Cape May, New Jersey
FallFamous for fall migration, when hawks, songbirds and monarch butterflies funnel down the peninsula to Delaware Bay.
Birding hotspots
Famous places worth a trip, and the season they shine. Check each official site for hours and access before you go.
Central Park, New York City
Spring & fallA green island in Manhattan that pulls in migrating warblers and other songbirds every spring and fall.
Magee Marsh, Ohio
MayLake Erie boardwalk known for close views of spring warblers, home of the Biggest Week in American Birding festival.
High Island, Texas
AprilGulf Coast woodlots where tired songbirds land after crossing the Gulf of Mexico in spring; sanctuaries run by Houston Audubon.
Point Pelee National Park, Ontario
MayA point jutting into Lake Erie that concentrates spring migrants; one of Canada's best-known birding spots.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania
Sept–NovRidge-top lookouts for the fall hawk migration; founded in 1934 as a refuge for birds of prey.
Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico
Nov–FebWinter home of huge flocks of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese along the Rio Grande.
Everglades National Park, Florida
Dec–AprSubtropical wetlands full of herons, egrets, ibises, Roseate Spoonbills and Anhingas.
Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Year-roundCoastal headlands, estuaries and forest with seabirds, shorebirds, raptors and fall vagrants.
Questions people ask
How do I find birding hotspots near me?
eBird's hotspot explorer maps public places where birders have logged sightings, with recent species lists. Local parks with water, woods and open edges are usually the best start.
When is the best time of year to go birding?
Spring and fall migration bring the most variety in much of North America, roughly April–May and September–October. Early morning is the most active time of day.