Hawk Mountain - Fall 2021
Considering I have never been to Hawk Mountain I decided to learn more about it before my trip - What a story it has!
Joining me on this adventure is my friend Judy Wink of the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center. Hawk Mountain is Judy’s “old stomping ground”. The first caretaker of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary was Maurice Broun. He was curator from 1934 to 1966. Maurice was Judy’s mentor and close friend in her early days studying to become an ornithologist. Also joining me is my friend Dolores. Dolores and I work with the kestrels at CBEC.
Consider becoming a member of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and support the raptors.
Brief History of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Hawk Mountain is located in central-eastern Pennsylvania and is part of the Appalachians. In the early days hunters would come to Hawk Mountain to shoot raptors. In 1929 the Pennsylvania Game Commission actually paid hunters $5 for every goshawk they shot between November and May. Raptors were seen as a menace. This practice drew the attention of a man by the name of Richard Pough, an amateur ornithologist. During a visit to Hawk Mountain he gathered, lined up and photographed the dead raptors he had found. His photographs were later seen by Rosalie Barrow Edge (she sounds like a fascinating women, I must learn more about her), a New York conservation activist. In 1933 Rosalie leased, with a an option to buy 1,398 acres of mountaintop and forest land. With this she founded Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the first Sanctuary in the world protecting birds of prey.
As mentioned above, ornithologist Maurice Broun was hired in 1934 by Rosalie to be the first caretaker of Hawk Mountain. Maurice and his wife Irma worked together as a team to protect Rosalie’s mission of the Sanctuary. They stayed on until their retirement in 1966.
Because of the efforts of these conservationists and the many others since those early years Hawk Mountain has become a leader in wildlife conservation. It is among the most popular birding hotspots in the world. Their mission:
“The mission of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association is to conserve birds of prey worldwide by providing leadership in raptor conservation science and education, and by maintaining Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a model observation, research and education facility.”
Did you know?
The Broun’s and the Sanctuary influenced the enactment of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1972. The treaties between the United States, Canada and Mexico give federal protection to all raptors.
