Conservation

A small bird sits in the center on a branch with a white sky background and many green oak leaves and brownish twigs below.
What's causing changes in Kestrels?

Data from seven fall raptor migration sites show that not only have kestrel numbers have been declining across North America, they've also been getting smaller. 

A woman in a purple coat stands at the right of the photo with arm extended. A brown & cream hawk flies with wings extended on left. Background is a partly cloudy sky with the Golden Gate bridge and San Francisco Bay, and in the foreground green shrubs
Which Red-tailed Hawks migrate when?

Red-tailed Hawks are common raptors in the Bay Area, yet males and females can be difficult to tell apart. Researchers used DNA and small differences in size to better understand their migration.

Close-up of a kestrel's face.
How does raptor migration timing vary?

At GGRO, we observe that female raptors typically migrate before males and juveniles typically migrate before adults. How does this compare to findings at other observation stations?

A white and brown Broad-winged Hawk soars against a blue sky.
Where do Broad-winged Hawks go in California?

We don't know much about Broad-winged Hawks' migration along the Pacific Flyway, so GGRO volunteers tracked the journeys of five. Where did they go?

A brown-colored Merlin flying wings spread against a pale blue sky
Messy eaters: what's on Merlins' migration menu?

A novel technique collecting songbird DNA from migratory raptors, and using DNA barcoding to identify prey species, helps quantify raptor diet during migration and track trends through time.

An owl sits with eyes closed in the canopy of a tree.
Northern Spotted Owls: Why you should give a hoot

Marin County is a great place to be a Northern Spotted Owl. At least, that’s what we can imply from the data.

Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle sightings in the Bay Area on the rise: Here's why

“This is a super exciting time for Bald Eagles in the Bay Area. We must be doing something right for Bald Eagle ecology."

A person collects seeds from bright pink wildflowers along a bluff with mountains in the background.
The great ‘treasure hunt’: Scouting seeds in the GGNRA

For Martine Glaros, it’s “like hiking and going on a treasure hunt at the same time.” Desmond Murray called it “needle in a haystack stuff.” 

Imagine finding a bloom in the park and going back weeks later when it’s no longer flowering, grasses and shrubs growing up around it, and…

Crissy Marsh
Taking charge for our planet: How we're acting on climate change in the GGNRA

With our partners, we're on a mission to reduce emissions, adapt for a changing climate, and encourage visitors to join and move in the most sustainable ways possible in the outdoors.

Food for the Parks
Food for the Parks: Case Studies

Food for the Parks: Case Studies of Sustainable Food in America’s Most Treasured Places showcases parks and concessionaires that have established innovative practices to bring healthy and sustainable food programs to their park visitors.

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