Bird Conservation Partnership is a Soaring Success!
Blending experiential tourism with our conservation objectives is what Eagle Wing Tours is all about. For a good example, look no further than our research and education partnership with the Rocky Point Bird Observatory (RPBO).
RPBO is a regional leader in bird monitoring, research and public education, collecting vital data on bird populations and trends across southern Vancouver Island and beyond.
Enhanced ecotourism experience
Since 2024, we’ve been working with RPBO to create an enhanced ecotourism experience that combines marine bird research and education with the thrill of seeing wild birds in their natural habitat.
RPBO volunteers join our regular tours to collect bird sightings data. They’re also available to our guests for those tough bird-related questions. In addition, we co-host a series of Specialty Birdwatching Tours that are becoming so popular we’re adding new dates every year. More information on those below!
Thousands of birds later
Three years and literally thousands of birds later, the partnership is thriving. Invaluable research data is being collected, funds are being raised to support RPBO’s work, and more and more people are being turned on to the dazzling variety of marine birds in our big blue back yard.
How many birds are we talking about? In 2025 alone, RPBO stats show that 93,923 birds were logged, representing 112 species!
Bird species seen ranged from the abundant—such as Glaucous-winged Gulls and Common Murres—to the globally rare Fork-tailed Storm Petrel, Yellow-billed Loon and Horned Puffin.
Sightings are logged on eBird, one of the world’s largest online citizen science platforms. The data is used by scientists, educators and conservation groups worldwide to understand bird distribution, abundance, habitat use, and population trends.
An eBird checklist is a digital record of when, where and what birds were seen and heard during a specific outing. In 2025, RPBO volunteers submitted a total of 265 checklists to eBird, covering 1,932.75 km and 88.05 continuous hours of birding observation over 23 days—all from our boat decks! (See map)
Huge conservation value
Getting access to open water is vital to understanding what areas are important to marine birds, says the RPBO’s Liam Ragan.
“Partnering with Eagle Wing allows us to keep a finger on the pulse of changes occurring throughout the Salish Sea,” he says. “As sea temperatures, food availability and extreme weather events continue to challenge birds, these sorts of research partnerships help us understand how they’re adapting and what conservation actions might be needed to support them.
“Additionally, and of equal significance,” adds Ragan, “our volunteer observers are able to assist tour guests with bird identification and life histories, adding to Eagle Wing’s already-exemplary onboard education on whales and other marine wildlife.”
Join one of our birdwatching tours!
Want to see this partnership in action for yourself? Join us on board our luxury semi-covered catamaran 4 Ever Wild for one of our Specialty Birdwatching Tours, co-hosted by Eagle Wing and RPBO, as we explore some of the Salish Sea’s birding hotspots.
At the same time, you’ll be helping the birds. From each tour, 5% of gross revenue is donated back to the RPBO to help support the great conservation work they do!
We have five tour types lined up for 2026, each one focusing on a specific direction in the Salish Sea, and on particular target species. Check out the tour choices here.
Curious about what you might see? See a sample eBird trip report from a previous tour.
To book your spot on a Specialty Birdwatching Tour give us a call orbook online!
