Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Maryland · Northeast
About This Location
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a productive birding destination in Maryland, with 281 species recorded on eBird. This wetland habitat attracts Snow Goose, Canada Goose, and Tundra Swan 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
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
American Avocet
Recurvirostra americana
Orchard Oriole (Orchard)
Icterus spurius
Purple Martin (subis/arboricola)
Progne subis
American Robin (migratorius Group)
Turdus migratorius
Common Yellowthroat (trichas Group)
Geothlypis trichas
Eastern Bluebird (Eastern)
Sialia sialis
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Laughing Gull
Forster's Tern
Double-crested Cormorant
Osprey
Eastern Kingbird
Canada Goose
Least Tern
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Northern Mockingbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Killdeer
Lesser Yellowlegs
Least Bittern
Red-headed Woodpecker
Purple Martin
Barn Swallow
American Goldfinch
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Birding Tips
- 1
Bring waterproof boots for marsh trails and muddy edges.
- 2
Scan the edges of open water for herons, egrets, and rails at dawn.
- 3
Visit during mid-May for peak warbler migration.
Amenities
More in Maryland
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Maryland's premier birding refuge with nesting Bald Eagles and vast tidal marshes.
Rock Creek Park
DC's largest urban forest with spring warbler migration, breeding owls, and Pileated Woodpeckers.
C&O Canal National Historical Park
184-mile riparian corridor along the Potomac with exceptional spring warbler diversity and Bald Eagles.
Maryland Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Maryland →