From September through early November, volunteer observers staff State Line Hawk Watch, at the lookout point at State Line Lookout, from 9 am to 4 pm, volunteer availability and weather conditions permitting.

A golden eagle graces the skies above the State Line hawk watch. (Photograph courtesy of Kumar Patel.)

This hawk watch is sponsored by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and the Hawk Migration Association of North America.

Click here to go to HMANA’s State Line page.

An introduction to hawk watching

Each autumn, the Eastern seaboard plays host to one of nature’s more spectacular pageants, as the largest migration of land-based predators in the world takes place overhead. The passage of the diurnal raptors—or hawks—that hunt and migrate by daylight brings large numbers of people out on crisp fall days to see these magnificent birds off to their wintering grounds, which may be as distant as Central and South America.

State Line Hawk Watch (north 40°59 23’ by west 73°54 37’), founded in 1997, is one of twelve official New Jersey hawk watch sites and is one of two that are wheelchair accessible.

The fourteen species of hawks and two species of vultures that occur regularly in New Jersey can be seen here each fall. Most are migrants that nest and rear their young in New England and Canada, while several species, such as the red-tailed hawk, are also year-round residents in the park.

The table below shows an approximate timeframe for migrant species. Peak migration will usually occur near the middle of the timeframe, but smaller numbers of each species may occur before or after the peak.

Species Peak Migration Period

Osprey	Late Aug. through early Oct.
Bald Eagle	Late Aug. through Sep. Late Oct. through mid-Nov.
Golden Eagle	Late Oct. through mid-Nov.
Sharp-shinned Hawk	Sept. through Oct.
Cooper’s Hawk	Late Sep. through Oct.
Northern Goshawk	Oct. through Nov.
Broad-winged Hawk	Sep. (the bulk in mid-month)
Red-shouldered Hawk	Oct. through mid-Nov.
Red-tailed Hawk	Oct. through Nov.
Rough-legged Hawk (rare)	Mid-Oct. through Nov.
American Kestrel	Late Aug. through early Oct.
Merlin	Mid-Sep. through mid-Oct.
Peregrine Falcon	Mid-Sep. through Oct.
Northern Harrier	Throughout
Black Vulture	Throughout, but rare
Turkey Vulture	Mid-Oct. through Nov.

Weather is a major factor in producing heavy flights. In general, the first or second day after a cold front, with winds out of the north, will bring the greatest number of birds.

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