North America Birding Map

Corcovado National Park

Costa Rica’s Wildest Rainforest Frontier

8.2

Sirena Station is deep in the park, a base for many birders. At dawn, scarlet macaws screech over the beach almond trees. Trogons, tanagers and hummingbirds work the forest edge. The Osa Peninsula has over 400 bird species. A few days here can turn up dozens.

Highlights:

🐢 Watch endangered sea turtles nesting on remote beaches
🌌 Camp under the stars at La Sirena Ranger Station
🥾 Hike Corcovado’s diverse trails through rainforest and coastline

Monteverde

Verdant cloud forests whisper ancient secrets

9.0

The loud, ringing call of the three-wattled bellbird echoes through the cloud forest in spring. Hummingbirds buzz at feeders at the Monteverde Hummingbird Gallery near the reserve entrance. Violet sabrewings and purple-throated mountain gems drink there all day. Bring binoculars and a rain jacket. Mornings are the busiest time for birds.

Highlights:

🪢 Walk the hanging bridges over lush canopy
☕ Tour a local coffee plantation and taste espresso
🌲 Explore cloud forest trails in Monteverde Reserve

Magee Marsh

Serene marshlands echoing wildlife’s chorus

7.3

The south shore of Lake Erie is where tired songbirds land after crossing the water. A wooden boardwalk lets you walk right beneath the warblers in May. The Biggest Week in American Birding festival draws birders from around the world. Many kinds of warblers pass through. Arrive early to find a spot on the boardwalk.

Highlights:

🌅 Take a sunset hike along the marsh trails
🐦 Witness migratory birds during peak spring season
🛶 Explore the wetlands on a guided kayak tour

Bosque del Apache

Majestic plains echo with soaring condors

8.8

Visit from November to February, when sandhill cranes and snow geese fill the ponds. Thousands winter here along the Rio Grande. At dawn they lift off together in a roar of wings. In the evening they return as the sky turns pink. A festival each November celebrates the cranes.

Highlights:

🎨 Visit local Pueblo art galleries and workshops
🥾 Hike to the scenic Santa Fe Trail overlook
🦅 Explore historic Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves

Mist, Wildlife and Cloudy Magic

8.4

Come in April or May, when resplendent quetzals nest in the cloud forest. Males flash green and red and trail long tail feathers. They eat wild avocados in the treetops. Guides know which trees the birds visit each morning. Wear a rain jacket, since mist is common here.

Highlights:

🦜 Spot rare resplendent quetzals among misty trees
🌉 Walk the hanging bridges for canopy views
🥾 Hike through Monteverde Cloud Forest's biodiversity-rich trails

Calakmul Biosphere Reserve

Ancient Maya Ruins in Pristine Jungle

7.7

A powerful Maya city once stood here. The jungle took it back. That jungle is now a huge protected reserve. Ocellated turkeys, a colourful bird found only on and near the Yucatan Peninsula, strut through the forest. Climb a pyramid at dawn to watch toucans and parrots fly past.

Highlights:

🐦 Join birdwatching tours for over 300 species
🌳 Explore dense jungle trails with diverse wildlife sightings
🗿 Climb ancient Mayan pyramids in Calakmul ruins

Yellowstone National Park

Geysers, wildlife and untamed wilderness

8.8

Rock spires in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone hold osprey nests. You can see them from the overlooks. Bald eagles hunt the river below. Hayden Valley has sandhill cranes and white pelicans in its wetlands. Trumpeter swans stay on quiet ponds through winter. Bring binoculars, since many nests sit far from the trail.

Highlights:

🐃 Spot bison, elk, and bears roaming in Lamar Valley
🌈 Walk the boardwalks of the Grand Prismatic Spring and admire its vivid colors
🌋 Watch Old Faithful erupt and feel the geothermal power of Yellowstone

Olympic National Park

Untamed Wilderness, All in One

8.5

Like three parks in one, Olympic has rain forest, alpine slopes and wild beaches. Listen for varied thrushes in the mossy rain forest at breakfast. By lunch, watch bald eagles and black oystercatchers on the shore. Sea stacks off the coast shelter nesting seabirds such as tufted puffins. Rain is common, so pack a jacket.

Highlights:

💧 Visit Sol Duc Falls and enjoy the tranquil waterfall
🌲 Explore the lush trails of the Hoh Rainforest
🏞️ Hike to Hurricane Hill for breathtaking panoramic views

Juneau

Glaciers, whales and wild Alaska

8.3

Locals head to the Mendenhall Wetlands at dawn. Geese, shorebirds and bald eagles feed there at low tide. Mendenhall Glacier rises behind the marsh. Arctic terns nest near the glacier lake in summer and dive for fish. Spring migration brings thousands of shorebirds. The wetlands are a state game refuge.

Highlights:

🐋 Go whale watching to see humpbacks in natural habitat
🚠 Take the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway for views
🧊 Visit the stunning Mendenhall Glacier and Visitor Center

Florida

Sunshine State, Endless Adventure

8.6

This long peninsula is on a major migration route. Spring storms drop tired warblers on Gulf coast beaches. Fort De Soto Park near St. Petersburg is a favourite stop. The Florida scrub-jay, a blue and grey bird found nowhere else, lives in oak scrub. Winter brings roseate spoonbills to the coast.

Highlights:

🐊 Spot alligators on an airboat tour in the Everglades
🏖️ Relax on the white sands of Miami Beach
🎠 Experience the magic of Walt Disney World in Orlando

Tikal National Park

Lost Mayan City in the Jungle

7.8

Climb Temple IV before sunrise to sit above the treetops. Toucans and parrots fly past at eye level. Ocellated turkeys strut across the plazas below. More than 300 bird species live in the park. Howler monkeys roar from the trees at dawn. Many birds call loudest at first light.

Highlights:

🐒 Discover wildlife including monkeys and colorful toucans
🏛️ Explore the Great Plaza surrounded by towering pyramids
🌳 Climb Temple IV for a breathtaking jungle canopy view

Tortuguero National Park

Wildlife and Waterways Adventure

7.8

Many visitors compare the park's jungle waterways to a small Amazon. Great green macaws, big and loud, feed in almond trees along the banks. Anhingas dry their wings on logs while egrets stalk the shallows. Early morning is cool and quiet, when birds are most active. Only boats and small planes reach the town.

Highlights:

🦜 Spot monkeys and toucans in the dense jungle canopy
🛶 Glide through rainforest canals on a guided canoe tour
🐢 Watch green sea turtles nest on the beach at night

Redwood National Park

Home of the World’s Tallest Trees

8.3

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a good place to look up. Marbled murrelets are small seabirds that fly inland at dawn. They nest on thick branches high in old redwoods. Spotted owls and Pacific wrens live in the shady forest below. Along the coast, brown pelicans and black oystercatchers work the rocky shore.

Highlights:

🥾 Walk the scenic Karl Knapp Trail near Big Tree Wayside
🍃 Explore Fern Canyon’s prehistoric fern-covered walls
🌲 Hike the Tall Trees Grove, home to towering redwoods

Morne Trois Pitons National Park

Volcanic wonders in pristine rainforest

8.0

Dominica's national bird, the sisserou parrot, is on the country's flag. Both it and the jaco parrot, also called the red-necked parrot, live only on this island. Forest trails near Freshwater Lake at Laudat are an easy place to look for birds. Parrots are heard more often than seen, so listen for their loud calls.

Highlights:

💦 Explore the twin Trafalgar Falls and natural hot springs
🏞️ Swim beneath the 50-foot cascading Emerald Pool waterfall
🌋 Hike the challenging trail to the Boiling Lake

Newfoundland

Coastal charm meets rugged wilderness on island

9.3

Witless Bay Ecological Reserve has more than 260,000 pairs of Atlantic puffins, the largest puffin colony in North America. Over 620,000 pairs of Leach's storm petrels nest there too. Bird Rock in Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve has several thousand nesting gannets. A short footpath leads from the interpretive centre to a viewing spot.

Highlights:

🌈 Stroll through St. John's colorful Jellybean Row
🦀 Taste fresh cod at a waterfront seafood shack
🏞️ Explore Gros Morne National Park's dramatic fjords

Cayo District

Jungle adventures and ancient Maya ruins

7.0

The jungle here has many of the same birds as Tikal across the border. Keel-billed toucans and trogons call from the canopy. Scarlet macaws fly along the Macal River. Lodges near San Ignacio offer guided walks at dawn. That is when the forest is loudest. Mountain Pine Ridge has pine forest birds too.

Highlights:

🌳 Visit the lush Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
🛶 Tube through the caves of Actun Tunichil Muknal
🏛️ Explore the ancient Maya ruins of Xunantunich

Louisiana

Cajun Soul and Vibrant Culture

7.2

Bird City on Avery Island is a rookery. Thousands of snowy egrets nest there each spring. Edward McIlhenny built it in the 1890s after plume hunters nearly wiped out the birds. You can watch from a platform in Jungle Gardens. Spring also drops tired migrants into coastal woods along the Gulf.

Highlights:

🛶 Cruise the bayous on a guided swamp boat tour
🎷 Take a jazz-filled evening stroll through the French Quarter
🎭 Join the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

Caribbean Gems of Nature & Adventure

7.7

Bonaire guards its flamingo colony closely. The Pekelmeer salt flats are closed to visitors so the birds can nest in peace. You watch from the road as pink flocks wade the shallow ponds. Washington Slagbaai National Park has yellow-shouldered parrots and dry forest birds. Bring binoculars since the flocks stay far from the road.

Highlights:

⛰️ Climb Mount Scenery, the highest point in the Netherlands
🐢 Snorkel with sea turtles in the crystal-clear waters
🐠 Dive the vibrant coral reefs of Bonaire Marine Park

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

French Charm off Canada's Coast

7.3

Salt wind, fog and loud seabird calls fill the air near Grand Colombier. This protected island is a short boat ride away. Atlantic puffins nest here with razorbills and common murres. About 100,000 pairs of Leach's storm petrels nest in burrows. They call all night, so local naturalists sometimes lead overnight trips.

Highlights:

🏛️ Explore L’Arche Museum & Archives for local history
🥾 Hike the scenic Diamond Trail with coastal views
🏘️ Visit the historic Île aux Marins fishermen’s village

Yosemite National Park

Nature's Grand Cathedral

8.5

Come in late spring or summer to look for great grey owls. They hunt in meadows near Crane Flat at dusk. They listen for voles moving in the grass. Peregrine falcons nest on the granite walls of the valley. Dawn is another good time to look. Keep your distance from the owls.

Highlights:

💦 Marvel at Yosemite Falls, one of the tallest in North America
🏞️ Hike to Glacier Point for one of Yosemite’s best views
🧗‍♂️ Stand before the towering granite face of El Capitan

Key West

Tropical charm at the end of the road

7.9

Dry Tortugas National Park is like a northern seabird island with palm trees and warm water. Tens of thousands of sooty terns nest on Bush Key each spring. The ferry from Key West takes about two hours. Spring storms also drop migrating warblers on the old fort. Magnificent frigatebirds soar overhead.

Highlights:

🤿 Snorkel in the coral reefs of Dry Tortugas National Park
🐈 Visit Ernest Hemingway’s House and meet its six-toed cats
🌅 Watch the sunset celebration at Mallory Square

Grand Teton National Park

Stunning Peaks and Wildlife Wonders

8.6

Go in late May or June, when Oxbow Bend fills with nesting birds. Trumpeter swans, American white pelicans and bald eagles all work the calm water. The Teton peaks reflect in the pond at sunrise. Sandhill cranes call from the nearby meadows. Bring a scope and arrive early.

Highlights:

🏞️ Trek through Cascade Canyon for breathtaking views
💧 Explore Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point nearby
🚶‍♂️ Hike the scenic Jenny Lake Loop Trail

California

Golden State of Endless Experiences

8.7

Come in winter, when millions of ducks and geese crowd the Central Valley. The Salton Sea draws shorebirds and pelicans. Near Big Sur, California condors soar over the cliffs. Their wings spread nearly ten feet. Point Reyes is a good stop for migrating songbirds. Bring a scope for the wide valley fields.

Highlights:

🚗 Drive the stunning Pacific Coast Highway from LA to Big Sur
🏞️ Explore Yosemite National Park’s waterfalls and granite cliffs
🌉 Stroll across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

Denali National Park

Wild Alaska’s peaks and wildlife

8.8

Set aside in 1917 to protect Dall sheep, this park also has good golden eagle watching. The eagles nest on rocky ridges and ride the wind. Willow ptarmigan, Alaska's state bird, pick through the tundra. Summer days are long, so you get hours of light. Scan the ridges from the park road in the morning.

Highlights:

🛩️ Take a flightseeing tour above Denali’s snowy peak
🥾 Hike the Savage River Trail for rugged alpine views
🐻 Spot grizzly bears and moose in their wild habitat

Glacier National Park

Crown of the Continent

8.9

Glacier became a national park in 1910. Today Logan Pass is a good place to spot white-tailed ptarmigan. These small grouse turn snow white in winter. In summer they wear mottled brown and blend into the rocks. Scan the ground carefully near the Hidden Lake trail. The pass is high, so bring a jacket.

Highlights:

🌲 Explore Avalanche Lake’s serene hiking trails
🚗 Drive the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road for views
🥾 Hike to Grinnell Glacier and stunning turquoise lakes

Acadia National Park

Rugged Shores, Sunrise Peaks, Wild Beauty

8.4

Cadillac Mountain has a fall hawk watch. You can count raptors drifting south over the ocean. Peregrine falcons nest on nearby cliffs. In May, waves of warblers fill the spruce woods. Rangers close some trails each spring to protect the falcon chicks. Spring and autumn are the busiest times for birders.

Highlights:

🚗 Drive the Park Loop Road for coastal and forest views
🥾 Hike the scenic Jordan Pond Path surrounded by nature
🌅 Watch sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain

Tofino

Wild Pacific, Rainforest, Endless Waves

8.1

Visit in April and May, when migrating shorebirds crowd the mudflats around Clayoquot Sound. Western sandpipers, dunlin and dowitchers feed at low tide before flying on to Alaska. Winter brings loons and sea ducks to the surf. Rare seabirds sometimes blow in after autumn storms. Hire a kayak to reach quiet inlets.

Highlights:

🐋 Go whale watching in Clayoquot Sound waters
🥾 Explore Pacific Rim National Park Reserve trails
🏄‍♂️ Surf the waves at famous Chesterman Beach

El Yunque National Forest

Tropical rainforest paradise in Caribbean

7.7

Fog, dripping leaves and loud squawks fill this cloud forest. The Puerto Rican parrot fell to about 13 birds in the 1970s. Careful breeding has helped a small wild flock return. The Puerto Rican tody is a tiny green bird with a red throat. It is easier to find than the parrot.

Highlights:

🥾 Explore El Yunque Peak trail, a challenging rainforest hike
🌄 Climb Mt. Britton Tower for panoramic rainforest views
🌊 Hike to the stunning La Mina Falls and swim

Big Cypress National Preserve

Florida's wild swamp wilderness experience

7.5

This swamp preserve covers more than 700,000 acres just north of Everglades National Park. In the dry winter months, birds crowd the shrinking ponds. Wood storks and roseate spoonbills feed in the shallows. Rare red-cockaded woodpeckers live in the pine stands. Visit early in the day when the birds are most active.

Highlights:

🛶 Paddle through mangrove tunnels on a guided kayak trip
🐊 Spot alligators and wading birds along the Loop Road
🛻 Take a swamp buggy tour through the cypress landscape

Waterton Glacier International Peace Park

Where two nations preserve wilderness

8.9

Canada and the United States joined these two parks in 1932 as a symbol of peace. Harlequin ducks nest along the rushing creeks. They ride rapids that most birds avoid. Golden eagles pass over the ridges in autumn. Scan the rushing creeks early in the day.

Highlights:

🛶 Canoe or kayak on serene Waterton Lake
🚗 Drive the scenic Red Rock Canyon Road
🥾 Hike the challenging Crypt Lake Trail with stunning views

Bay of Fundy

Home to world's highest tides

7.6

Salt air and the cries of shorebirds fill the mudflats at low tide. Tides here rise and fall more than 40 feet. In late summer, hundreds of thousands of semipalmated sandpipers stop to rest. They feed on tiny mud shrimp. Then they fly to South America. Mary's Point in New Brunswick is a viewing spot.

Highlights:

🦴 Discover fossils and cliffs along Fundy National Park trails
🛶 Kayak among towering sea stacks during low tide
🌊 Watch the world’s highest tides at Hopewell Rocks

Alaska

Land of superlatives and adventure

8.9

Russian fur hunters found the Pribilof Islands in the 1780s. Today birders come for the seabird cliffs. Tufted puffins and red-legged kittiwakes nest on the rock faces. In autumn, rare birds from Asia blow in on storms. Small planes reach the islands from Anchorage. Fog is common, so bring a warm layer.

Highlights:

🐻 See wild bears fishing for salmon in Katmai
🛳️ Cruise through glacier-filled waters in Glacier Bay National Park
🌌 Watch the northern lights dance above Fairbanks

Maine

Lobsters, Lighthouses and Lush Landscapes

8.0

By the 1880s, puffins were gone from Eastern Egg Rock. Hunters had taken them for food and feathers. In 1973 biologist Stephen Kress began moving chicks there from Newfoundland. The colony grew back. Today you can see puffins on boat trips from Boothbay Harbor. Machias Seal Island near the Canadian border is another stop.

Highlights:

🏖️ Visit the Portland Head Light, Maine’s iconic lighthouse
🦞 Eat a freshly steamed lobster at a coastal shack
🌄 Watch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park

Montana

Wild Beauty & Vast Big Skies

8.4

Out on the plains of north central Montana, Freezeout Lake is a goose rest stop. In March and April, snow geese gather by the tens of thousands. Tundra swans join them. When the flock lifts off, the sound is like thunder. It is a state wildlife area near Fairfield.

Highlights:

🐎 Go horseback riding through wide open Big Sky Country
🦬 Spot wildlife and geysers in Yellowstone’s rugged wilderness
🏞️ Drive the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park

Washington (State)

Diverse landscapes from mountains to coast

7.6

Fir Island sits in the Skagit Valley. Tens of thousands of snow geese land there each winter. They fly in from Wrangel Island in Russia. Trumpeter swans and rough-legged hawks share the farm fields. Look for bald eagles in cottonwoods along the river. Watch from your car to avoid scaring the flocks.

Highlights:

⛰️ Visit Mount Rainier National Park for breathtaking views
🍴 Explore the thriving Pike Place Market in Seattle
🧗‍♂️ Hike the challenging Angels Landing in Zion National Park

Wyoming

Wild West landscapes and natural wonders

8.5

A faint popping sound carries across cold sagebrush flats before sunrise. It comes from male greater sage grouse. They puff out white chest feathers and fan spiky tails. These mating grounds are called leks. The show runs from March into May. Stay in your car so you do not scare them.

Highlights:

🗻 Climb Devils Tower, America's first national monument
🥾 Hike scenic trails in Grand Teton National Park
🌋 Witness Old Faithful erupt in Yellowstone National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park

Jungle, Wildlife and Stunning Beaches

7.2

Scarlet macaws give raspy calls over the beach and rainforest. This park is small, with easy trails. Chestnut-mandibled toucans and blue-crowned motmots sit in the treetops near the trail. Brown pelicans dive just offshore. Go at sunrise, when the birds are busiest. The park closes on Mondays.

Highlights:

🦜 Spot toucans, iguanas, and colorful tropical birds
🏖️ Relax on the white sands of Playa Manuel Antonio
🐒 Hike jungle trails filled with monkeys and sloths

Vancouver Island

Untamed Beauty and Coastal Charm

8.0

A door is about seven feet tall. A trumpeter swan's wings can spread nearly as wide. Hundreds of these swans winter in the Comox Valley. The valley sits on the island's east side. Bald eagles and harlequin ducks fill the shoreline nearby. Come from November to February for the biggest flocks.

Highlights:

🐋 Whale watch from Victoria’s Inner Harbour
🌲 Explore ancient rainforests in Cathedral Grove
🌸 Stroll through the breathtaking Butchart Gardens

Cape Breton Island

Coastal charm meets rugged Atlantic scenery

9.4

Local captains run summer boat tours to the Bird Islands. These two rocky islets sit off Big Bras d'Or. Atlantic puffins and razorbills nest on the cliffs. Bald eagles are common along the island's shores. The boats get close, so photos come easily. Bring a warm jacket, since the sea wind is cold.

Highlights:

⚔️ Explore historic Citadel Fortress in Halifax
🦞 Savor fresh lobster at a seaside shack
🏔️ Climb the Cabot Trail for sunrise views

Texas

Vast Landscapes and Deep Culture

7.0

Along the Gulf Coast near Rockport, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge has winter whooping cranes. These white birds stand nearly five feet tall. Boat tours leave Rockport from late autumn to early spring. The Rio Grande Valley has green jays and plain chachalacas too. Spring migration at High Island is also famous.

Highlights:

🚀 Tour the NASA Space Center Houston
🌄 Explore Big Bend National Park’s rugged wilderness
🌊 Visit the iconic San Antonio River Walk and enjoy a boat ride

Best birdwatching destinations in North America