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Count Update: Songbirds on the move! The first 10 days of September have been exceptional for non-raptor flights at Hawk Ridge. Some highlights have included three days of 2000+ warblers (Sep 1, 2, 9), as well as two days of 100+ Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Sep 1, 9)!! These morning flights have kept counters busy, and some foggy days in between allowed for much needed rest. Songbird diversity is changing by the day, so make sure to do some warbler-watching this week. In the first week and a half, nearly 6,000 raptors have been counted, including our first day of 1,000+ on September 6th! Sharp-shinned Hawks are really on the move, with hundreds counted daily, and Broad-winged Hawks should be picking up soon. Hope to see you at the ridge!
Join us next week 9/16 at 3pm at the ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the new accessible trail at Hawk Ridge! This trail is the kick off to future improvements within the Hawk Ridge Facilities Improvements Plan for accessibility, safety, & education. We appreciate the grant funding for the trail provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the LCCMR.Come celebrate with us! The City of Duluth, MN Government and Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory (HRBO) invite the public to a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 3 p.m. to celebrate the newly constructed, universally accessible trail at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve.Immediately following the ribbon cutting, the public is invited to join an HRBO Naturalist to explore the new trail, while learning about birds, plants, and other species along the route! We hope you’ll join us! Read the complete press release here: duluthmn.gov/web-subscriptions/View-press-release/?prid=8513Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve is located at 3980 E Skyline Pkwy.
Did you know that we catch more American Redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) than any other species of songbird in the fall at Hawk Ridge? This photo shows adult male (left) and immature female (right) American Redstarts.These birds are one of the most dramatic examples of sexual dimorphism among warblers seen migrating through Hawk Ridge. A species is considered “sexually dimorphic” when the males and females have differences in size, color, or other physical characteristics.Generally, male warblers in the genus Setophaga have more colorful plumage than females during the breeding season, but replace their feathers in the fall to be more camouflaged. Adult male American Restarts, however, keep their colorful plumage year-round. American Redstarts can be seen foraging through the trees in the early morning at Hawk Ridge, generally within the first hour after sunrise. Our accessible nature trail is an excellent place to see them!
See the number, speed, direction, and altitude of the birds cruising through the darkness on spring and fall nights by visiting BirdCast.
