Bird Watch at Hawk Ridge

On a busy September afternoon at Duluth’s Hawk Ridge, songbirds flitter in the Juneberry bushes, agile kestrels feast on swarming red dragonflies, and 30 broad-winged hawks soar over in a spinning bird ball, surfing thermals of warm air wafting off the hills.

Situated at a natural bottleneck at the western end of Lake Superior, Hawk Ridge is one of the best places on the continent to see twice-annual bird migrations. In recent years, it’s drawn birders from all 50 states and 40 other countries.

“Peregrine falcon over the Pine Dome,” says a counter from Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, the nonprofit that manages the 365-acre nature reserve in a city park. Today, the counters will record 22,000 individuals from 57 bird species. A gaggle of photographers murmurs. The peregrine is Earth’s fastest creature, and it always generates a buzz at Hawk Ridge. The bird is just a speck ripping over conifers along serenely blue Lake Superior 550 feet below. It begins to climb like a fierce little jet, beating hooked wings with distinctive falcon confidence. Conversations stop. Camera shutters patter. Suddenly the falcon is overhead, its snazzy checked underside and yellow-rimmed eye popping into view.

“I really wish I could fly,” my kid says. I bet everyone here feels the same.

Another evening, we go to an owl program at Hawk Ridge. The observatory bands 500 saw-whet owls annually, making it a hot spot for studying the diminutive fellows. We luck out when one flies into a net, then watch an ornithologist take measurements—height: seven inches; weight: three ounces—and crimp a tiny bracelet on its twiggy leg. As the only child present, my daughter gets release honors. The owl is placed on her hand, and when she notices the bird’s black talons gripping her skin, she imagines they’re the claws of a dragon from the fantasy books she reads. The ornithologist nudges the bird. The owl fans its wings and disappears into overhead pines to continue its journey south.

Plan Your Visit

• Hawk Ridge is located on East Skyline Parkway.
• A Duluth city park, it’s free to visit, is always open, and has several miles of hiking trails.
• Fall migration generally runs mid-August into December, with the peak in mid-September to late October. During the peak, naturalists are often on-site.
• The annual Hawk Ridge Bird Festival will be held the weekend of September 20. See hawkridge.org for more information.
• During peak weekends, the main overlook bustles with birders. Use the on-site hiking trails to reach less crowded viewing areas.
• A northwest wind makes the best autumn birdwatching days. Peak flight hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

By the Numbers

• Bird counting at Hawk Ridge goes from mid-August until the end of November, from sunrise to nearly sunset, giving insight into bird populations. In fall 2023, 275,000 individuals from almost 200 species were recorded.
• The biggest fall day in 2023 for the two most seen raptor species was September 16, when 1,211 sharp-shinned hawks and 4,601 broad-winged hawks flew over.
• Upward of 5,000 bald eagles and 200 golden eagles pass over Hawk Ridge each season.