The health of raptor populations is a reflection of the health of the environment in general.
photo credit: Photo by Becky E, from Flickr.com

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As top predators, raptors feel the effect of any change in the environment. If chemicals pollute a river, they don’t just hurt the fish, but also the eagles that eat the fish. If development reduces rodent populations, then the owls that eat the rodents will suffer, too.

Ponder and her colleagues use raptors as a window for studying the health of ecosystems. Through their feathered patients, they can track diseases, pollution and other environmental issues.

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