2018 Marin Headlands Hawk Migration Underway

School groups are among those who come to Hawk Hill to learn about the fall migration.

Alison Taggart-Barone / Parks Conservancy

August 2018 - The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory began its 36th season of raptor migration tracking on August 13th. The program’s five volunteer teams are out in the Marin Headlands each day, with banding teams at four different trapping blinds, and the hawkwatch crew on the summit of Hawk Hill counting raptors and engaging the public.

The Marin Headlands hosts the biggest known raptor migration in the Pacific United States. As many as 19 species, including hawks, kites, osprey, eagles, falcons, vultures, and harriers may be seen passing by through the end of November. Most days’ sightings hover around 50 birds per hour, but peak count days have exceeded 1,000 raptors!

Anyone is welcome to come up to check out the migration, or you can find daily hawk count totals online every day after 5 pm.