Last updated on May 24th, 2022 at 11:11 am
New York contains wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, and shores and is home to diverse bird populations. There are many parks and refuges in the state where you can go to watch them.
Here are the 9 best places to go bird watching in New York:
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1. Adirondack Park
Adirondack Park is home to numerous important bird areas and bird watching events.
The best time to go is in the springtime, as many migratory birds visit the area for the nesting and breeding seasons.
The ecosystems in Adirondack Park range from grasslands to swamps and forests, and many species make their home here.
The most common birds here include the following:
- Flycatchers (Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied)
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Gray Jay
- Boreal Chickadee
- Warblers (Nashville, Mourning, and others)
- Lincoln’s Sparrow
- Purple Finch
You can also find rare species in Adirondack Park, like the Spruce Grouse and the Black-backed Woodpecker.
One of the best spots for birding within Adirondack Park is the Lake Champlain Birding Trail.
This trail is over 100 miles (160.94 km) long and filled with Eastern Bluebirds, Bobolinks, and Wood Thrushes.
Two major birding events take place in Adirondack Park, both in June: the Adirondack Birding Festival and the Great Adirondack Birding Celebration.
Both are educational events involving lectures, guided birding outings, and socialization.
2. Niagara Falls State Park
Niagara Falls State Park is a globally significant area for migrating gulls.
In November, over 100,000 gulls of 19 different species on the Niagara River live close to the falls, including Herring Gulls, Bonaparte’s Gulls, Iceland Gulls, and Ross’s Gulls.
One of the best places to view these gulls is along the Niagara Birding Trail.
You can also find numerous waterfowl at Niagara Falls State Park, including diving ducks in the fall and winter and herons in the spring and summer.
3. Tifft Nature Preserve
Tifft Nature Preserve is a former city landfill turned wetland preserve, transformed by Buffalo’s citizens and legislators in 1972.
The preserve is home to woodlands, fields, and a cattail marsh, attracting the following bird species:
- Wood Duck
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Least Bittern
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Osprey
- Virginia Rail
- Willow Flycatcher
- Marsh Wren
- Swamp Sparrow
- Baltimore Oriole
Tifft Nature Preserve offers workshops, classes, and conservation programs to engage the public in scientific research and habitat restoration.
4. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge provides a breeding ground for Bald Eagles, and researchers have located at least six active Bald Eagle nests in the refuge.
Additionally, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge serves tens of thousands of waterfowl during their migration, as well as herons, egrets, and shorebirds.
These include the following species:
- Snow Goose
- Canada Goose
- Tundra Swan
- Trumpeter Swan
- American Bittern
- Least Bittern
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Sandhill Crane
- Osprey
- Northern Harrier
- Virginia Rail
- Sora
- Common Gallinule
- Black Tern
- Bobolink
- Peregrine Falcon
5. Central Park
Central Park is an urban oasis for birders, home to over 280 species of birds in just 843 acres (341.15 ha).
The best time to go is in the spring and fall when migrating birds are passing through.
Sometimes, you’ll even see an entire flock of birds stopping to rest in the park on the way to their winter grounds.
The best places to watch birds within Central Park are the Ramble and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
The Ramble is just south of 79th St. and is full of birds in the mornings in May.
The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir is between 85th and 97th St. and is a popular place for watching waterfowl and wading birds.
The North Woods, between 101st and 110th St., is also a popular spot for birding in Central Park, as well as Hallett Nature Sanctuary on the east side of the park between 60th and 62nd St.
Next to Hallett Nature Sanctuary is the Pond, another good spot for birding found between 59th and 63rd St.
6. Derby Hill Bird Observatory
Derby Hill Bird Observatory is one of the best places to watch hawks in the Northeastern United States.
Each spring, an average of 40,000 raptors pass through the region, including hawks, eagles, and vultures.
In late April, Broad-winged Hawks can be seen en masse; up to 20,000 Broad-winged Hawks have been witnessed here within 24 hours.
In addition to hawks, this observatory is home to flycatchers, thrushes, vireos, warblers, blackbirds, and sparrows.
7. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge spans New York and New Jersey, containing more than 12,600 acres (5,099.04 ha) of freshwater ponds, salt marshes, fields, woodlands, and islands.
It’s part of the Gateway National Recreation Area.
The refuge is one of the largest bird habitats in the Northeastern United States, and many migratory birds frequent the area.
Altogether, more than 330 species of birds live in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. These include the following:
- Gadwall
- American Black Duck
- Least Bittern
- Tricolored Heron
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
- Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
- Clapper Rail
- American Oystercatcher
- Least Tern
- Black Skimmer
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Broad-billed Sandpiper
- Barn Owl
- Short-eared Owl
- Lapland Longspur
- Snow Bunting
- Peregrine Falcon
Note that walking the trails in Jamaica Bay requires a permit, which you can obtain at the visitor contact station on Cross Bay Boulevard.
8. Montauk Point State Park
Montauk Point State Park, found on the tip of Long Island, is a destination for large flocks of seabirds, which you can view from the historic lighthouse at Montauk Point.
The best time to visit these birds is during the winter, when you can expect to see the following:
- Brant
- Common Eider
- Long-tailed Duck
- Red-throated Loon
- Northern Gannet
- Great Cormorant
- Razorbill
Less common species that you might see here are:
- Harlequin Duck
- Red-necked Grebe
- Dovekie
- Common Murre
9. Bashakill Wildlife Management Area
The Bashakill Wildlife Management Area is the largest freshwater marsh in Southeastern New York, spanning over 3,000 acres (1214.06 ha) of marsh and oak forest.
The best time to go is during April and May when warblers and other songbirds are active in the area, or during the fall when waterfowl are migrating.
Species visible in the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area include:
- Bald Eagles
- Osprey
- Wood Duck
- American Bittern
- Least Bittern
- Virginia Rail
- Sora
- Common Gallinule
- American Woodcock
- Black-billed Cuckoo
- Barred Owl
- Flycatchers (Acadian, Alder, Willow, and Least)
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Warblers (Worm-eating, Golden-winged, Cerulean, and Chestnut-sided)