NPS - National Park Service
08/24/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/24/2026 12:17
Glacier National Park Invites Volunteers to 2026 Annual Hawk Watch Events
Date:
August 24, 2026
Once trained and registered for the program, volunteers will help participate in raptor migration counts at Lake McDonald Lodge.
After training, volunteers can assist with counts at Lake McDonald Lodge, or hike to an observation point and count migrating raptors below the Mount Brown Lookout. The hike to the Mount Brown Observation Point is about 9 miles (14.5 km) roundtrip) with an elevation gain of over 4,000 feet (1,220 m).
August 24, 2026
WEST GLACIER, Mont. - Glacier National Park will host volunteer training for its annual Hawk Watch Program on Sept. 21 and Hawk Watch Open House on Oct. 3.
Each year in the fall, golden eagles migrate from northern breeding grounds to warmer climates for the winter. One of the most important North American golden eagle migration routes passes directly through Glacier National Park. Large numbers of other raptors also use this migration corridor during the fall and spring months.
In the mid-1990s, biologists documented nearly 2,000 golden eagles migrating past Mount Brown annually. Recent data from outside Glacier National Park indicated significant declines in golden eagle numbers. Due to this concern, the park initiated a Raptor Migration Project in 2011 to investigate possible locations for a Hawk Watch site. In 2018, the park settled on Mount Brown and Lake McDonald sites due to consistent counts of migrating raptors and relative ease of access.
There are two events volunteers can sign up for. The Sept. 21 training will be an in-the-field training day for volunteers interested in participating in the Lake McDonald Lodge Hawk Watch during the end of September through October.
- When: Noon to 4 p.m.
- Where: Interpretive sign by Jammer Joe's parking lot
- Bring: Binoculars
Once trained and registered for the program, volunteers will help participate in raptor migration counts at Lake McDonald Lodge.
On Oct. 3, the park is hosting the Annual Mount Brown Hawk Watch Open House, which will feature live raptors from noon to 2 p.m. - providing a close-up of raptor species that migrate past Mount Brown. Park biologists will teach volunteers how to identify and count migrating raptors and answer questions about the integral role of raptors in our ecosystems and the risks they face. After, volunteers will participate in raptor monitoring from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Where: Interpretive sign by Jammer Joe's parking lot
- Bring: Binoculars
After training, volunteers can assist with counts at Lake McDonald Lodge, or hike to an observation point and count migrating raptors below the Mount Brown Lookout. The hike to the Mount Brown Observation Point is about 9 miles (14.5 km) roundtrip) with an elevation gain of over 4,000 feet (1,220 m).
Hawk Watch sites are part of an international effort to track long-term raptor population trends using systematic migrating raptor counts. To see a map of Hawk Watch sites around the world go to www.hawkcount.org.
For more information about event registration and the Mount Brown Hawk Watch program, contact park staff via email at [email protected] or call (406) 888-7986.
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