Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory

American Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring Update: Nestling Banding

We are wrapping up our American Kestrel nestling banding for the season and it's been a productive year! We've banded around 200 nestlings between Douglas County, WI and Clover Valley, MN with an average brood size (the number of nestlings in a nest) of 4.5!

When we band the nestlings we age them to the approximate number of days old they are, s*x them based on their feather coloration (males have slate grey and black flight feathers while females have brown and black flight feathers), weigh them, and note any prey items in the boxes. Hopefully, some of these kestrels will make their way back to this area to raise families of their own. Good luck to them as they prepare for dispersal and fall migration!

We are less than two months away from the start of the fall migration season and we are busy in prep mode! We can't wait for our amazing crew of seasonal staff, volunteers, and visitors to join us for another magical fall at Hawk Ridge.

Amazon Prime Days start tomorrow, and it's a great opportunity to support the work of Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory!

Over the next few days, many items on our Amazon Wish List may be available at discounted prices. These supplies help support our research, education, bird banding, and conservation programs throughout the year. If you're looking for a simple way to help, please consider purchasing an item. Every donation no matter how big or small directly supports the birds, research, and educational programs that make Hawk Ridge such a special place.

🛒 Check out our Wish List link in the comments or our bio

Note: If you'd rather shop local, send us a message that you plan to donate one of these items and we'll take it off the list!

Thank you for helping us continue our mission of promoting conservation and appreciation of raptors and other birds through research, education, and monitoring. We couldn't do it without our amazing community of supporters!

Join us for our Summer Naturalist Series starting tomorrow with Saturday Nature Hikes! We’ll explore a different trail each week at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve to learn about North Shore phenology and what calls the nature reserve home for the summer! Pack your binoculars, lace up your shoes, and gear up for a fun hike!

Dates: Saturdays June 6th, 13th, & 20th

Time: 2:00-3:30pm

Location: Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve (meet at main overlook by Hawk Ridge signage - approx. address 3980 E Skyline Pkwy, Duluth, MN)

Cost: Suggested donation $5 in support of Hawk Ridge bird research & education

What to Bring: dress in layers, water, sunscreen, insect deterrent, hiking shoes/gear

Special Notes: trails are natural-surface and may be rugged with some rocky steps & hike may be canceled due to inclement weather. NEW accessible trail loop work to begin this summer!

For more information about this event visit us on our website!

https://www.hawkridge.org