By Anne Morris
Not many people have the time, patience, or optical gear to see them: magnificent peregrine falcons and golden eagles. Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is home to several historical nesting locations for these once-endangered—and still rare—raptors, and climbing rangers, volunteers, and recreational climbers work together to locate, survey, and protect these special birds and their aeries.
Each February, Rocky implements the raptor protection program by temporarily closing some climbing routes and hiking trails in sensitive nesting areas around Lumpy Ridge and along the Continental Divide. Then comes the first challenge, discovering whether the falcons and eagles are in fact in the area and establishing nests. Both species are highly territorial and even an area as large as Lumpy Ridge may support only a single active peregrine falcon nest and perhaps a single active golden eagle nest.
Jonathan Lewis, RMNP Conservation Biology program manager, said the park has six to 10 core volunteers that spend weekly 4-hour shifts searching for the presence of raptors and then locating the nests–somewhat like avian detectives. Emily Paciotta, RMNP Biological Science Technician-Avian Lead, leads the program.
It’s not a skill everyone can master. Using scopes and binoculars, volunteers scan for raptors from designated observation locations and then identify the birds using clues such as size, color, profile, and behavior. For example, volunteers may distinguish among larger or smaller species by timing how long it takes a circling bird to complete a rotation. Spotting a rare golden eagle or peregrine falcon among the ravens and hawks can be thrilling.
Once observers have a confirmed golden eagle or peregrine sighting, the next step is to locate the nest.
Volunteers use maps to identify and mark past nest sites. Then they observe raptors and notate the maps to show where and in what direction the birds are flying or from what direction the birds are calling. Over time, the observations help them triangulate potential nest sites which trained climbing biologists and rangers such as Paciotta, wildlife technician Valerie Griffin, and NPS climbing rangers and volunteers can then investigate.
Finding a peregrine nest is especially difficult. All peregrine falcons need is a compact sheltered space on a high cliff ledge with a small amount of gravel-like substrate. Unlike the nests of eagles which can be 5-6 feet across and several feet deep, peregrine nests are hard to pick out by the untrained observer—or climber—even if looking right at the site.
Once located, the nest is monitored for success in producing and fledging the next generation of raptors. Rangers may visit the nest after the breeding season is over and the nest has been vacated to take photographs and measure nest size and shell thickness if eggs were present. Avian managers also seek to understand reasons a nest was not successful, which could include infertile eggs, poaching of chicks by other raptors, and even bad weather.
If the raptors are a special breed, so, too, are the volunteers who support them. When wildlife biologist Dr. Rob Ramey and his wife, ornithologist Dr. Laura Brown, aren’t looking for raptors in Colorado, they can often be found overseas doing fieldwork with elephants or other wildlife. Ramey and Dr. Tim Meehan are climbing volunteers with extensive experience in raptor research and protection in other areas such as Yosemite, Big Sur, and locally, in Boulder Canyon. Other passionate volunteers for the 2025 season include Dennis Stepaniak, John Vittone, Denny Schall, Ellen and Adam Tschida, Chris Gummer, Jarred Lehr, Mary Sandman, Candace Waddell, Dan Turk, Carol Smith, and Gina Jagim. Rocky’s climbing staff members also support the effort.
“It has been a team effort to locate and document the nests, involving long-time volunteers; RMNP ‘s Jonathan Lewis, Emily Pacciota, and Valerie Griffin; park climbing rangers, and observant climbers who report nests and bird sightings,” said Ramey. “Dr. Tim Meehan and I have brought our unique combination of raptor nesting biology and climbing experience as well. Collectively, this collaboration is gathering high-quality, long-term data on raptor nesting in RMNP, benefitting the birds and our understanding of them.” Ramey also acknowledged the support of the recreational climbers respecting the temporary raptor nesting closures by finding other places to climb until closures are lifted.
Lewis also credits recreational climbers with strong stewardship. Climbers often report raptor or nest sightings, and informally “police their own,” educating fellow climbers on the importance of the closure policy. Avoiding raptor nesting areas is in the climbers’ self-interest as well, as raptors may dive-bomb anything they perceive to threaten their nest.
RMNP uses an adaptive management approach and opens climbing routes and trails as soon as it’s determined no active nests are in the area—usually beginning around June 1st. The park will verify routes are safe and no nests are present by conducting climber clearance surveys.
The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest animals on earth, reaching speeds well in excess of 200 mph when diving to hunt. Peregrine falcons feed on smaller birds such as songbirds, using their speed and talons to stun or knock out the smaller birds and then swinging back to capture their prey. Golden eagles are much larger, though can also reach speeds of 200 mph. Their diet is primarily small mammals such as marmots (in contrast to bald eagles that hunt fish) but will also poach the nests of falcons and other raptors.
Peregrines and other iconic raptors such as bald and golden eagles came to the edge of extinction by the 1970s following the widespread agricultural use of the pesticide DDT but rebounded following a DDT ban, state and federal protections, and aggressive stewardship.
Support from this project comes from Rocky Mountain Conservancy’s Wildlife Conservation Fund.