Top 20 Most Thrilling Hawk Migration Watching Sites Near the Great Lakes- Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan

Without a doubt, there is plenty of exceptional hawk watching sites that you can find near the Great Lakes, with big numbers of hawks from all kinds of different species migrating above this area every year.

So, if you’re a fan of seeing huge numbers of these predators in the sky and looking for the best hawk watches to visit near the Great Lakes, you’ll definitely enjoy our list of the Top 20 most thrilling hawk migration watching sites near the Great Lakes – Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

Whitefish Point

Dates: Mar 15- May 31

Address: Paradise, Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, northern goshawk, broad-winged hawk, red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

It is one of the most well-known spring hawk watches in North America, located near Paradise in Michigan. The Whitefish Point Bird Observatory has a professional staff who conducts a daily Raptor Census on the site. It’s a hotspot for waterbirds, songbirds, and of course, raptors.

Directions: Whitefish Point is located in the eastern Upper Peninsula, twelve miles north of Paradise. On Highway M-123, the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory is 72 miles north of St. Ignace. The ‘Hawk Dune’, where the count is conducted, is about 65 feet above Lake Superior and 650 feet west of the Whitefish Lighthouse.

Learn more at the Whitefish Point website.

Brockway Mountain

Dates: Mar 15- Jun 15

Address: Copper Harbor, Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, northern goshawk, golden eagle, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

Brockway is one of the most notable of a series of ridges extending along the spine of the Keweenaw, located about one mile south of Lake Superior. The hawk watching site is located at the summit of Brockway Mountain (although the summit and count site are about 4 miles apart).

There are two features that are extremely rare among hawk watches, which are hawks migrating in both directions simultaneously, with eye-level views of this fascinating scene.

Learn more at the Brockway Mountain website.

Mackinac Straits-Mackinaw City-spring

Dates: Mar 5- Jun 5

Address: Mackinaw City, Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

Located at the southernmost point of Michigan’s lower peninsula, the primary count location is close to the ball field on the south end of the Mackinaw City Recreation Center. It’s about a block away from Central Avenue. The secondary location is on Darrow’s Excavating’s private property. Hawk watching is done via a field near Central Avenue.

You should definitely give these count sites a try if you want to behold numerous hawk species flying in the sky of Michigan.

Directions to the primary site (the Rec. Center Site): Drive four blocks west of I-75 on Central Ave and look for the ‘Hawk Watch’ signs. Turn left onto Askins St. and park behind the Recreation Center.

Directions to the secondary site (Darrow’s field): From I-75, go Central Ave west for about a mile and a half and watch for ‘Hawk Watch’ signs indicating the entrance to the count location on the south side of Central Ave.

Learn more at the Mackinac Straits-Mackinaw City-spring website.

Mackinac Straits-Point LaBarbe-Fall

Dates: Aug 20- Nov 10

Address: Saint Ignace, Michigan, USA

The hawk watch is basically an open, flat area with a few scattered trees at the southernmost part of Point LaBarbe. The count is conducted in the center of this place. Big numbers of raptors were discovered migrating south over the Straits, and the count has still been done since then.

Directions: Take Boulevard Drive south, then turn west along the lakeshore for one and a half-mile to the southernmost part of Point LaBarbe. The count site is located along the road in the middle of this open area.

Learn more at the Mackinac Straits-Mackinaw City-spring website.

Muskegon

Dates: Aug 23- Nov 15

Address: Muskegon, Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, American kestrel

The Muskegon Hawkwatch has two primary locations; the first site was located in Muskegon State Park, from 1998 to 2004. However, half of the count was conducted from the upper deck of the USS McLane from 2007 to 2011.

Learn more at the Muskegon website.

Port Huron

Dates: Mar 1- May 15

Address: Lakeport, Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, American kestrel

The Port Huron Hawk Watch is north of Port Huron on the southwestern edge of Lake Huron. The hawk watch is dedicated to counting the spring raptor migrations each year. Going to this hawk watch includes observing migrating hawks on your own in Lakeport State Park’s day-use area.

Port Crescent Hawk Watch

Dates: Mar 21- May 31

Address: Port Crescent, Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, merlin

The Port Crescent Hawk Watch is a spring hawk watch location with sporadic coverage.

Directions from Bay City: It’s only a 1.5-hour trip northeast on M-25 if you follow the Saginaw Bay shoreline.

Directions from Detroit: Traveling north on M-53 takes about 2.5 hours to reach the site.

Detroit River Hawk Watch

hawk migration watching sites near the Great Lakes

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Brownstown, Michigan, USA

The Detroit River Hawk Watch is near the Boat Launch in Lake Erie Metropark, about 20 miles south of Detroit. It’s a must-visit site for passionate birders who want to please their eyes with large flocks of migrating hawks in the sky.

Directions: Exit at Huron River Drive from I-75. Keep moving east on Huron River Drive, turn left onto West Jefferson, and go to the Lake Erie Metropark entrance. All that’d be left now is following the signs to the Boat Launch after paying the entrance fee.

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

DRHW – Humbug Marina

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, golden eagle, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel

The Boat Launch in Lake Erie Metropark, located roughly 20 miles south of Detroit, is the major hawk watching location that the Detroit River Hawk Watch uses. But during specific wind conditions, the Headquarters of Pointe Mouillee State Game Area is used as a backup location.

You can use both hawk watches at the same time if staffing is available.

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

DRHW – Lake Erie Metropark (Wavepool)

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, golden eagle, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, American kestrel

The Boat Launch in Lake Erie Metropark is the major hawk watching location that the Detroit River Hawk Watch uses. But during specific wind conditions, the Headquarters of Pointe Mouillee State Game Area is used as a backup location. You can use both hawk watches simultaneously if staffing is available.

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

DRHW – Marina Point

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

DRHW – Power Plant

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, Northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

DRHW – Woodruff

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

DRHW- Campau Rd.

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

DRHW- Pointe Mouillee State Game Area

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Rockwood, Michigan, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, Northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, northern goshawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

Learn more at the Detroit River Hawk Watch website.

Fort Sheridan

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Lake Forest, Illinois, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-shouldered hawk, rough-legged hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

The location, which serves as a migratory raptor’s leading line, is about 985 feet west of Lake Michigan’s southwestern shoreline.

Directions from the South: Exit right at Old Elm Road in Lake Forest on Highway 41 North. After passing through the intersection with Sheridan, Old Elm Road becomes Simonds Way. Move to the stop sign into Leonard Wood Ave, then left again onto Gilgare Road, which leads to the Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve. The site is just next to the main parking area.

Directions from the North: In Lake Forest, take Hwy 41 south and turn left on Old Elm Road. After passing through the intersection with Sheridan, Old Elm Road becomes Simonds Way. Move to the stop sign into Leonard Wood Ave, then left again onto Gilgare Road, which leads to the Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve. The site is just next to the main parking area.

Greene Valley Forest Preserve

Dates: Sep 1- Nov 30

Address: Illinois, USA

The location is basically a closed landfill hill of around 200 feet above the surrounding area. Greene Valley offers a magnificent oak woodland, which was dedicated to animal and plant protection by a previous owner many years ago. Stunning spring displays are seen through the native wildflowers in the valley.

At least 370 different species of native animals can be found in Greene Valley. Herons, waterfowl, egrets, and many other species thrive in the wetlands. And of course, choruses of frogs and toads can be heard during the breeding season in spring.

The place is also home to migrating raptors of many species starting from September 1 until the end of November. The hill’s owner requires volunteer hawk watchers to undergo a security screening and sign a waiver of liability.

Directions: The south parking area is a quarter-mile south of 79th Street on Greene Road. Greene Road, 0.3 miles north of 75th Street and south of Hobson Road, is where the north picnic area is located. Thunderbird Youth Camp is located a half-mile west of Greene Road on 79th Street.

Illinois Beach State Park

Dates: Aug 25- Nov 30

Address: Zion, Illinois, USA

The Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch is in Lake County on the shoreline of Lake Michigan in the state’s northeastern corner. The hawk watching site is entirely run by volunteers.

Directions: Start by taking I-94 to Route 173, then exit and follow Sheridan Road east. Take Sheridan Road north to 17th Street, then east. Enter the park via the park road and turn right at the Sand Prairie Day Use Area’ sign. The location is the first pavilion on your right.

Lost Mound Refuge

Spring dates: Jan 1- Apr 14

Fall dates: Sep 10- Nov 10

Address: Illinois, USA

Birds you’ll see: Bald eagle

Lost Mound, with its rich and expansive habitat, is home to a large number of key Illinois nesting bird species. Several pairs of bald eagles have nested there, and you’ll see more of them foraging and loafing there in the winter.

Conneaut Hawkwatch

Dates: Apr 6- May 7

Address: Conneaut, Ohio, USA

Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

The hawk watch is in Malek Park, located in the City of Conneaut. The location is 646 feet above sea level but on a flat piece of land.

Directions: The park is located on the west side of Conneaut, about 3/4 mile from Lake Erie beach, off of Parrish Route, between State Route 531 and US Route 20.

Related post: Best Places for Birdwatching in Delaware

FAQs about Hawk Migration to Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan

What types of hawks can I see in Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan?

There are 15 different hawk species that Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan are known for: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, northern goshawk, broad-winged hawk, red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon.

More Hawk Migration Locations

Hawks are not that elusive to someone who knows where to pursue them. You may want to continue your hawk watching adventure in these amazing hawk migration sites.