Walk for Hawks

Thank you for a successful event!

The results are in! 85 Challengers joined The Raptor Trust and completed their very own personal migration distance— whether it was walking, running, hiking, or biking — during the week of Oct. 7-15 in our fourth annual Walk for Hawks migration season challenge. 

The stats are in! 85 Challengers traveled a combined 2,931 miles! 

We beat our $10,000 goal and raised $11,757 to help migrating birds! 

Congratulations to the winners! 

  • Bike: Barbara McKee (265.5) and Rick McKee (265.5)
  • Walk/Run/Hike: Deirdre Newman (108), Matthew Ritter (93.3), and Jack Stewart (49.5)

And to the runners-up! 

  • Bike: Courtney Hirschey (80.3) and Jason Hershfeld (246)
  • Walk/Run/Hike: Megan Lucignani (106.1), Matthew Karp (60.9), and Nolan Stewart (38.3)

And a special thank-you to Courtney Hirschey and Kris Ohleth, who raised the most for Walks for Hawks on their personal fundraiser: $1,175!

Thank you to all who joined! 

Migratory birds are known for their incredible ability to cover great distances in the wild. Migration Season, however, can be life-threatening for them.

From now through spring, our medical staff treats the most severe injuries we see all year. To support the recovery of our feathered friends, register for Walk for Hawks and complete a walking, running, or hiking self-challenge during the week of October 7-15.  

The winners’ package will be awarded to the top challengers who complete the most mileage during the week of Oct. 7-15. These top finishers will be asked to provide proof of mileage from popular logging applications like Strava, MapMyRun, RunKeeper, Apple, or Fitbit. A race representative will reach out to you after the close of the event on October 15. 

Daily giveaways during WFH week will be returning this year! All who register will be placed in the drawing and winners will be chosen at random.  

Did you know that you can do even more for these magnificent birds by raising funds for your migration? Peer-to-peer fundraising is a powerful way to spread the word about your personal journey and inspire others to support your cause. As a special thank-you, we’ll send a TRT Swag Bag to all WFH registrants who send us the link to their personal fundraiser. If your page raises the most, you’ll also get a special gift! 

You can create your own fundraising page on Facebook, PayPal, or whichever platform you prefer. After it’s set up, email the link to cconner@theraptortrust.org to receive your TRT Swag Bag! Please reach out if you would like help setting up a personal fundraiser. 

A graphic showing images of each day's prizes: descriptions in page content
  • Saturday, 10/7: A TRT est. 1982 Pint Glass with a set of Sonny the Owl wooden coasters 
  • Sunday, 10/8: a $25 gift card from event sponsor taim with a set of owl playing cards
  • Monday, 10/9: a Sibley Owl folding guide and a family pass to the Morris Museum
  • Tuesday, 10/10: a copy of the book Hawks at a Distance by Jerry Liguori
  • Wednesday, 10/11: a TRT magnet and a wooden TRT ornament 
  • Thursday, 10/12: a Peregrine Falcon embroidered field bag
  • Friday, 10/13: a TRT long-sleeved tee with a golden eagle on the front
  • Saturday, 10/14: a Sibley Raptor folding guide and a family pass to the Morris Museum
  • Sunday, 10/15: a TRT long-sleeved tee with a bald eagle on the back

Migration Inspiration

Arctic Tern

These birds have the longest migration on earth- 55,923 miles from pole to pole! They can live up to 30 years, so in their lifetime they can travel the distance to the moon and back three times!

Great Snipe

This bird is the fastest migrant- a Great Snipe reaches speeds of up to 60 mph over migration of 4,225 miles! It doesn't take any breaks and can lose up to half its body weight in one migration season.

Peregrine Falcon

While most raptors are short-distance migrants, Peregrine Falcons that nest in the arctic tundra winter in South America-- that means they can migrate up to 15,500 miles in a year!

Sooty Shearwater

This spectacular, stout bird journeys 40,000 miles from islands in the southern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to subarctic waters!

Broad-winged Hawk

Broad-winged Hawks can travel over 4,350 miles (one way)! They can fly in huge flocks of thousands of birds, called a kettle.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

These short-distance migrants travel 500 miles straight across the Gulf of Mexico.

Whatever “migration” goal you set for yourself makes a difference. All proceeds from this event will go towards helping birds admitted to TRT with migration-related injuries. Your registration fee will help provide:
  • antibiotics to cure infections from open wounds
  • splinting and other medical supplies for healing broken bones
  • chelation therapy for lead poisoning from contaminated food sources
  • food for patients’ several months’ stay at The Raptor Trust

Make a difference, whatever the distance.

Sponsors

The Raptor Trust thanks our Walk for Hawks Migration Challenge Sponsor! 

taim mediterranean kitchen logo

Sign up to become a sponsor! Challenge sponsors have the opportunity to gain significant exposure through TRT’s extensive community. For as little as $250, your company logo will be placed on our website and social media. If your company is interested in sponsoring at the $1,000 level or higher, your employees will be invited to participate in the challenge free of charge and receive a private tour. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact cconner@theraptortrust.org for more information.

Late to the party? Registration will remain open through October 15th. You can backlog your mileage or challenge yourself to complete your personal challenge in a shorter time period.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Christina Conner at cconner@theraptortrust.org.