The first meeting of what was to become the Raptor Research Foundation, Inc (RRF) occurred in Madison, Wisconsin in September 1966 following a conference on the status of Peregrine Falcon populations. A group of 13 people met to decide what to do about apparently declining peregrine populations. Among those in attendance was Don Hunter, a lawyer and falconer from South Dakota. When Hunter returned to South Dakota, he contacted Byron Harrell at the University of South Dakota and Paul Springer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These three signed the articles of incorporation on 11 February 1966, officially starting the RRF with the stated purpose "to stimulate the dissemination of information concerning raptorial birds among interested persons world wide and to promote a better public understanding and appreciation of the value of birds of prey."
The first officers were Byron Harrell, president, Paul Springer, vice-president, and Don Hunter, treasurer. Later that year George Jonkel became the first secretary. The founders were somewhat concerned about calling the organization a foundation because foundations generally have money in support of a mission, whereas the RRF had a mission but no money. The founders' idea was to create a clearinghouse to assemble and co-ordinate information on raptor ecology and captive breeding. Their initial thrust was to investigate the status of the Peregrine Falcon and learn how to breed it in captivity.
Few researchers were working on raptors in those days primarily because funds were not available for raptor research, but the RRF membership grew unexpectedly quickly. From just over 30 members in 1966, it grew to over 250 in 1967 and to nearly 1,000 world wide today.
Annual Conferences
| Location and Date | Number of Registrants |
| 1965 Madison, WI, 2 Sept | |
| 1966 Centerville, SD, 26 Nov | |
| 1967 Brookings, SD, 23 Feb Carbondale, IL, 4-5 May Madison, SD, 18 Nov |
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| 1968 Centerville, SD, 1 March Huron, SD, 6 April Sioux Falls, SD, 23 Nov |
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| 1969 Washington, DC, 2-6 March Vermillion, SD, 2-6 April Ithaca, NY, 7-9 Nov St. Paul, MN, 10 Dec |
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| 1970 Vermillion, SD, 8 March Centerville, SD, 13 Dec |
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| 1971 Sioux Falls, SD, 22-23 Nov | |
| 1972 Sioux Falls, SD, 24-27 Nov | |
| 1973 Fort Collins, CO, 22-25 Mar Bridgeton, MO, 22-25 Nov |
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| 1974 St Paul, MN, 23-25 Nov | 275 |
| 1975 Boise, ID, 21-25 Nov | |
| 1976 Ithaca, NY, 29 Oct-1 Nov | 250 |
| 1977 Tempe, AZ, 11-14 Nov | |
| 1978 Allentown, PA, 3-6 Nov | 624 |
| 1979 Davis, CA, 8-13 Nov | 630 |
| 1980 Duluth, MN, 9-13 Oct | |
| 1981 Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 30 Oct-2 Nov | 300 |
| 1982 Salt Lake City, UT, 18-21 Nov | |
| 1983 St. Louis, MO, 2-4 Dec | 450 |
| 1984 Blacksburg, VA, 25-28 Oct | 325 |
| 1985 Sacramento, CA, 1-10 Nov | 1,085 |
| 1986 Gainesville, FL, 20-23 Nov | 350 |
| 1987 Boise, ID, 28-31 Oct | 443 |
| 1988 Minneapolis, MN, 26-29 Oct | 475 |
| 1989 Veracruz, VC, Mexico, 10-14 Oct | 250 |
| 1990 Allentown, PA, 24-28 Oct | |
| 1991 Tulsa, OK, 6-10 Nov | |
| 1992 Bellevue, WA, 11-15 Nov | |
| 1993 Charlotte, NC, 3-7 Nov Canterbury, England, 11-15 Sept |
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| 1994 Flagstaff, AZ, 3-6 Nov | |
| 1995 Badajoz, Spain, 17-22 Apr Duluth, MN, 1-4 Nov |
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| 1996 Boise, ID, 13-17 Aug | |
| 1997 Savannah, GA, 30 Oct-1 Nov | 154 |
| 1998 Ogden, UT, 30 Sep-4 Oct | 255 |
| 1999 Mikoluv, Céch Republic, 21-26
Sep La Paz, Mexico, 3-7 Nov |
166 |
| 2000 Eilat, Israel, 2-8 Apr Jonesboro, AR, 8-11 Nov |
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| 2001 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, 24-28 Oct | 99 |
| 2002 New Orleans, LA, Sep | |
| 2003 Anchorage, AK 3-7 Sep | 178 |
| 2004 Bakersfield, CA 10-13 Nov | 175 |
| 2005,12-16 October, | 132 |
| 2006, Vera Cruz, Mexico | |
| 2007, Fogelsville, PA |