Every autumn, the raptors flee the cold Canadian wilderness and soar southward, kept aloft by columns of heat that rise from the Earth and updrafts bouncing off the Appalachian Mountains. Conservationists believe these birds of prey are thriving because the air, water and land are cleaner than 50 years ago, when pollution and pesticides were destroying raptor populations. You have different kinds of raptors doing well, which to me suggests it's a widespread phenomenon and a healthier environment. That count was the ninth highest in the sanctuary's 64-year history.
Raptors migrate from as far north as Greenland to as far south as Argentina.
To a large extent, many of our migrants are solar-powered birds. Bald Eagle National Audubon Society researchers also believe an emphasis on conserving habitats and preserving land has contributed to higher counts, said Cindy Dunn, executive director of the society's state office. The disappearance of the pesticide DDT, which had a disastrous affect on the bald eagles' reproductive process before it was banned nearly three decades ago, is believed to be one reason for the increased populations of that species. The 2,400-acre Hawk Mountain was founded by conservationist Rosalie Edge to stop the indiscriminate killing of migrating hawks and eagles along the eastern edge of the Appalachian range. Thousands of birds were killed in the late 1920s and early 1930s.