Williams News Logo
Grand Canyon News Logo

Trusted local news leader for Williams AZ and the Grand Canyon

Raptor migration peaking over Canyon

Hawkwatch volunteers (from left) Jenny Alemann-Zometa and Jennifer Good scan the skies for migrating raptors at Yaki Point.

Hawkwatch volunteers (from left) Jenny Alemann-Zometa and Jennifer Good scan the skies for migrating raptors at Yaki Point.

Over the next couple of weeks, up to 400 birds of prey will soar over Grand Canyon each day as their winter journey south reaches its peak along this section of a migratory route known as the Intermountain Flyway.

Guided by mountain ranges, rivers and good hunting habitat, raptors from as far north as Alaska are funneled over the Canyon in one of the largest concentrations of migrating hawks in western North America, according to Hawkwatch International.

Yaki and Lipan points are two of 14 sites that the non-profit conservation group monitors in the fall. Others are in Texas, Mexico, Washington, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Mexico and the Florida Keys. While the birds follow the same route north in the spring, Hawk Watch International does not monitor sites at Grand Canyon, mostly due to funding constraints.

The Intermountain Flyway was discovered in 1987 and Lipan Point was among the first sites when monitoring began in 1991. Yaki Point was added in 1997.

The average count at Grand Canyon has been about 10,500, according to Jennifer Good, one of four Hawkwatch volunteers working the sites this year, along with Graeme Davis, Tyler Hallman and Jenny Alemann-Zometa. However, those numbers dropped sharply over the past few years, down to a little over 6,000 in 2005. In 2006, that started to trend upward again, with a count of about 7,500. This year is looking even better, said Good.

"Over the last few years, we saw a drop everywhere," she noted. "Most of our sites have bypassed last year's total with a month to go."

The data is widely published and is not only of interest to those who work with raptors but also to researchers who study ecosystems. Because raptors are at the top of the food chain, are found everywhere and are sensitive to changes, they serve as an indicator species, offering clues on the health of their home ranges.

So far at the Grand Canyon sites, they've counted over 6,000 birds. The most common are the sharp shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, red-tailed hawk and American kestrel.

Others historically seen here but in smaller numbers include the osprey, northern harrier, Swainson's hawk, golden eagle and bald eagle.

The paid volunteers work long hours with few comforts, camping on the Kaibab National Forest and monitoring the sites six days on and one day off, from about 9 a.m. "until the birds quit coming," said Good. On a late afternoon last week, as she tracked and identified seven circling hawks, she noted that more than 50 had come through in the previous hour, and she planned to remain until after 6 p.m. Successful monitoring takes good binoculars and learning where to look, she said.

Raptors are funneled over Grand Canyon as they avoid the Painted Desert and its nocturnal wildlife, in favor of the North Kaibab which sees more small animal activity during the day when most raptors hunt. Good said that she's observed most birds with a full crop, indicating that they found a good meal just before crossing over.

"They don't want to go over the desert," she said.

The journey will end anywhere from Mexico, to Central America to the southern tip of Argentina, "depending on the individual bird and species," Good said.

The public is welcome at either Hawkwatch site at any time. Signs point out the location of the hawk watchers at both sites.

Programs are also given at 10:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information on raptors and other Hawk Watch initiatives, visit

www.hawkwatch.org.


Donate Report a Typo Contact