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Readers’ favorite places to watch hawks
Published: August 9, 2010
To view our map of readers’ favorite places to watch hawks, click here.
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In April and May, we asked readers of Birder’s World Magazine to tell us their favorite places in North America to see hawks.
More than 2,100 readers responded, casting more than 5,900 votes for 207 hawk hotspots. Their favorite places are plotted on the map
above and listed below.
An article in the forthcoming October
2010 issue of Birder’s World (now BirdWatching) describes our readers’
favorite place to watch hawks — the Cape May Point Hawk Watch in New Jersey. Subscribers will have full access to the article, along
with the rest of the October issue, online. You can, too! Subscribe
to BirdWatching!
Congratulations to our binocular
winner!
Each survey participant was entered into a drawing for a
Nikon Monarch 8x42 binocular provided by our generous partner, Nikon
Sport Optics. Nikon and we were happy to award the binoculars to Debbie Christie of Louisville, Kentucky. Read about Debbie here.
For more information about Nikon Sport
Optics, visit www.NikonBirding.com.
See our readers’ favorite places to watch eagles.
See our readers’ favorite places to
watch warblers.
See our readers’ favorite places to
watch hummingbirds.
See our readers' favorite places to watch shorebirds.
Our readers’ favorite
places to watch hawks: |
1. Cape May Hawk Watch, NJ
Cape May, home of Contributing Editor Pete Dunne, is arguably the most celebrated birding destination in North America. Our readers have voted it a favorite place to watch not just hawks, but eagles, warblers, hummingbirds, and shorebirds. The famous hawk watch is located on a platform in Cape May Point State Park, near the southern tip of Cape May County. Hawks are almost always visible September through November (the count period). Accipiters and falcons are most abundant from mid-September through mid-October. Buteos are most abundant mid-October on.
Cape May Hawk Watch
Cape May Bird Observatory
Cape May Point State Park (New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry)
Read more: "Passing Light" (Birder at Large) by Pete Dunne, Birder's World, April 2010, p. 18
Read more: "My Time" (Birder at Large) by Pete Dunne, Birder's World, February 2010, p. 14
Read more: "Cape May Mystique" (Birding Hotspot) by Pete Dunne, Birder's World, October 2005, p. 22
Read more: "Birder's World Readers' 15 Favorite Birding Destinations in the U.S." Birder's World, October 2002, p. 39
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3. Everglades NP, FL
A World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, and great place to look for a true Florida specialty -- the Snail Kite. Especially in winter, kites can be found on the north side of Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) near the Shark Valley section of Everglades National Park. The parking lot of the Miccosukee Indian Restaurant is a well-known vantage point (across from the Shark Valley entrance).
Our readers also voted the Everglades a favorite place to watch eagles.
Everglades NP (National Park Service)
Everglades Park Map (downloadable pdf, National Park Service)
Tropical Audubon Society
Read more: "Birdwatching on the Edge of the Everglades at STA 5 in Florida" by Mark Kiser and Selena Kiser, Birder's World, April 2009, p. 24
Read more: "Birder's World readers' 15 favorite birding destinations in the U.S." Birder's World, October 2002, p. 39
Read more: "Birdwatching at Big Bend, Everglades, Olympic, Grand Teton, and Acadia National Parks" by Roland Wauer, Birder's World, April 2000, p. 46
Read more: "Birdwatching at Everglades National Park in Florida" by Connie Toops, Birder's World, April 1988, p. 34
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4. Hawk Ridge and West Skyline Hawk Count, MN
Located at the western tip of Lake Superior, on bluffs overlooking East Duluth. Hawk Ridge seized the attention of hawkwatchers everywhere on a single day in September 2003, when an astounding 102,321 migrating birds of prey were counted. (The total, a record, included 101,716 Broad-winged Hawks.) An average of 94,000 raptors are counted each fall. In the spring, the hawk watch (the West Skyline count) is located farther to the southwest, though still in Duluth.
Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory
West Skyline (Spring) Hawk Count
Directions
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5. Yellowstone NP, WY
Notable birding spots in Yellowstone, America's first national park, located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, are the Lamar Valley, Mount Washburn, the Mammoth Hot Springs area, Hayden Valley, and Yellowstone Lake. Bald Eagles winter in the park, gathering in groups of five or six along the Yellowstone River, and Peregrine Falcons patrol Hayden Valley. Swainson's Hawks and Northern Harriers also occur in the valley. Red-tailed Hawks are ubiquitous.
Our readers also voted Yellowstone a favorite place to watch eagles.
Yellowstone NP (National Park Service)
Map and directions (National Park Service)
Albright Visitor Center & Museum, Mammoth Hot Springs (National Park Service)
Bridger Raptor Festival, Bozeman, MT
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7. Grand Canyon NP, Lipan Point and Yaki Point, AZ
The flight through the southern portion of the Intermountain Flyway constitutes one of the largest concentrations of migrating raptors in the western U.S. and Canada. Observers at Lipan Point and Yaki Point along the south rim of the canyon have recorded 19 species, and combined counts typically range between 10,000 and 12,000 migrants per season. Park biologists estimate that at least 100 pairs of Peregrine Falcons nest along the cliffs of the inner canyon.
Grand Canyon National Park (NPS)
Grand Canyon Raptor Migration Project
Read more: "The status of the California Condor, an endangered species, after 20 years of recovery efforts" by John Moir, Birder's World, December 2007, p. 20
Read more: "Where to find the 20 birds birdwatchers want to see most" by Matt Mendenhall, Birder's World, December 2006, p. 50
Read more: "Canyon Condors" (Birder at Large) by Pete Dunne, Birder's World, August 2004, p. 20
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8. Corkscrew Swamp, FL
An Important Bird Area and one of the most significant natural areas in Florida. Supports the third-largest Swallow-tailed Kite roost and the largest colony of Wood Storks in the United States, and Snail Kite has been recorded in the sanctuary. A raised 2.25-mile boardwalk leads through four distinct environments: a pine upland, a wet prairie, a cypress forest, and a marsh.
Our readers also voted Corkscrew Swamp a favorite place to watch warblers.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary's Boardwalk, Florida's Greenways and Trails (Florida DEP)
Corkscrew Swamp Watershed, Florida's Important Bird Area (Audubon)
Read more: "Where to find the 20 birds birdwatchers want to see most" by Matt Mendenhall, Birder's World, December 2006, p. 50
Read more: "Birder's World readers' 15 favorite birding destinations in the U.S." Birder's World, October 2002, p. 39
Read more: "Corkscrew Swamp, Florida" by Sheryl DeVore, Birder's World, August 1991, p. 42
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9. Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, CA
Volunteer counters on Hawk Hill in the southern Marin Headlands (Pt. Diablo) have been tabulating the annual fall migration of birds of prey for a quarter century. During that time they counted 500,000 hawks and banded 30,000. 19 species have been tallied -- eagles, vultures, falcons, hawks, and kites. The count starts in mid-August and goes through the beginning of December. A spring season runs from late February through early May.
Golden Gate Raptor Observatory
Driving directions
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Marin Headlands (NPS)
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10. My backyard
Among the many great things about hawks is that you can see them just about anywhere -- even your own backyard. And every time you see and identify a hawk, you gain a piece of information of value to educators, land managers, ornithologists, conservation biologists, and others who care about the health, distribution, and abundance of North America's birds. You can share your sighting with them via eBird, a real-time, online checklist program launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.
Our readers also voted their backyard a favorite place to watch hummingbirds.
About eBird
Basics of bird-friendly yards
Read more: "Backyard Spectacle" (Birder at Large) by Pete Dunne, Birder's World, December 2008, p. 16
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11. Dauphin Island, AL
The barrier island at the mouth of Mobile Bay, south of Mobile, Alabama, is where many neotropical birds make landfall after completing the 500-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula in spring. Fall migration begins as early as July, when shorebirds begin to gather before migrating. Flocks along the beaches attract Peregrine Falcon and Merlin, which occur regularly, and accipiters patrol remnant maritime forest and oak hammocks for passerines.
Our readers also voted Dauphin Island a favorite place to watch warblers.
Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries
Dauphin Island-Bayou La Batre Loop, Alabama Coastal Birding Trail
Read more: "Discover Coastal Birding Treasures" by Diane Jolie, Birder's World, April 2000, p. 60
Read more: "Across the Dauphin Island Bridge" by Judith A. Toups, Birder's World, April 1987, p. 32
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12. Point Pelee, ON
Point Pelee is one of the best locations in inland North America to observe migrating birds, including birds of prey. Each fall, southbound hawks, vultures, falcons, and eagles come upon Lake Erie, opt to follow the shoreline, and are funneled into Point Pelee. Harriers, Osprey, Merlins, and Peregrine Falcons don't hesitate to cross the lake, but Broad-winged, Red-shouldered, and Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures, and most Sharp-shinned Hawks and kestrels, will retreat inland and go around the lake.
Our readers also voted Point Pelee a favorite place to watch warblers.
Point Pelee National Park of Canada (Parks Canada)
Hawk migration at Point Pelee (Parks Canada)
Read more: "Birder's World readers' 15 favorite birding destinations in the U.S." Birder's World, October 2002, p. 39
Read more: "Sanctuary" by Peter B. Logan, Birder's World, June 1997, p. 70
Read more: "Point Pelee, Ontario" by Eldon D. Greij, Birder's World, June 1987, p. 34
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13. Skagit River Delta, WA
One of the prime winter birding destinations in the Pacific Northwest and the first hotspot featured in Birder's World. Writer and biologist Diann MacRae wrote about it in our inaugural February 1987 issue, and she penned an update for our 100th issue (August 2003). The deltas of the Skagit and nearby Samish Rivers, located north of Seattle, are known locally as the Skagit and Samish Flats. In winter, the area hosts Red-tailed Hawks, Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, and Short-eared Owls. And it's possible, MacRae wrote, to have a "five-falcon day" here: Peregrine Falcons are the easiest to find, followed by Merlins and American Kestrels. Gyrfalcons and Prairie Falcons are harder to locate, but they're around.
Our readers also voted the Skagit River a favorite place to watch eagles.
Skagit River Delta (Washington State Tourism)
Great Washington State Birding Trail, Cascade Loop (Audubon Washington)
Skagit River and Delta (Nature Conservancy)
Skagit River Bald Eagle Natural Area (U.S. Forest Service map)
Road Scholar program: Skagit River Delta: Raptors and Wintering Birds, January 23-28, 2011
Read more: "Re-Scanning the Skagit" by Diann MacRae, Birder's World, August 2003, p. 48
Read more: "Scanning the Skagit" by Diann MacRae, Birder's World, February 1987, p. 32
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14. Grand Teton NP, WY
A spectacular national park adjacent to the southern border of Yellowstone National Park (site No. 5) in western Wyoming. Home to bison, moose, bears, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, and more than 300 bird species, including Bald and Golden Eagles and Osprey. Look for raptors, especially American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Northern Harrier, and Red-tailed and Swainson's Hawks at Antelope Flats and Kelly Road.
Grand Teton NP (National Park Service)
Bird-Finding Guide (National Park Service pdf)
Bird Watching (National Park Service)
Birds of Jackson Hole (Grand Teton Natural History Association and Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center)
Read more: "Birdwatching at Big Bend, Everglades, Olympic, Grand Teton, and Acadia National Parks" by Roland Wauer, Birder's World, April 2000, p. 46
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15. Klamath Basin, OR and CA
The 15,751-square-mile drainage basin of the Klamath River. It straddles the Oregon-California border, and within its boundaries are six national wildlife refuges, two state wildlife areas, and Crater Lake National Park. Birds are abundant. Millions of ducks and geese migrate through in fall, and visitors should look for shorebirds, herons, pelicans, and grebes. Bald Eagles and Osprey nest in the area, and the basin is a great spot for raptor watching, especially in winter. The pin on our map is on Township Road in Oregon. When fields are flooded here, look for Northern Harrier, Bald and Golden Eagles, Rough-legged, Swainson’s, and Ferruginous Hawks, and Prairie Falcon. The Klamath Basin Birding Trail, a 300-mile-long loop trail with 47 identified birding sites along established roads, is an excellent resource for visiting birders.
Klamath Basing National Wildlife Refuge Complex (U.S. FWS)
Wildlife Checklist, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges and Environs (U.S. FWS pdf)
Recent Notable Wildlife Sightings (U.S. FWS)
Klamath Basin Audubon Society
Klamath Bird Observatory
Klamath Basin Birding Trail
Klamath Wingwatchers
Read more: "Klamath Basin" by Jeffrey Rich, Birder's World, December 1989, p. 50
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17. Boundary Bay, BC
This Globally Important Bird Area only 30 minutes south of Vancouver includes intertidal flats and salt marshes as well as the open waters of the Strait of Georgia. In winter, look for Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, Rough-legged Hawk, and Gyrfalcon, as well as Short-eared and Snowy Owls and Northern Shrike.
Boundary Bay Regional Park (Metro Vancouver Regional Parks)
A Nature Guide to Boundary Bay by Anne Murray
Birds on the Bay
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18. Whitefish Point, MI
A concentration spot for migrating raptors, waterbirds, and songbirds at the northeastern tip of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In spring, hawks, falcons, and eagles fly past in significant numbers. The staff of the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory counts migrating raptors daily from March 15 through May 31 each year. Sharp-shinned, Broad-winged, and Red-tailed Hawks occur in the thousands most years. Counters also record Rough-legged Hawks, Ospreys, Golden Eagles, Merlins, and other raptors.
Whitefish Point Bird Observatory
Hawk Watch Site Profile (Hawk Migration Association of North America)
Whitefish Point Bird Observatory Hawk Migration blog
Read more: "Cold-weather Hawk" (On the Move) by Paul Kerlinger, Birder's World, December 2006, p. 64
Read more: "Whitefish Point, Michigan" by Gail A. McPeek, Birder's World, April 1994, p. 48
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19. Big Bend NP, TX
Remote 800,000-acre national park is the only site in the United States where Colima Warblers breed. Due to its many habitats and proximity to Mexico, more bird species (450) have been recorded at Big Bend than at any other national park. At Cottonwood Campground along the Rio Grande, look for migrating Common Black-Hawks and Gray Hawks, and at Boot Springs and Juniper Canyon Trail, keep an eye out for Zone-tailed Hawks.
Our readers also voted Big Bend NP a favorite place to watch warblers and hummingbirds.
Big Bend National Park (National Park Service)
Birds of Big Bend (National Park Service)
Read more: "Last Birds" (Birder at Large) by Pete Dunne, Birder's World, April 2004, p. 22
Read more: "Birder's World readers' 15 favorite birding destinations in the U.S." Birder's World, October 2002, p. 39
Read more: "Birdwatching at Big Bend, Everglades, Olympic, Grand Teton, and Acadia National Parks" by Roland Wauer, Birder's World, April 2000, p. 46
Read more: "Big Bend National Park" by Sam Fried, Birder's World, October 1998, p. 70
Read more: "Big Bend National Park" by George Oxford Miller, Birder's World, April 1989, p. 42
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20. Chimney Rock Hawk Watch, NJ
A fall hawk watch located in north-central New Jersey in Washington Valley Park in Martinsville. The site is on the southernmost ridge (known as First Watchung Ridge) of the Watchung Mountains. Southbound hawks flying along the ridge cross Chimney Rock as they continue out over the plains of central New Jersey. The most common birds tallied are Broad-winged and Sharp-shinned Hawks. Many Cooper's Hawks, kestrels, and Osprey also fly past.
Chimney Rock Hawk Watch
Hawk Watch Site Profile (Hawk Migration Association of North America)
Analysis of hawk watch data (donsnotes.com)
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21. Muskegon Hawkwatch, MI
A fall hawk watch located in Muskegon on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Volunteer counters from the Muskegon County Nature Club tally hawks on a dune in Muskegon State Park, on the upper deck of the Coast Guard cutter USS McLane, which is berthed along the south wall of the Muskegon Channel, and on the tallest dune in nearby Kruse City Park.
Hawk Watch Site Profile (Hawk Migration Association of North America)
Muskegon County Nature Club blog
Muskegon State Park (Michigan DNR)
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22. Sandy Hook Migration Watch, NJ
A spring migration watch that averages 4,000 to 6,000 birds of prey annually. The New Jersey Audubon Society's Sandy Hook Bird Observatory operates the count, which is located at the northeastern tip of New Jersey within the Gateway National Recreation Area's Sandy Hook Unit. Strictly a hawk watch until 2003, Sandy Hook is now a count site for seabirds and wading birds, as well. Counters collect data on migrating loons, cormorants, Northern Gannets, herons, and egrets along with raptors. Birds are counted from March 15 to May 15. Nineteen raptor species have been recorded; the most common are Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, American Kestrel, and Merlin.
Sandy Hook Migration Watch
Hawk Watch Site Profile (Hawk Migration Association of North America)
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23. Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley SP, TX
One of the best birding sites in North America. The Rio Grande Valley hosts one of the most spectacular convergences of birds on earth, and it's the only region of the United States where you can see tropical bird species typical of Mexico. At the park, approximately 325 bird species have been documented. In spring and fall, hawks are tallied daily from atop a two-story observation tower near the south end of the park. In spring 2010, 20,000 Broad-winged Hawks and 10,000 Turkey Vultures were counted, making up the bulk of the tally. Broad-wings and vultures account for most of the fall flight, as well.
Our readers also voted the Rio Grande Valley a favorite place to find warblers.
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park (Texas Parks and Wildlife)
Hawk Watch Site Profile (Hawk Migration Association of North America)
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
November 10-14, 2010
World Birding Center
Lower Texas Coast, Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail (Texas Parks and Wildlife)
Read more: "Blazing Binoculars" by Sam Fried, Birder's World, December 1990, p. 22
Read more: "The Rio Grande of South Texas" by George Oxford Miller, Birder's World, August 1987, p. 34 |
24. Sacramento NWR, CA
A wildlife refuge in the Sacramento Valley renowned for its winter waterfowl populations. Birds of prey winter in large numbers, including Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, and Northern Harrier. Also watch for White-tailed Kite, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and Golden Eagle.
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. FWS)
Read more: "Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Willows, California, Hotspot Near You No. 54" by Harry Fuller, Birder's World, December 2008, p. 43
Read more: "Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge" by David Welling, Birder's World, December 1995, p. 60 |
25. Myakka River SP, FL
At 28,875 acres, this is one of Florida's largest state parks. More than 250 bird species have been recorded, and the Myakka River watershed is an Audubon-designated Globally Important Bird Area for its high numbers of Bachman's Sparrows. Osprey, Swallow-tailed Kites, Red-shouldered Hawks and other raptors nest in the park, and Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, and Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks spend the winter.
Myakka River State Park (Florida State Parks)
Myakka River State Park (Friends of the Myakka River)
Birds of Myakka River State Park checklist (Friends of the Myakka River pdf)
Myakka River Watershed (IBA site profile, Audubon)
Read more: "Myakka River State Park, Florida" by Brian Kenney, Birder's World, February 1993, p. 46
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