Birding Directory

CoastalWetlandForestFallSpring

Cape May

Premier Atlantic Flyway migration hotspot with legendary fall raptor flights.

Warblers in the Ramble area of Central Park during spring migration

New York

Urban ParkForestSpringFall

Central Park

Manhattan's surprising migrant trap with 280+ species in the heart of NYC.

Shorebirds feeding along the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

New York

WetlandMarshCoastalSpringFall

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

NYC's premier shorebird and waterfowl refuge with 330+ species recorded.

Rocky coastline at Acadia National Park with spruce forest

Maine

ForestCoastalMountainSpringSummer

Acadia National Park

Coastal Maine park with boreal breeding birds and pelagic species.

Spring warblers in flowering trees at Mount Auburn Cemetery

Massachusetts

Mount Auburn Cemetery

Historic Cambridge cemetery renowned as a spring warbler migrant trap.

Urban ParkForestSpring

Snow Geese flocking over Montezuma wetlands at sunset

New York

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

Finger Lakes wetland refuge with massive waterfowl concentrations during migration.

WetlandMarshSpringFall

Salt marsh and dunes at Parker River NWR on Plum Island

Massachusetts

CoastalMarshWetlandSpringWinter

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Massachusetts barrier beach refuge vital for shorebirds and Piping Plovers.

Tidal salt marsh and waterfowl at Bombay Hook NWR

Delaware

MarshWetlandCoastalFallSpring

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Delaware Bay salt marsh refuge with spectacular shorebird and waterfowl migrations.

Roseate Spoonbills wading in the Everglades at sunset

Florida

WetlandMarshCoastalWinterSpring

Everglades National Park

Vast subtropical wilderness with incredible wading bird concentrations and tropical species.

Fort Jefferson surrounded by turquoise waters at Dry Tortugas

Florida

Dry Tortugas National Park

Remote island migrant trap with the only continental US Sooty Tern colony.

CoastalTropicalSpring

Roseate Spoonbills feeding in mangrove shallows at Ding Darling

Florida

CoastalWetlandMarshWinter

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Sanibel Island mangrove refuge with spectacular wading bird viewing from Wildlife Drive.

Wading birds along Black Point Wildlife Drive at Merritt Island

Florida

WetlandMarshCoastalWinter

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Space Coast refuge with massive winter waterfowl concentrations and diverse habitats.

Misty mountain ridges in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Tennessee

ForestMountainSpringSummer

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Elevation-diverse Appalachian park with northern breeding species and rich warbler variety.

Waterfowl on impoundments at Pea Island NWR on the Outer Banks

North Carolina

CoastalMarshWetlandWinterFall

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Outer Banks refuge famous for wintering waterfowl and migrant shorebirds.

Cypress swamp and still waters at Okefenokee NWR

Georgia

WetlandForestMarshWinterSpring

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Vast Georgia blackwater swamp with Sandhill Cranes and wilderness canoeing.

Boardwalk through ancient bald cypress swamp at Francis Beidler Forest

South Carolina

WetlandForestSpringSummer

Francis Beidler Forest

World's largest virgin bald cypress swamp with elevated boardwalk access.

Warblers on the famous boardwalk at Magee Marsh in spring

Ohio

Magee Marsh Wildlife Area

The warbler capital of North America with legendary boardwalk birding on Lake Erie.

WetlandForestMarshSpring

The Magic Hedge at Montrose Point with Lake Michigan in background

Illinois

Urban ParkCoastalSpringFall

Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary

Chicago's top birding spot where the Magic Hedge traps migrating songbirds.

Shorebirds on mudflats at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area

Kansas

WetlandMarshGrasslandSpringFall

Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area

Largest US inland marsh and critical Central Flyway shorebird stopover.

Canada Geese filling the sky over Horicon Marsh in fall

Wisconsin

Horicon Marsh

Largest US cattail marsh with massive fall goose concentrations and breeding marsh birds.

WetlandMarshFallSummer

Great Gray Owl perched in snowy spruce forest at Sax-Zim Bog

Minnesota

Sax-Zim Bog

Premier winter destination for boreal owl species in Minnesota's vast peatlands.

ForestWetlandWinter

Sandhill Cranes over salt marsh wetlands at Quivira NWR

Kansas

WetlandMarshGrasslandSpringFall

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

Unique inland salt marshes with nesting Snowy Plovers and migrating Sandhill Cranes.

Indiana

CoastalForestWetlandSpringFall

Indiana Dunes National Park

Lake Michigan dunes park with 350+ species across diverse coastal habitats.

Whitefish Point lighthouse with Lake Superior shoreline

Michigan

Whitefish Point Bird Observatory

Lake Superior peninsula and premier Great Lakes raptor migration corridor.

ForestCoastalSpring

Lush riparian corridor in Madera Canyon with oak and sycamore trees

Arizona

ForestMountainDesertSpringSummer

Madera Canyon

Santa Rita Mountains canyon famous for Elegant Trogons and diverse hummingbirds.

Rhyolite cliffs and sycamore-lined creek in Cave Creek Canyon

Arizona

ForestMountainDesertSpringSummer

Cave Creek Canyon

Chiricahua Mountains canyon and top US site for rare Mexican mountain species.

Sandhill Cranes lifting off at dawn at Bosque del Apache

New Mexico

WetlandDesertGrasslandWinter

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Rio Grande refuge renowned for spectacular Sandhill Crane and Snow Goose flyouts.

Hummingbird at feeder at Ramsey Canyon Preserve

Arizona

Ramsey Canyon Preserve

The Hummingbird Capital of the US with up to 15 species in the Huachuca Mountains.

ForestMountainSummer

Pelicans and shorebirds along the Salton Sea shoreline

California

WetlandDesertCoastalWinterSpring

Salton Sea

Desert oasis lake critical for Pacific Flyway shorebirds despite environmental challenges.

Saguaro cacti silhouetted against a desert sunset

Arizona

DesertMountainWinterSpring

Saguaro National Park

Iconic Sonoran Desert park with saguaro-nesting specialists and desert bird diversity.

Cottonwood-lined San Pedro River flowing through desert landscape

Arizona

WetlandDesertForestSpringSummer

San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area

Vital Southwest riparian corridor along an undammed river with 350+ bird species.

Colorful warblers in oak trees at High Island during spring fallout

Texas

High Island

Legendary Texas coast migrant trap where trans-Gulf birds make landfall during spring fallouts.

ForestCoastalSpring

Green Jay perched in subtropical thorn forest at Santa Ana NWR

Texas

ForestTropicalWetlandWinterSpring

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge

Subtropical Rio Grande Valley forest with rare Mexican species found nowhere else in the US.

Chisos Mountains rising above the Chihuahuan Desert at Big Bend

Texas

DesertMountainForestSpring

Big Bend National Park

Remote Chihuahuan Desert park with the only US breeding population of Colima Warbler.

Reddish Egret dancing in the shallows at South Padre Island

Texas

South Padre Island

Barrier island hotspot with outstanding shorebirds, waterbirds, and spring migrants.

CoastalWetlandSpringFall

Shallow lake with wading birds at Estero Llano Grande State Park

Texas

WetlandForestTropicalWinterSpring

Estero Llano Grande State Park

World Birding Center site with accessible trails through diverse Rio Grande Valley habitats.

Hill Country canyon with juniper-oak woodland at Balcones Canyonlands

Texas

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

Hill Country refuge protecting endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo.

ForestGrasslandSpring

Dramatic coastal cliffs at Point Reyes National Seashore

California

CoastalGrasslandForestFallWinter

Point Reyes National Seashore

Pacific Coast peninsula with 490+ species and a magnet for rare vagrants.

Vast marshes with Steens Mountain backdrop at Malheur NWR

Oregon

WetlandMarshDesertSpringSummer

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

Remote Oregon high desert marshes with outstanding breeding waterbirds and 320+ species.

Tufa towers rising from Mono Lake with Sierra Nevada backdrop

California

Mono Lake

Ancient saline lake with millions of migratory birds and surreal tufa towers.

WetlandDesertSummerFall

Tidal wetlands and mudflats at Elkhorn Slough with shorebirds

California

WetlandCoastalMarshWinterSpring

Elkhorn Slough

Major California coastal wetland on Monterey Bay with 340+ bird species.

Bald Eagles gathered along the Klamath Basin in winter

Oregon

WetlandMarshGrasslandWinterFall

Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges

Largest lower-48 Bald Eagle wintering concentration with millions of migrating waterfowl.

Moss-draped temperate rainforest in Olympic National Park

Washington

ForestCoastalMountainSpringSummer

Olympic National Park

Rainforest-to-coast park with Marbled Murrelets, seabirds, and alpine species.

Snow Geese in flight over Skagit Valley farmlands

Washington

GrasslandWetlandCoastalWinter

Skagit Valley

Northwest Washington valley with exceptional wintering raptors, swans, and Snow Geese.

Teton Range reflected in a mountain lake with sagebrush foreground

Wyoming

MountainGrasslandForestSpringSummer

Grand Teton National Park

Stunning Teton Range setting with sage-steppe and mountain forest bird communities.

Alpine meadows and glacial peaks in Glacier National Park

Montana

Glacier National Park

Continental Divide park with alpine ptarmigan, Harlequin Ducks, and boreal forest species.

MountainForestSummer

Alpine tundra and mountain peaks at Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado

MountainForestSummerSpring

Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado alpine park with accessible tundra birding and elevation-diverse habitats.

Avocets and phalaropes on mudflats at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Utah

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Great Salt Lake marshes and critical Western Hemisphere shorebird staging area.

WetlandMarshSpringFall

Trumpeter Swans on a river with geysers steaming in Yellowstone

Wyoming

ForestGrasslandMountainSummerSpring

Yellowstone National Park

Iconic wilderness park with 300+ species across geothermal and mountain habitats.

Colorado

Pawnee National Grassland

Colorado shortgrass prairie with grassland specialists and nesting raptors at Pawnee Buttes.

GrasslandSpringSummer

Arctic tundra landscape near Nome with Bering Sea in background

Alaska

Nome

Accessible Arctic birding with breeding tundra species and rare Asian vagrants.

TundraCoastalSummer

Puffins nesting on sea cliffs with tidewater glacier in background

Alaska

Kenai Fjords National Park

Tidewater glaciers and rich seabird colonies along Alaska's southern coast.

CoastalMountainSummer

Seabird colonies on volcanic cliffs of the Pribilof Islands

Alaska

Pribilof Islands

Remote Bering Sea islands with massive seabird colonies and unmatched Asian vagrants.

CoastalTundraSummer

Native ohia-koa rainforest canopy at Hakalau Forest NWR

Hawaii

ForestTropicalSpringSummer

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge

Best site for endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers in pristine native rainforest.

Dense native cloud forest on the slopes of Haleakala at Waikamoi Preserve

Hawaii

ForestTropicalMountainSpring

Waikamoi Preserve

Maui cloud forest preserve and last refuge for critically endangered Maui forest birds.

Dauphin Island shoreline with coastal vegetation

Alabama

CoastalForestWetlandSpringFall

Dauphin Island

Gulf Coast migration hotspot famous for spring fallout events and trans-Gulf migrants.

Wetland landscape with waterfowl at Holla Bend refuge

Arkansas

WetlandGrasslandForestWinterSpring

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge

Arkansas River refuge with wintering eagles, waterfowl, and summer grassland birds.

Coastal shoreline with salt marsh habitat at Hammonasset Beach

Connecticut

CoastalWetlandForestSpringFall

Hammonasset Beach State Park

Connecticut's top birding spot with 300+ species along Long Island Sound.

Mountain meadow along the Snake River at Harriman State Park

Idaho

WetlandForestMountainSummerWinter

Harriman State Park

Idaho mountain park with Trumpeter Swans, Great Gray Owls, and Sandhill Cranes.

Wetlands and forest along the Missouri River at DeSoto NWR

Iowa

WetlandForestGrasslandFallSpring

DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge

Missouri River refuge with spectacular fall Snow Goose migration and year-round birding.

Forest and lake landscape at Land Between the Lakes

Kentucky

ForestWetlandGrasslandSpringWinter

Land Between the Lakes

Kentucky's inland peninsula with wintering Bald Eagles and breeding forest birds.

Gulf Coast marsh and wetland habitat at Cameron Prairie

Louisiana

WetlandMarshGrasslandWinterSpring

Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge

Gulf Coast prairie and marsh refuge with massive waterfowl concentrations and wading birds.

Tidal marsh with eagles at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Maryland

WetlandMarshForestFallWinter

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Maryland's premier birding refuge with nesting Bald Eagles and vast tidal marshes.

Pine and hardwood forest habitat at Noxubee refuge

Mississippi

ForestWetlandGrasslandSpringSummer

Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge

Mississippi's premier birding refuge and Red-cockaded Woodpecker stronghold.

Wetland pools with migrating waterfowl at Loess Bluffs

Missouri

WetlandMarshGrasslandFallSpring

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Missouri River refuge with epic Snow Goose migrations and diverse wetland birds.

Sandhill Cranes along the Platte River at dawn

Nebraska

Rowe Sanctuary — Platte River

Home to the world's largest Sandhill Crane gathering — 500,000+ each spring on the Platte River.

WetlandGrasslandSpring

Desert wetland landscape at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

Nevada

WetlandDesertMarshSpringFall

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

Great Basin wetland oasis with Pacific Flyway shorebirds and desert species in Nevada.

Boreal forest and wetland at Pondicherry refuge

New Hampshire

WetlandForestSpringSummer

Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge

New England boreal habitat with rare northern species at the edge of their southern range.

Prairie grassland and wetland at J. Clark Salyer refuge

North Dakota

WetlandGrasslandMarshSpringSummer

J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge

North Dakota's largest refuge with rare grassland species and prairie pothole breeding birds.

Salt flats and prairie at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge

Oklahoma

WetlandGrasslandDesertSpringFall

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge

Oklahoma salt flats and prairie refuge with nesting terns, plovers, and migrating Whooping Cranes.

Mountain ridge lookout at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Pennsylvania

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

World's first raptor refuge with legendary fall hawk migration along the Appalachian Ridge.

ForestMountainFall

Rocky coastline at Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge

Rhode Island

CoastalGrasslandWinterFall

Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge

Rhode Island's coastal refuge with wintering Harlequin Ducks and diverse seabirds.

Prairie grassland and wetlands at Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge

South Dakota

WetlandGrasslandMarshSpringSummer

Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge

South Dakota refuge with restored Trumpeter Swans, prairie grouse leks, and grassland birds.

Wetland and agricultural fields at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area

Vermont

WetlandGrasslandForestFallSpring

Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area

Vermont's top birding spot with fall Snow Goose staging and breeding grassland species.

Beach and marsh habitat at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Virginia

CoastalWetlandForestSpringFall

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Virginia's iconic barrier island refuge with 320+ species, wild ponies, and Atlantic Flyway migrants.

Forested Appalachian gorge at New River Gorge National Park

West Virginia

ForestMountainSpringSummer

New River Gorge National Park

Appalachian gorge with exceptional warbler diversity and breeding neo-tropical migrants.

Carolinian forest at Point Pelee National Park during spring migration

Ontario

ForestWetlandCoastalSpringFall

Point Pelee National Park

Canada's premier migration hotspot with 390+ species on a Lake Erie peninsula.

Marsh and wetland at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in the Fraser River Delta

British Columbia

WetlandMarshCoastalWinterFall

George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Fraser River Delta sanctuary near Vancouver with 300+ species and massive winter Snow Goose flocks.

Prairie wetland at Beaverhill Lake shorebird staging area

Alberta

WetlandGrasslandSpringSummer

Beaverhill Lake

Alberta's premier shorebird staging area and bird observatory on the western prairies.

Prairie and lake landscape at Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area

Saskatchewan

WetlandGrasslandSpringFall

Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area

North America's first bird sanctuary (1887) with massive crane staging and rare prairie species.

Manitoba

TundraCoastalWetlandSummer

Churchill

Remote subarctic destination with rare Arctic species including Ross's Gull and tundra specialties.

Sea cliffs and seabird colony at Bonaventure Island

Quebec

Bonaventure Island

World-class Northern Gannet colony with 110,000+ birds on dramatic Gulf of St. Lawrence sea cliffs.

CoastalForestSummer

Coastal cliffs and forest on Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy

New Brunswick

CoastalForestWetlandSummerFall

Grand Manan Island

Bay of Fundy island with seabird colonies, breeding raptors, and productive fall migration.

Coastal landscape and seabird habitat on Brier Island

Nova Scotia

CoastalForestWetlandFallSummer

Brier Island

Nova Scotia's top birding island with fall phalarope flocks, pelagic seabirds, and migration staging.

Sea cliffs and seabird colony at Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve

Newfoundland and Labrador

Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve

Newfoundland's most accessible seabird colony with 24,000+ gannets on dramatic sea cliffs.

CoastalSummer

Red sand beach and dunes at PEI National Park

Prince Edward Island