Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Massachusetts · Northeast
Easy
April-May, September-October
$5 per vehicle
Open daily, sunrise to sunset
About This Location
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is a productive birding destination in Massachusetts, with 362 species recorded on eBird. This river/riparian and wetland habitat attracts Canada Goose, American Black Duck, and American Herring Gull 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
Rusty Blackbird
Euphagus carolinus
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Thick-billed Murre
Uria lomvia
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
Pine Warbler
Setophaga pinus
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostra
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulus
Common Eider (Northern)
Somateria mollissima
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Winter Wren
Troglodytes hiemalis
Common Murre
Uria aalge
Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Canada Goose
American Black Duck
American Herring Gull
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
American Goldfinch
American Tree Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Birding Tips
- 1
Walk along the water slowly, scanning overhanging branches for kingfishers and warblers.
- 2
Check sandbars and gravel bars for shorebirds and terns.
- 3
Visit during mid-May for peak warbler migration.
- 4
Check the refuge website for seasonal auto tour route schedules and any temporary closures before visiting.
- 5
Stop at the visitor center for current bird sighting reports and trail condition updates.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Plum Island
- Joppa Flats Education Center
- Newburyport Whale Watch
More in Massachusetts
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Historic Cambridge cemetery renowned as a spring warbler migrant trap.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Massachusetts barrier beach refuge vital for shorebirds and Piping Plovers.
Arnold Arboretum
Harvard's 281-acre living tree museum in Boston with 200+ bird species and outstanding warbler migration.