Birds of Prey

In the spring, most birds of prey migrate from south of the Appalachians to the north. Along the way, they run into an obstacle they have to cross: the Gulf of St. Lawrence. So, to get to their summer home, they fly along the estuary in an air corridor to a place where it’s narrow enough to cross the river. During their travels over long distances, the birds of prey take advantage of the almost constant updrafts along the cliffs, such as Les Murailles, to preserve their energy. In the park, to the great pleasure of observers, the birds fly though a relatively narrow corridor near the Raoul-Roy lookout. From late March till early June, several thousand of these birds of prey fly over the lookout, a must-see for birdwatchers and visitors. Bird watchers have the opportunity to observe some fifteen species every season, such as the Golden Eagle, the Northern Goshawk, the Osprey, the Red-tailed Hawk, the Rough-legged Hawk, the American Kestrel, the Sharp-shinned Hawk, the Peregrine Falcon and many others.