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
Loading map...
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 Skimmer
Rynchops niger
Hooded Warbler
Setophaga citrina
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
Cape May Warbler
Setophaga tigrina
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Semipalmated Plover
Charadrius semipalmatus
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Oceanites oceanicus
Purple Martin
Progne subis
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Wood Duck
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Monk Parakeet
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal
Mourning Dove
Eastern Kingbird
Pine Warbler
Rock Pigeon
Chimney Swift
Spotted Sandpiper
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
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
More in New York
Central Park
Manhattan's surprising migrant trap with 280+ species in the heart of NYC.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
NYC's premier shorebird and waterfowl refuge with 330+ species recorded.
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Finger Lakes wetland refuge with massive waterfowl concentrations during migration.
New York Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in New York →