The St. Thomas Field Naturalist Club has released its 2025 annual newsletter showing that the number of hawks and other birds of prey at Hawk Cliff in St. Thomas, Ontario, has dropped significantly over the last 20 years.
Data analyzed by Catherine Manschot shows that the number of birds caught and banded fell from 1.1 to 0.5 per hour during that time. The 2025 records also show that no Rough-legged Hawks were banded at the station during the season.
While overall numbers have decreased, the station successfully banded 50 American Kestrels as part of its nest box program in 2025. This total included an even split of 25 male and 25 female birds.
Coordinator Cyril Crocker noted that a dedicated website, hawkcliffbanding.ca, was recently highlighted to host historical records and newsletters dating back to 1970. This digital library provides residents with access to over 50 years of bird migration data and research.
