Leslie Brown Research Grant
Leslie Brown Research Grant
THE AWARD: The grant provides financial assistance to promote the research and the dissemination of information on African birds of prey. Applications that do not focus on African raptors will not be reviewed for funding.
ABOUT LESLIE BROWN: Leslie Brown was of one of the most inspired and productive raptor conservation biologists in the 20th century. Brown was a Scotchman, born in India, who settled down in Kenya, where, when he wasn’t working on his day job in the country’s agricultural ministry, was studying birds or prey, or dabbling in flamingos. He is most often associated with Eagle Hill, where he studied the 10 species of eagles that nest there. He passed away in 1980 at the young age of 63.
Leslie Brown: Some Memories, JRR 1981
In Memoriam: Leslie H. Brown 1917-1980
TO APPLY: applicants must submit the following documents:
• A cover letter highlighting the motivations, objectives, and expected outcomes of the study.
• The applicant’s CV.
• A proposal of no more than five pages, including:
o Background and justification (need)
o Study objectives and methods
o A budget detailing how funds will be spent
o A list of other funding sources, both requested and received
o Expected results
o Literature cited (maximum one page)
• A photograph of the applicant, preferably in the field, to be used when awards are announced.
AMOUNT: up to $3,000 plus waived page charges. The waived page charges allow the recipient to publish their research in the Journal of Raptor Research. The recipient must be the primary author and the paper must reflect what the award was for.
Number of grants Issued per Year: 1
Deadline: June 30
Application Method: Apply online through June 30th. Please contact awards@raptorresearchfoundation.org with questions about your application. The online application opens in January each year.
Leslie Brown Memorial Grant
Past Recipients
| Year | Brown Recipient | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Diana Vieira Jorge | First assessment of the Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) population in Angola: unravelling the impact of abrupt population declines on the ecology and genetics of a previously abundant species |
| 2022 | Papanie Bai Sesay | A first assessment of the status of the Hooded Vulture population - Necrosyrtes monachus – in Sierra Leone. |
| 2021 | Kudzanai S. Dhliwayo | The influence of supplementary feeding on the movements of African White-backed Vultures in southern Africa |
| 2020 | Evan R. Buechley | First assessment of the Bearded Vulture in Ethiopia: quantifying population size and spatial ecology to inform conservation |
| 2019 | Megan Murgatroyd | Validating a pan-African wind turbine collision risk map tool for Verreaux’s Eagles. |
| 2018 | Melissa Whitecross | Southern Banded Snake Eagle distribution and demographics in South Africa |
| 2017 | Petro Samwel | Investigation of Illegal owl egg trade in communities surrounding the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania |
| 2016 | Chaona Phiri | Movement, recruitment and threats to vultures in Zambia |
| 2016 | Rebecca Garbett | Investigating sources of lead for vultures and wildlife: is lead ammunition the cause of lead exposure in African vultures? |
| 2015 | Petra Sumasgutner | Raptors in a changing world ‐ understanding the response of predators to increasing urbanisation and climate change in Southern Africa |
| 2014 | Marie-Sofie Garcia-Hera | Assessing the healthiness of a scarce and threatened raptor endemic to southern Africa, the black harrier (Circus maurus) |
| 2013 | Rowen van Eeden | Understanding the cause of the Martial Eagle decline in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. |
| 2013 | Martin Odino | Local community training on raptor identification and monitoring at Bunyala Rice Irrigation Scheme. |
| 2012 | Ruth Agaku | Basic monitoring and national advocacy for the conservation of vultures in Nigeria. |
| 2011 | Darcy Ogada | Conserving threatened vultures in northern Kenya: collaborating with community-run conservancies to understand how land-use practices and human activities impact vulture populations |
| 2011 | Robin Whytock | The Effects of the Commercial Bushmeat Trade on Raptors in the Ebo Forest, Littoral Province, Cameroon |
| 2010 | Allai Orimba | The distribution and abundance of the locally threatened Banded Snake Eagle in the Lake Victoria Region |
| 2009 | Darcy Ogada | Ecological implications of vulture extinction on facultative scavengers and disease transmission |
| 2008 | Mwangi Githiru | Overall conservation status of raptors in sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2007 | Paul Kariuki Ndang’ang’a | Review of the status of African Raptors |
| 2006 | Ahon Dibie Bernard | Rufous Fishing Owl: distribution and conservation status in Cote d’Ivoire |
| 2005 | Darcy Ogada | Land-use practices, rural culture and the conservation of Mackinder’s Eagle Owls in Kenya |
| 2004 | Graham Fairhurst | Reproductive biology of African Goshawks (Accipiter tachiro) in fragmented landscapes of the Taita Hills, Kenya |
| 2003 | Odette Curtis | Black Sparrowhawks vs the Working for Water Project: recognising and resolving a conflict of environmental interests on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. |
| 2002 | Ruth Tingay | Population dynamics and behavioural ecology of the critically endangered Madagascar Fish Eagle: implications for conservation. |
| 2001 | Maria Diekmann | Cape Griffon Vulture telemetry project. |
| 2001 | Ngoni Chitemamuswe | Motobo Hills Black Eagle monitoring and educational project. |
| 2000 | Not awarded | |
| 1999 | Andrew Burton | Eagles of Tanzania’s Northern Rift Valley |
| 1998 | Suzanne Shultz | Ecology and conservation of the Crowned Hawk-Eagle, West Africa |
| 1998 | Anthony van Zyl | Life history traits of Common Kestrel in Kenya. |
| 1997 | Patrick Benson | Breeding status, reproductive success and mortality factors of Cape Vultures (Gyps coprotheres)at the Kranberg Colony, Northern Provine, South Africa |
| 1997 | Reuven Yosef | Study of a new subspecies of the Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) from southern Africa. |
| 1996 | Not awarded | |
| 1995 | Simon Thomsett | Eagle Hill conservation awareness and education project, Kenya. |
| 1994 | Jim Berkelman | Habitat requirements of the Madagascar Fish Eagle. |
| 1993 | Suanne Unger | Educational efforts to protect the Cape Vulture along with doing educational outreach programs. |
| 1992 | Kevin McCann | |
| 1992 | G.E.A. Banfield | |
| 1991 | John D. Foss | Research on the Rio Bio-Bio in Chile |
| 1990 | Andrew Jenkins | Peregrine Falcon |
| 1989 | Gerard Malan | Subject Pale Chanting Goshawk |
| 1989 | Anthony van Zyl | Redbreasted Sparrowhawks |
| 1988 | Robert E. Simmons | Wahlberg’s Eagle |
| 1988 | Phoebe Barnard | Publication of “Gabar.” |
| 1987 | Hilary Welch | North African Migrant Raptors |
| 1986 | Vicky J. Meretsky | Egyptian Vultures |