Seven Lesser-Known Places for Birdwatching in New York

Birdwatching in New York City is much easier than one might think. As Martha Harbison, a writer and the vice president of the Feminist Bird Club, points out, “the best place to bird in New York is exactly where you are right at that moment”. She has observed up to 20 species from her own Brooklyn apartment window. While every borough has its famous parks, such as Central Park in Manhattan, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, which is the city’s largest with over 13 miles of shoreline, there are quite a few lesser-known spots to go birdwatching in the city that are easily accessible with public transportation.

Bryant Park, Manhattan

Despite its location in the heart of bustling Midtown Manhattan, Bryant Park is a tranquil 9.6-acre green space that’s great for spotting birds, such as sparrows or the occasional owl. During the spring and the fall, American woodcocks often make an appearance. Also known as timberdoodles, they are usually sighted on the ground, doing a quirky little dance underneath the shrubs. Christian Cooper, the author of “Better Living Through Birding,” counts Bryant Park as one of his favorite birdwatching spots, having found the woodcock’s funny appearance delightful.

Alyssa Bueno, another member of the Feminist Bird Club and a Bronx native, suggests that this park, situated near the Soundview ferry landing, is an excellent location to see shorebirds, such as greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, semipalmated sandpipers, semipalmated plovers, and least sandpipers. On the eastern side of the park adjacent to the golf course, visitors can find a “really good grassland habitat” with Savannah sparrows and bobolinks during migration, as well as a salt marsh with bitterns. From this location, visitors can enjoy amazing views of the bay.

Haley Scott, an environmentalist and birder from the Bronx, calls this park, located where the East River meets Westchester Creek, a prime spot for birdwatching. She says, “nobody really bird-watches at this park,” yet one time she spotted 31 different bird species here. Haley’s highest count at this park was 51 species in one day. During spring, visitors may see warblers, Baltimore orioles, Eastern kingbirds, and wading birds like yellow-crowned night-herons, whereas buffleheads and mergansers may be seen during winter. Soundview Park is within walking distance and has forest, grassland, and salt-marsh habitats with resident hawks, tree swallows, and egrets. The Bx39, Bx36, and Bx22 buses all stop near the park.

According to Harbison, winter is a great time to see various intriguing ducks, and Baisley Pond Park is an ideal site to observe them. Some of the species visitors can see include the northern shoveler, ring-necked duck, gadwall, and the stunning redhead, a species of diving duck that usually nests in the Great Plains. During winter, large flocks of redheads visit New York City. The park is also renowned for its red-winged blackbirds. The Q6 bus stops right by the park.

Marine Park Salt Marsh, Brooklyn

Brooklyn’s largest park features its own ecosystem known as a tidal salt marsh. Birders can spot interesting birds like ospreys, great egrets, double-crested cormorants, black-crowned night-herons, flashy American oystercatchers, and clapper rails, a secretive marsh bird. Marine Park Salt Marsh is considered one of the best locations in the city to spot clapper rails reliably. The park’s nature center is accessible from the B3 bus line.

According to Roslyn Rivas, the programs manager for NYC Audubon, “if you know what a bird is, you’re a birder.” She recommends Shirley Chisholm State Park, which is surrounded by water and has 10 miles of biking and hiking trails, to see wading birds, shorebirds, grassland songbirds, and lots of raptors, including American kestrels, red-tailed hawks, and northern harriers. Visitors can reach the park by taking the B42 bus to the Canarsie Pier and walking along the Shore Parkway.

This park, named after the Victorian photographer Alice Austen, is situated on New York Harbor and offers excellent birdwatching opportunities. According to Roslyn, visitors can see many water birds here, including gadwalls, buffleheads, common goldeneyes, and the red-breasted merganser. It’s a great park to observe various gulls, such as the laughing gull and the ring-billed gull, from the rocky beach or while enjoying the views of the harbor and the Manhattan skyline. The SIM33C and S51 buses stop nearby.