West Potomac Park - Tidal Basin
District of Columbia · Northeast
Easy
April-May, September-October
Free
Open 24 hours
About This Location
West Potomac Park - Tidal Basin is a productive birding destination in District of Columbia, with 205 species recorded on eBird. This estuary and urban park habitat attracts Canada Goose, Northern Shoveler, and Mallard among many others. Spring and fall migration bring waves of warblers and shorebirds through the area.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Vesper Sparrow
Pooecetes gramineus
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Cape May Warbler
Setophaga tigrina
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis
Nashville Warbler
Leiothlypis ruficapilla
Forster's Tern
Sterna forsteri
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora cyanoptera
Eastern Warbling Vireo
Vireo gilvus
Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Blue-winged Teal
Double-crested Cormorant
Barn Swallow
Song Sparrow
Common Grackle
Mallard
Ring-billed Gull
Caspian Tern
European Starling
American Robin
Canada Goose
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Osprey
Merlin
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Birding Tips
- 1
Time your visit around low tide for the best shorebird viewing.
- 2
Scan open mudflats and salt marsh edges for rails and herons.
- 3
Visit during mid-May for peak warbler migration.
- 4
Visit during spring migration (April-May) for the greatest species diversity
- 5
Fall migration (September-October) brings waves of southbound warblers and raptors
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Jefferson Memorial
- Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
More in District of Columbia
Theodore Roosevelt Island
88-acre island preserve in the Potomac with breeding Prothonotary Warblers in the heart of DC.
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
DC's unique lotus garden and tidal marsh with breeding Least Bitterns and rich spring migration.
C&O Canal - Fletcher's Cove (Fletcher's Boathouse)
Coastal birding hotspot in District of Columbia with 208 recorded species.
District of Columbia Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in District of Columbia →