From September through early November, volunteer observers record the migration of raptors at State Line Lookout, from 9 AM to 4 PM, volunteer availability and weather conditions permitting. Visitors are always welcome at the hawk watch (binoculars recommended).
State Line Hawk Watch (40.9897°N, 73.9061°W), sponsored with the Hawk Migration Association of North America, was founded in 1997 and is one of around a dozen official New Jersey hawk watch sites.
Get a feeling for what the hawk watch is about with this short film by Rafael Samanez!
Most of the fourteen species of hawks and two species of vultures that occur regularly in New Jersey are seen here each fall. Most are migrants that nest in New England and Canada, while several species, such as the red-tailed hawk, are also year-round residents in the park. 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.
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Migration: Late August through early October
Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Migration: Late Aug. through September., late October through mid-November (also some local birds)
Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Migration: Late October through mid-November
Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Migration: September through October
Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Migration: Late September through October
Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Migration: October through November
Broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus)
Migration: September (most in mid-month)
Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Migration: September (most in mid-month)
Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Migration: October through November (also active local population)
Rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus)
Migration: November and later (rare)
No photos from State Line Hawk Watch — yet
American kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Migration: Late August through early October
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Migration: Mid-September through mid-October
Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Migration: Mid-September through October (also active local population)
Northern harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Migration: Throughout the season
Black vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Migration: Throughout the season (also active local population)
Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)
This animal shot with an arrow by an idiot, yet surviving.
Migration: Mid-October through November (also active local population)