The United States has some of the finest and most diverse birding destinations on earth. From Arctic tundra to subtropical mangroves, deep forest to open prairie — the breadth of habitats and the species richness they support is extraordinary. Here are the sites that birders travel to repeatedly.
The single most famous birding site on the East Coast. Cape May's position at the tip of New Jersey acts as a funnel for migrating birds moving south along the Atlantic. In autumn (September–November), hawk counts routinely exceed a million birds, songbird fallouts after cold fronts can be spectacular, and shorebird diversity is extraordinary. The Cape May Bird Observatory runs guided programmes throughout migration season.
One of the world's great urban birding sites. During spring migration, Central Park acts as a magnet for warblers, vireos, thrushes, and flycatchers moving through Manhattan. The Ramble — a 36-acre woodland at the park's centre — is most productive. Peak warbler diversity typically falls in the first two weeks of May. Over 200 species have been recorded in the park in a single spring.
For spring warbler watching, High Island is in a class of its own. A small grove of live oaks on the flat Gulf Coast acts as a landing point for neotropical migrants crossing the Gulf of Mexico. After a weather event forcing migrants down in exhausted numbers, the trees can be so full of warblers, orioles, and tanagers that the branches seem to move. Peak season: late March through early May.
One of the best sites in North America for vagrant rarities. The Birding and Nature Center has extensive boardwalk habitat and is reliably excellent during both spring and autumn migrations.
Extraordinary year-round birding — breeding seabirds (including Tufted Puffins), winter shorebirds and waterfowl, spring migration, and a reputation for spectacular Asian vagrants arriving in autumn. The combination of coastal, grassland, and forest habitats within a compact area makes it one of the most species-rich sites on the West Coast.
Famous for its winter spectacle: tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese gathering each evening. The sight and sound of crane flocks against a desert sunset is one of North America's great wildlife events. Peak: November–February.
The "Warbler Capital of the World" during the second and third weeks of May. Lake Erie acts as a barrier to northward migrants who concentrate in lakeside woodland. The boardwalk produces close, unhurried views of 30+ warbler species — birds that would be in high canopy elsewhere perch at eye level in the low scrub.
Nome is the top destination for Arctic-breeding shorebirds, Bar-tailed Godwits, Bristle-thighed Curlews, and Asian vagrants reaching the Seward Peninsula. Utqiaġvik (Barrow) offers polar specialties including Snowy Owls and Arctic-breeding waterfowl.