Birds in the Golden Gate National Parks
Learn more about birds and birding in the parks.
Conservation
All the fluffiness of the peregrine falcon chicks and their parents on Alcatraz...
In 2020, for the first time in recorded history, peregrine falcon chicks were born on Alcatraz Island. The peregrines returned in subsequent years and, in 2023, four chicks were born on the island!
Our Work
Although full interpretive talks weren’t possible in 2022, we did arrange our weekend schedules so that one GGRO staff person would also be a greeter to informally talk to people about the migration on Hawk Hill, and the results were wonderful.
Our Work
Beyond being widely misunderstood by the general public, Turkey Vultures are often misunderstood from an ecological perspective as well.
Our Work
The 2022 fall migration was a season of almost-recovery from COVID-19, but someone forgot to tip off the hawks, as we had one of our lowest overall counts in many years.
Conservation
Explore trends over 30 years of Red-shouldered Hawk migration observed at Hawk Hill.
Article
Red-tailed Hawks! This season was full of them. The 2018 field season ended with 342 Redtails banded-almost 100 Redtails above our 10-year average.
Article
For the first time in recorded history, peregrine falcons have nested on Alcatraz Island! After months of observating the pair, park biologists have spotted two fledglings.
Article
The autumn raptor migration at the Golden Gate runs August through December. The spring migration is late February through May. So how is it that my neighborhood Bay Area Redtails are nesting in April? Shouldn’t they be migrating north? How exactly does the hawk breeding season fit between May and...
Our Work
The falcon chicks have hatched, and the world is watching! Check out our favorite moments in this gallery.
