Birders love to look for raptors and we often talk about these birds. But what are they? Hawks, eagles, and falcons for sure, but what about owls? Some say “vertebrate” eaters with talons, but does that eliminate kites that eat a lot of insects? What about shrikes which seem like ferocious hunters? Lots to think about. Fascinating, too, is how these birds evolved. Recent genetic work shows that falcons are not very closely related to hawks, eagles and kites. It turns out that the closest relatives of falcons are parrots and passerines rather than those other “raptors.” Then, what do we do with vultures?

Presenter Thomas Bancroft will spend time exploring what a raptor is, the evolution of these groups, and how convergence to exploit vertebrate prey has molded different evolutionary lines. The science of these birds is rapidly changing, and what was thought in the 1970s when Tom was in graduate school changed dramatically by the early 2000s and is transforming yet again. Tom says, “You might have notices when you buy a new bird book that the sequence of families and species changed from earlier versions.” He will concentrate on raptors of Western North America but might peek at some from Australia, Africa, Panama and Brazil. This evening will leave you with much to ponder.

Thomas Bancroft has been a birder all his life and has a Ph.D. in Ornithology. Tom’s career focused on birds, their science and conservation. After graduate school, he worked on Everglades and Florida Keys protection, studying wading birds, White-crowned Pigeons and the ecosystems of south Florida. Then he moved to Washington, DC, to work at the interface of science and policy. Before moving to Seattle, Thomas served as Chief Scientist for National Audubon, helping them integrate with the work of Birdlife International across the Americas and advising the Department of Interior on their guidelines for siting wind turbines. He remains active in pushing a conservation agenda.

Tom is a Scientific Advisor to BirdNote and recently finished a six-year appointment on Washington Audubon’s board. In addition, he volunteers for the Washington Ornithological Society and the Mountaineers. Most of his time is spent spreading the wonder and fascination of birds and nature. He teaches, writes, leads field trips and photographs to spread that love. Join him on this journey.

This program is free and open to the public. It will be a hybrid meeting, held at the Coupeville Recreation Hall at 901 NW Alexander Street and is also accessible on Zoom. Doors open at 7 for socializing and a short meeting; the program begins at 7:30. Zoom registration is now required for anyone wanting to attend remotely. Please register using the form below. Registration is not needed if you are attending in person.