Montana Golden Eagle Conservation Guidelines

Abstract

The Montana Golden Eagle Working Group is preparing guidelines to address conservation concerns for golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) related to land use change and population-level mortality factors. The guidelines focus primarily on avoiding, minimizing and mitigating adverse impacts to golden eagles.  The USDI Fish and Wildlife Service Draft Conservation Plan Guidance explains the Service’s approach to issuing programmatic permits for eagle take and provides adaptive management guidance for the conservation of golden eagles related to land-based wind energy facilities. The Montana guidelines are intended to address a wider array of golden eagle conservation concerns and potential anthropogenic impacts, and compliment implementation of the industry-focused Draft Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance in Montana.  We will present a summary of the status of and threats to golden eagle populations and habitats. Then we will discuss our draft conservation guidelines that outline strategies for maximizing reproductive potential and survival of the eagle population in Montana. We also will present some options for mitigation when negative impacts to eagles cannot be avoided or minimized.