Tubac Nature Center's Hawk Watch
Join the Tubac Nature Center every day in March to witness hundreds of Common Black Hawks soaring above Tubac. The HawkWatch Festival runs March 13–17, 2026, featuring bird walks, exhibits, family activities, and more. Free and open to all.
Time & Location
Mar 01, 2026, 8:30 AM – Mar 31, 2026, 5:30 PM
Ron Morriss Park, 31 Calle Iglesia, Tubac, AZ 85646
About the Event
HawkWatch at Ron Morriss Park
Presented by the Tubac Nature Center
Dates: Daily throughout March
Festival Dates: March 13–17, 2026
Location: Ron Morriss Park, Tubac, AZ
Admission: Free and open to all
About the Event: Tubac HawkWatch began in 2012 when a discovery was made that Common Black Hawks migrate over Tubac on their way to their breeding grounds. The birds often stop to roost in the cottonwood trees along the Santa Cruz River. The Common Black Hawk is a special bird in the United States, with about 500 of them soaring above during the month and this is the only known location to see this phenomenon.
Spectators from all over the country visit Tubac to view this migration spectacle. Nine-o’clock to noon is the best time to watch Common Black Hawks lift off from the river corridor, and again in the late afternoon when they fly down for the evening. There are also many other species of hawks aloft over the park and 240 bird species have been tallied migrating through this watershed oasis.
HawkWatch Festival, hosted by Tubac Nature Center - March 13–17, 2026
Nature walks and children’s activities
Local non-profit groups such as Friends of the Santa Cruz River, Tucson Bird Alliance, and Tumacácori National Historical Park gathering to watch the skies during this peak migration time
Official hawkwatch spotters from HawkWatch International on site to point out hawks and introduce their live raptor ambassadors
Friendly volunteer staff from the Tubac Nature Center available for help and expertise
World-renowned optic companies like Kowa and Vortex displaying their wares for use or purchase
Raffles and merchandise available throughout the event
Interesting speakers giving presentations at the Tubac Community Center and in the park
Free morning bird watching tours on the adjacent Anza Trail, departing daily from Ron Morriss Park
Bring a chair, binoculars, sunscreen, water and your love of the outdoors. Stick around to watch bird migration and learn why Tubac’s own riparian corridor is a highway for hawks and other migrating birds. Bring lunch or head into Tubac for a lunch break.
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