Birding

New York City parks boast a wide variety of bird species throughout the year, and the Urban Park Rangers host the guided tours you need to locate and identify them. Come learn what’s flying through your neighborhood this season! Visit our Birding at NYC Parks page for a list of some of the best places to go birding in New York City.

Fall Migration
Fall migration has begun! Learn about migratory birds passing through NYC on their journey south and listen to our Good Migrations playlist while you're out birding!

Raptor Fest
Meet owls, hawks, and falcons up close at Raptor Fest with the Urban Park Rangers at Prospect Park on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
Birding Events
Thursday, September 4, 2025
Raptors in Flight: Identifying Birds of Prey
at Virtual
7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Join a virtual class on birds of prey and learn all about their patterns, behavior, and how to identify them, just in time for fall migration season!
Free!

Saturday, September 6, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Friday, September 12, 2025
Summer on the Hudson: Birding Walk
at 120th Street and Riverside Drive (in Riverside Park), Manhattan
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Explore Riverside Park on a family-friendly bird walk in partnership with NYC Bird Alliance.
Free!

Saturday, September 13, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Fall Birding
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Explore Wave Hill’s gardens, woodlands, and the skies overhead to look for resident and migrating birds.
Event

Saturday, September 20, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Sunday, September 21, 2025
Intro to Birding
at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Learn how to use binoculars to spot amazing birds that live around the salt marsh with an expert from NYC Bird Alliance. Families welcome.
Free!
Event
Raptor Fest
at Foch Boulevard and 155th Street (in Baisley Pond Park), Queens
12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Experience the thrill of viewing New York’s premier predators live and up close, including eagles, falcons, owls, hawks, and more!
Free!
Event

Saturday, September 27, 2025
CANCELLED: Riverside Park Birding Club
at 116th Street and Riverside Drive (in Riverside Park), Manhattan 
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Monthly walks through birding hotspots in Riverside Park, led by Riverside Park Conservancy Field Staff.
Free!
Event

McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Friday, October 3, 2025
Intro to Birding: Sunset Bird
at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn 
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Learn how to use binoculars to spot amazing birds that live around the salt marsh with an expert from NYC Bird Alliance. Families welcome.
Free!
Event
Saturday, October 4, 2025
City of Forest Day at Randall's Island Park
at Icahn Stadium (in Randall's Island Park), Manhattan
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Renowned NYC Naturalist Gabriel Willow will lead a fun-and-fact filled guided walking tour.
Free!
Event

McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Summer on the Hudson: Uptown Birding Walks
at West 157th Street and Broadway, Manhattan, NY
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Explore Fort Washington Park on family-friendly birding tours suitable for all ages. Celebrate Black Birders Week in May, and observe the fall migration in October!
Free!
Event

Saturday, October 11, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Raptorama!
at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn 
12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
See live birds of prey up close at the Salt Marsh Nature Center in Marine Park!
Free!
Event
Sunday, October 12, 2025
Fall Birding
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Fall is peak migration time along the Hudson River, and we have a front row seat! Join naturalists Gabriel Willow and Ryan Mandelbaum as you explore Wave Hill’s gardens.
Event

Saturday, October 18, 2025
Intro to Birding
at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Learn how to use binoculars to spot amazing birds that live around the salt marsh with an expert from NYC Bird Alliance. Families welcome.
Free!
Event
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, October 25, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Riverside Park Birding Club
at 116th Street and Riverside Drive (in Riverside Park), Manhattan 
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Monthly walks through birding hotspots in Riverside Park, led by Riverside Park Conservancy Field Staff.
Free!

Nighthunters: An Evening Owl Adventure
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
5:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Join us at Wave Hill for an exclusive after-hours encounter including nature walks, owl programs, and bird trivia!
Event

Saturday, November 1, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Sunday, November 2, 2025
Intro to Birding
at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Learn how to use binoculars to spot amazing birds that live around the salt marsh with an expert from NYC Bird Alliance. Families welcome.
Free!
Saturday, November 8, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Plants and Habitat for Migrating Birds
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Plants play an important role in the journey of migrating birds, join us for an autumn birding walk.
Event

Foliage Frolic Weekend
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Autumn peak is upon us, and there’s no better place in New York City to enjoy all the fall colors than Wave Hill!

Long Pond Park 25th Anniversary Hike
at Long Pond Park, Staten Island
12:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Take a guided hike with park naturalists, arborists and historians to hear about the many wonderful aspects of this ‘hiding in plain site’ gem.
Free!
Event

Sunday, November 9, 2025
Foliage Frolic Weekend
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Autumn peak is upon us, and there’s no better place in New York City to enjoy all the fall colors than Wave Hill!

Saturday, November 15, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, November 22, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, November 29, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Riverside Park Birding Club
at 116th Street and Riverside Drive (in Riverside Park), Manhattan 
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
Monthly walks through birding hotspots in Riverside Park, led by Riverside Park Conservancy Field Staff.
Free!

Saturday, December 6, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, December 13, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Christmas Bird Count
at Icahn Stadium (in Randall's Island Park), Manhattan
9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
The 126th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count—the nation’s longest-running Community-Science bird project—will soon be underway nationwide, and in all five boroughs of New York City.
Free!
Event
Winter Birding
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Explore Wave Hill’s tranquil gardens and woodlands to observe birds in their winter habitat.
Event

Saturday, December 20, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, December 27, 2025
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, January 3, 2026
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, January 10, 2026
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Winter Birding
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
The Hudson River Valley hosts an impressive diversity of bird species, even during the winter months.
Event

Saturday, January 17, 2026
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, January 24, 2026
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, January 31, 2026
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Saturday, February 7, 2026
McGolrick Bird Club
at Monsignor McGolrick Park (in Msgr. McGolrick Park), Brooklyn 
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Free birding walks are held every Saturday at 9am, year-round. Meet at the Russell & Driggs entrance to McGolrick park.
Free!
Hudson River EagleFest Eagle Spotting Station
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Winter migration is upon us! Learn all about the bald eagle and its winter migration as we celebrate Teatown Hudson River EagleFest®, an annual celebration of bald eagle winter migration along the Hudson River.
Event

Winter Bird Walk
at Starlight Park, Bronx
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Join us from 10am – 12pm on Saturday, February 7th for our winter bird walk at Starlight Park. Meeting spot will be at Bronx River House.
Experience Starlight Park in winter on a 2–3 hour guided bird walk. We’ll observe year-round resident species and scan the water for wintering waterfowl that migrate south to escape harsher northern conditions.
*Binoculars and birding field guides will be provided*
Please dress accordingly.
Free!
Family Birding
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
1:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.
Embark on an avian adventure with Hannah Kirshenbaum from NYC Queer Birders on this special family bird walk during our EagleFest® celebrations.
Event

Sunday, February 8, 2026
Winter Birding
at Wave Hill, Bronx 
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Explore Wave Hill’s tranquil gardens and woodlands and observe birds in their winter habitat.
Event
