Forest Park
New York · Northeast
Easy
April-May
Free
6:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily
About This Location
Forest Park in Queens contains one of the largest remaining tracts of native oak forest in New York City, spanning 538 acres along the glacial terminal moraine. The mature forest canopy and dense understory create ideal conditions for breeding owls, migrant warblers, and forest-interior specialists that are scarce elsewhere in the city.
The park has recorded over 200 bird species, with Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls breeding regularly in the old-growth sections. Spring migration brings waves of warblers, vireos, and thrushes to the oak canopy, while the Waterhole area near the bandshell is a legendary migrant concentration point where dozens of species can be seen in a single morning.
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
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Oceanites oceanicus
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
Black-throated Green Warbler
Setophaga virens
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Cory's Shearwater
Calonectris borealis
Swamp Sparrow
Melospiza georgiana
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
Northern House Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Common Grackle
American Redstart
Northern Cardinal
Barn Swallow
Birding Tips
- 1
The Waterhole near the bandshell is the top spot for migrating songbirds
- 2
Visit in winter to search for resident Great Horned Owls in the oak forest
- 3
The Victory Field area is good for sparrows and open-country birds in fall
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Queens Museum
- Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
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