Rare hawk sighting in Duluth thrills Minnesota birders

DULUTH – The birding community is atwitter over the banding of a Minnesota-rare Swainson’s hawk at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory here late last week, blown in by blustery northwest winds.

The raptors that soar all the way to Argentina for the winter — their long, pointed wings helping them catch insects in flight — typically live in grassy areas in western North America. Minnesota lies on the very edge of their range, and it was only the third such hawk banded at the observatory in the last decade.

“Every single bird that we band and get to study is really exciting, but it’s extra exciting when it’s something a little rare,” said Emily Pavlovic, the observatory’s research director.

Another Swainson’s hawk flew over the observatory around the same time but did not stop.

In September and October, naturalists converge daily on the popular migratory bird-counting site overlooking Lake Superior, where they temporarily catch raptors and songbirds to attach numbered bands to them. On Wednesday alone, more than 60 species were counted, according to data.

Banders have permits to attract the attention of migrating raptors with lures that resemble injured birds. The raptors are captured in nets and quickly measured, banded and released.

A Facebook post sharing the Swainson’s news garnered more than a thousand reactions over the weekend, with dozens commenting on the novelty.