Conservation Of The Recently Rediscovered Critically Endangered Ridgways Hawk In Haiti

The Critically Endangered Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) is endemic to the island of Hispaniola. For over three decades, there were no confirmed reports of the species in Haiti, suggesting it had been extirpated from the country—until its rediscovery on August 19, 2019, on Petites Cayemites Island.

Since then, researchers from Action pour la Sauvegarde de l’Écologie en Haïti (ACSEH), in collaboration with The Peregrine Fund, have been conducting field research and conservation efforts focused on the species in Les Cayemites. To date, they have detected 33 individual hawks and located five nests. Among these nests, they recorded two dead chicks, while ten chicks successfully fledged. Five of these were banded for monitoring purposes.

The primary threats identified to the Ridgway’s Hawk in the area are human persecution and habitat loss. To address these threats, the team has implemented education and outreach programs aimed at raising awareness within local communities, schools, and farmer groups near monitoring sites. Through these efforts, they have reached approximately 2,000 people to date.