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Monthly Program: Farmland Raptor Program: Conserving Maryland’s Farmland Raptors

Wednesday, February 11 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

The Potomac Valley Audubon Society welcomes Alex Pellegrini, Farmland Raptor Program Coordinator with the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership

This in-person program is free and open to the public.  All ages are welcome to attend.

PARKING: Both Shepherdstown City parking and Shepherd University Campus parking are available.

  • A map of city parking is here. Meters are not enforced after 6 pm. Spots along High Street are recommended.
  • A map of campus parking is here. You may park in any of the Red lots. C and A are closest to the Byrd Center. Part of B lot is gated, but you may park in any spots near the Facilities building that are not behind the gate.

SCHEDULE

  • 6:30 PM: Social time with light refreshments. In order to reduce waste, we are asking that people bring their own mugs.
  • 7:00 PM: Presentation begins!
  • 8:00 PM: Approximate end of the program – though it may last longer depending on questions and discussion!

We will also be offering this program virtually! Here is the Zoom link so you can join in from home.  If you are not able to attend live, in-person or virtually, you can view a recording of the Monthly Program presentation later! We typically post the recording within several days.

Presentation Description –

Join us for an overview of the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership’s Farmland Raptor Program, an initiative focused on slowing and reversing the decline of raptors that provide vital ecosystem services for farmers. These species rely on Maryland’s grasslands and farmlands to nest successfully and include American Barn Owls, American Kestrels, Northern Harriers, and Short-eared Owls. Alex will cover their life history and current status in the state, share updates from ongoing research and monitoring, and highlight conservation efforts underway across the region. He will also describe ways that landowners, volunteers, and community members can get involved.

About the Presenter:

Alex Pellegrini is an avian ecologist based in Maryland. He earned his B.S. from Towson University in 2022, double-majoring in Conservation Biology and Animal Behavior. As the Farmland Raptor Program Coordinator with the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, Alex leads statewide efforts to expand nesting opportunities for American Kestrels and American Barn Owls, while also studying Short-eared Owls with a focus on taxonomy, behavior, and conservation across Maryland.

He also works as an avian research technician at Patuxent River Park, where he monitors Osprey nesting success, studies Sora migration, and leads the operation of a MAPS songbird banding station.

Beyond these roles, Alex manages datasets for Operation Osprey, serves on the Maryland/D.C. Records Committee of the Maryland Ornithological Society, and is a lead bander at the Project Owlnet station in Frederick. He is also involved in several international collaborations, including the Global Owl Project and the International Short-eared Owl Working Group, supporting research on owl taxonomy and migratory connectivity.

 

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