Inc.
Laurie Goodrich, Ph.D., Sarkis Acopian Director of Conservation Science, Hawk Mountain
David LaPuma, Ph.D., Cellular Tracking Technologies LLC
Jim Malone, Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania
Sam Merker, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Georgia