Raptors

Expert Peregrine Falcon viewing tips from Alcatraz Biologist Lidia D’amico

For the first time, you can see the fledgling family of Peregrine Falcons growing up on Alcatraz! See expert tips how to spot these birds of prey while visiting the island.

A brownish Red-tailed hawk perches on green evergreen branches with a blue sky background.

How are rodenticides affecting raptors?

Anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) are used to control pests, but secondary exposure can affect non-target species like raptors. Researchers tested juvenile Red-tailed Hawks to learn more.

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.

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.