Protect Migrating Raptors – In Honor of Luis

In 2020 we experienced the heartbreak of losing Luis Fernando Díaz Chávez, an inspiring colleague and friend, to Covid-19. Luis was a brilliant scientist passionate about birds and raptors. Among the best ornithologists in his home country of Nicaragua, Luis left behind a legacy as a pioneer in Nicaraguan ornithology and conservation. We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated to his memorial fun and supported his mother. We have vowed to remember him through our work.

To honor that vow, this year we are fundraising to continue the work Luis pioneered and support our raptor monitoring station and our team in San Miguelito, Nicaragua. The station will be named in honor of Luis and the funds will allow us to collect a fourth year of crucial data to better understand these birds’ migratory habits and protect them on their journey.

Every year millions of these hawks, vultures, falcons, and other raptors migrate from summertime breeding grounds in North America down to South America. It’s the single most important flyway for raptors in the Americas. Last year, our dedicated monitoring team documented over 1.2 million raptors flying overhead as these birds pass through a narrow stretch of southern Nicaragua.

With your donation, our team will monitor raptor migration daily starting in October. We will identify new migratory hotspots, document population numbers, observe behaviors, and contribute data to global scientific research. Our ultimate vision is to establish a more advanced raptor monitoring station and program in Nicaragua named after Luis that will provide us with key data to protect raptors year after year.

Your contribution will help us:

Please consider donating today to help us continue this important work in Luis’ memory. No amount is too small. With your support, we can protect migrating raptors, honor Luis, and inspire the next generation of Nicaraguan conservationists. Thank you for helping safeguard the extraordinary migratory journeys of these remarkable birds!