Barnegat Lighthouse State Park
New Jersey · Northeast
Easy
April-May, September-October
Free (lighthouse climb $3)
Open daily, dawn to dusk
About This Location
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is a productive birding destination in New Jersey, with 312 species recorded on eBird. This forest and wetland habitat attracts Brant, Canada Goose, 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
Black Tern
Chlidonias niger
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritima
Roseate Tern
Sterna dougallii
Red-shouldered Hawk (lineatus Group)
Buteo lineatus
Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensis
Great Shearwater
Ardenna gravis
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
American Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Piping Plover
Black-crowned Night Heron
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Canada Goose
Mourning Dove
Semipalmated Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Laughing Gull
American Herring Gull
Black Skimmer
Forster's Tern
Common Tern
Birding Tips
- 1
Listen for vocalizations to locate canopy-dwelling warblers and vireos.
- 2
Check forest edges and clearings for flycatchers and thrushes.
- 3
Visit during mid-May for peak warbler migration.
- 4
Consider purchasing an annual parks pass if you plan to visit multiple times.
- 5
Check tide tables before visiting — low tide exposes mudflats that attract the most shorebirds.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Barnegat Bay
- Long Beach Island
- Edwin B. Forsythe NWR
More in New Jersey
New Jersey Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in New Jersey →