Hawk Hill (California) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hawk Hill
Hawk Hill Location in California Show map of California Hawk Hill Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Highest point
Elevation	923 ft (281 m) NAVD 88
Prominence	320 ft (98 m)
Geography
Location	Marin County, California, U.S.
Topo map	USGS San Francisco North

Hawk Hill is a cool peak that's about 923-foot (281 m) tall. It's located in the Marin Headlands, just north of the famous Golden Gate Bridge in California. This special hill is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, a big park where nature is protected.

Hawk Hill is super important for birds of prey, also known as raptors. Every autumn, from August to December, thousands of hawks, eagles, falcons, and other amazing birds fly past this spot. It's like a giant bird highway!

These birds are migrating, which means they are traveling long distances to find warmer places or more food. Marin County, where Hawk Hill is, has a unique shape that funnels these birds towards the headlands. Birds of prey usually avoid flying over large bodies of water. This is because they don't get the warm air currents (called thermals) that help them soar.

At Hawk Hill, strong winds from the ocean hit the hills. This creates both cool air currents (updrafts) and warm air currents (thermals) on sunny days. These air currents help the birds fly without using too much energy. Plus, there are lots of small animals in the park for them to eat. This is a great snack stop on their long journey!

Counting the Raptors

Did you know that volunteers actually count these birds? The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory has a team of volunteers. They count and track the birds during their fall migration. They use special methods like bird-banding and radio-tracking.

This important work is done together with the National Park Service. It helps scientists learn more about these incredible birds. It also helps them understand how to protect them.

The table below shows how many different types of raptors are seen at Hawk Hill each year. This is an average from 2001 to 2009.