Top 6 Best Hotspots to Watch Migrating Hawks in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia

Hawk watching has been an addictive hobby for many people, and if you’re searching for the best hawk watches in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia to visit in the migration season, we’ve got you covered!

Join us as we break down the top 6 hotspots to watch migrating hawks in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

Bonney Butte HawkWatch

Dates: Aug 27- Oct 31
Address: Hood River, OR, OR, USA
Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, northern goshawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

The Bonney Butte HawkWatch in Oregon’s northern Cascade Mountains is part of HawkWatch International’s network of monitoring sites in western North America. It’s an ongoing long-term effort to observe and monitor the different trends in migrating raptors.

Hawk watchers have recorded eighteen different species of raptors at the location so far, with counts ranging from 2,000-4,000 migrating raptors each season. If you enjoy seeing Merlins but don’t know where to find them, this location is known for its relatively large quantity of Merlins (up to 100 each year).

The Bonney Butte site offers visitors a chance to learn more about the raptors’ conservation needs via on-site environmental education by an on-site educator. Also, it holds a free annual festival: a family-friendly event in Government Camp that offers vendor booths and activities and trips to the Bonney Butte location to learn more about different hawk species as they migrate to winter territories.

So, make sure not to miss out on any of the fun!

Directions: Take Highway 35 east for 4.5 miles from Oregon Highway 26. You’ll find a sign for East Snow Park shortly after crossing the White River. Go south on Forest Road 48, which is paved. After about 7 miles, turn left onto Forest Road 4890 (also paved), which will be clearly marked.

Move to the left onto Forest Road 4891 (unpaved) after 3.75 miles, and follow the signs to Bonney Butte Campground. The road is rough and requires a 4-wheel-drive vehicle with high clearance. Keep moving for another 4 miles to the campground and past the entrance. Take the next spur road to the left.

If the location is gated, you’ll need to park your car and hike to the top of Bonney Butte for about 1/4 mile.

Learn more at the Bonney Butte HawkWatch website.

Related post: The Best Birdwatching Places in Oregon

Green Ridge

Dates: Sep 23- Oct 22
Address: Black Butte School District 041, OR, USA
Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, merlin

The Green Ridge is forested for the most part, but there are some small meadows and rock outcroppings and some harvest units. The main hawk-watching location is at the lookout on the central west slope of the ridge, just below the ridge.

Portland Audubon has classified Green Ridge as an Important Bird Area. The views won’t fail to impress you, whether you come up for a couple of hours or spend the day there.

Directions: Take Highway 20 west of Sisters six miles to the Forest Rd. (FR) 11 Jct. To reach the end of the pavement, continue north on FR 11 for ten miles. Turn left at the end of the pavement onto FR 1150 for 7 miles. To get to Green Ridge Lookout, follow the signs.

Move to the left on FR 1154 and keep an eye out for the lookout sign. Continue driving one mile until the FR 1140 junction while keeping an eye out for the sign. Take FR 1140 for about 1/4 mile to the 600 road Jct. For approximately one mile, turn right onto 600 RD. On the right, in an old clear-cut, there will be a parking area designated with a blue ribbon (you’ve gone too far if you get to the top of the ridge).

The 1/4 mile trail to the location is marked with a blue ribbon and heads north. You’ll know you’ve arrived when the ribbon stops.

Chelan Ridge HawkWatch

Dates: Aug 23- Oct 27
Address: Pateros, WA, USA
Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, northern goshawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon, Swainson’s hawk

The Chelan Ridge HawkWatch in north-central Washington is a year-round project dedicated to tracking long-term raptor population trends along the north Cascades migratory flyway. Watchers have observed 17 species of migrating raptors ranging from 1,600-2,000 each season. The most regularly sighted species are sharp-shinned hawks, cooper’s hawks, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, American kestrels, and golden eagles.

Visitors are welcome there to learn more about raptor migration trends and ecology.

Directions: About 6.8 miles northwest of Pateros, take Washington State Road 153, then Black Canyon Road west/southwest until the end, then Cooper Mountain Road southeast for another 3.3 miles. Search for the project yurt and an informational sign. From there, flagging outlines the trail to the hawk watch, which is about a half-mile away.

Learn more at the Chelan Ridge HawkWatch website.

Metchosin Mountain

Spring dates: Mar 1- May 31
Fall dates: Aug 15- Oct 31
Address: Metchosin, BC, Canada
Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, bald eagle, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, golden eagle

The hawk watch is located on private property at a height of 250 feet. The bluff is located on Metchosin Mountain’s west side and offers stunning views of Mount Helmcken, Single Hill, and Centre Mountain.

Parksville – Little Mountain

Spring dates: Feb 4- May 10
Fall dates: Sep 10- Oct 30
Address: Errington, BC, Canada
Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, bald eagle, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk

All of the counts are done from the top of the south-facing escarpment. The views to the south, east, and west are spectacular. But the view to the north is largely covered by trees. The majority of raptors migrate WNW in the spring, while the majority of raptors migrate ESE in the fall.

Directions: Take Highway 19 to Parksville, British Columbia. Take Highway 4a towards Coombs, BC, from Exit 51 (Parksville-Coombs). After approximately 800 meters, make a left on Bellevue Road. Turn left into Little Mountain Rd after about 500 meters. Follow Little Mountain Road for approximately 1100 meters and park in the radio towers’ parking area.

Go to the open escarpment. The east end of the escarpment is where spring count is conducted. And the west end of the escarpment is where fall surveys are conducted.

Rocky Point Bird Observatory

Spring dates: Apr 1- Jun 15
Fall dates: Jul 1- Nov 30
Address: 1581-H Hillside Ave Suite 170, Victoria, BC V8T 2C1, Canada
Birds you’ll see: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, merlin, peregrine falcon

Rocky Point Bird Observatory (RPBO), based in Victoria, British Columbia, is a member of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network (CMMN). The majority of CMMN members are non-profits that rely on many dedicated volunteers (which you can be one of).

RPBO is home to a large number of raptors, songbirds, and seabirds during migration season. A total of 303 species have been identified at the location. Each year, almost 3000 birds from 55-64 species are banded at the site. The major banding season there is from mid-July through the end of October.

Directions: The location is at the southern end of Vancouver Island, in rural Metchosin, a 45-minute drive southwest of Victoria and facing Juan de Fuca strait,

Learn more at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory website.

And if you’re still up for more bird sighting, check out other visit-worthy hawk-watching sites in Ontario and Texas.

FAQs about Hawk Migration to Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia

What types of hawks can I see in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia?

There are 14 different hawk species that Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia are known for: Turkey vulture, osprey, bald eagle, Northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, rough-legged hawk, cooper’s hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, American kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine falcon, Swainson’s hawk.

Conclusions- Where to watch hawk migration in Oregon, WA, and BC

Watching migrating hawks in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia is an amazing experience. Seeing these raptors soaring above the rugged mountains is a special event in the spring or fall.