West Potomac Park - Tidal Basin
District of Columbia · Northeast
Easy
April-May, September-October
Free
Open 24 hours
About This Location
West Potomac Park - Tidal Basin is a productive birding destination in District of Columbia, with 205 species recorded on eBird. This estuary and urban park habitat attracts Canada Goose, Northern Shoveler, and Mallard among many others. Spring and fall migration bring waves of warblers and shorebirds through the area.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Cackling Goose
Branta hutchinsii
Iceland Gull
Larus glaucoides
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Sora
Porzana carolina
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegena
Sandhill Crane
Antigone canadensis
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis
Orange-crowned Warbler
Leiothlypis celata
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Canada Goose
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Ring-billed Gull
Carolina Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Tundra Swan
Double-crested Cormorant
Red-shouldered Hawk
House Finch
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Shoveler
Birding Tips
- 1
Time your visit around low tide for the best shorebird viewing.
- 2
Scan open mudflats and salt marsh edges for rails and herons.
- 3
Visit during mid-May for peak warbler migration.
- 4
Visit during spring migration (April-May) for the greatest species diversity
- 5
Fall migration (September-October) brings waves of southbound warblers and raptors
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Jefferson Memorial
- Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
More in District of Columbia
Theodore Roosevelt Island
88-acre island preserve in the Potomac with breeding Prothonotary Warblers in the heart of DC.
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
DC's unique lotus garden and tidal marsh with breeding Least Bitterns and rich spring migration.
C&O Canal - Fletcher's Cove (Fletcher's Boathouse)
Coastal birding hotspot in District of Columbia with 208 recorded species.