Raptor conservation

For example, in North America, Golden eagle poisonings are commonly found to be pesticide abuse cases traced to tainted sheep carcasses used to bait and kill coyotes.

[1] While most developed nations have adopted standards that reduce usage of chemicals with extended environmental persistence, the pesticides are still powerful and dangerous immediately after application.

Overall lead poisoning increases a bird's risk of predation and the occurrence of starvation and disease, which reduces fitness and reproductive success.

[2] Lead is a persistent environmental contaminant, and as suitable habitat patches diminish, both the concentration of organisms and hunting space increases.

Biological and environmental factors that are found to influence risk of electrocution are body size, age, behavior, prey type, habitat, season, and weather.

Electrocutions have been reported in more than 30 non-raptor North American species, including ravens and crows, storks, herons, pelicans, gulls, magpies, and jays.

Species living in areas devoid of natural perches are also more vulnerable to electrocution as they rely on high points in the environment to hunt from and advertise territory and their choices are often limited to power poles.

Placement of poles in prime habitat or along migration routes has caused higher mortality, and rates increase late in the summer during fledging when young, inexperienced birds proliferate.