Birds in the Golden Gate National Parks

Every autumn, up to 19 species of birds of prey make their annual appearance over the Marin Headlands. With tens of thousands of raptors counted during the fall migration, it’s the largest flight of its kind in the western U.S.! Read on for hawk-watching tips from our Golden Gate Raptor Observatory program.

Hawk Hill isn’t just a spot for watching raptors. In the fall, visitors who point their binoculars at smaller birds might be treated to the aerial acrobatics of migrating swifts. Learn more about these amazing—and mysterious—insectivores.

To humans, bird vocalizations can be inspiring and soothing—or annoying, in the case of those early morning arias. But for birds, they perform critical communication functions. Read on to learn about five types of vocalizations, and what they teach us about birds’ surroundings.

Feathers are a uniquely avian adaptation—or are they? While feathers can only be seen on birds today, evidence has shown that many dinosaurs also had feathers. Read on to learn about the variety—and possible purposes—of dinosaur feathers.

The trailside discovery of a Great Horned Owl tail feather sparked this rumination: What are some of the many adaptations that make owls such proficient hunters in the dark, quiet night? Take wing and learn more about their unique traits.

Even Charles Darwin, the preeminent biologist, had trouble defining a species. The more we learn, the harder it gets. Life does not always supply black-and-white categories—which can impact how we conserve and protect the species around us.

It seems remarkable that we can pinpoint an exact date—November 4, 1769—when Europeans first caught sight of San Francisco Bay. Afterward, nothing would ever quite be the same, ecologically or anthropologically, in this grand watershed. Or would it?

Follow the trials and triumphs of a Golden Gate Raptor Observatory intern, as told through several encounters with a particularly mysterious species of raptor—the Northern Harrier.

We often think about members of a species gathered together, such as “a gaggle of geese,” or a “pack of wolves.” But there are also examples of different species coming together, often to hunt or avoid being hunted. Read on to learn about one animal alliance.

A year ago, Monterey pines and Monterey cypresses were removed from Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands to restore endangered mission blue butterfly habitat. How did this affect the birds during fall migration?