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After hawks and eagles, some of the sharpest eyes belong to hawk-watchers, experienced spotters who count raptors during spring and fall migration. Groups like HawkWatch International organize census counts of hawks (like this Red-tailed Hawk) and other raptors. HawkWatch sites lie along primary migration routes like mountain ridges and coastlines, where updrafts of rising air funnel the birds’ north-south movement. Different species peak at slightly different times.
BirdNote®
HawkWatch
Written by Bob Sundstrom
This is BirdNote.
[Red-tailed Hawk, https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/89091531, 0.02-.08]
After hawks and eagles, some of the sharpest eyes belong to hawk-watchers, experienced spotters who count raptors during spring and fall migration.
Groups like HawkWatch International organize census counts of hawks and other raptors. The success of their efforts depends on many community scientists.
HawkWatch sites lie along primary migration routes like mountain ridges and coastlines. These create updrafts for soaring and funnel the birds’ north-south movement. Different species peak at slightly different times.
[Cooper’s Hawk, https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/231229351, 0.02-0.08]
The fall migration census runs September to mid-November, and spring is March through May. Birders often join the action, eager to see a bounty of hawks. Any moment might offer an avian surprise—you never know what bird will come lofting through next.
Hawk numbers vary, often dramatically, day to day. If you get lucky on a good fall day for Broad-winged Hawks, thousands may cloud the sky. The next day, maybe only a few dozen.
[Broad-winged Hawk, https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/349437411, 0:14-0:16]
If you visit a HawkWatch and stand alongside a veteran spotter, prepare to be amazed. Their “eagle eyes” may detect a distant hawk headed your way and identify it before you’ve even seen it.
[Red-tailed Hawk, https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/89091531, 0.02-.08]
For BirdNote, I’m Mary McCann.
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Senior Producer: John Kessler
Production Manager: Allison Wilson
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Associate Producer: Ellen Blackstone
Digital Producer: Conor Gearin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Red-tailed Hawk ML 89091531 recorded by M. Chambrone, Cooper’s Hawk ML231229351 recorded by A. Spencer, and Broad-winged Hawk ML 349437411 recorded by S. Langlois.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2021 BirdNote September 2021/2023 Narrator: Mary McCann
ID# hawkwatch-06 hawkwatch-06-2021-9-8
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