Fort Tilden

New York · Northeast

EasyOfficial Site View on eBird

Habitat

CoastalDuneUrban Park

Best Seasons

SpringFall

Difficulty

Easy

Best Months

April-May, September-October

Entrance Fee

Free

Hours

Dawn to dusk daily

About This Location

Fort Tilden is a former military installation on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, now part of Gateway National Recreation Area. The park's coastal dunes, maritime shrubland, and remnant battery structures create diverse microhabitats that attract migrant songbirds, shorebirds, and raptors.

Spring migration brings waves of warblers and sparrows to the dense shrubby vegetation, while the beach hosts nesting Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers. The park's position at the western end of the Rockaway Peninsula makes it an excellent hawk watch site during both spring and fall migration. Over 300 species have been recorded in the greater Jamaica Bay/Rockaway complex.

Location

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Notable Species

Piping Plover Least Tern American Oystercatcher Yellow-breasted Chat Peregrine Falcon Seaside Sparrow

Live Bird Data

Notable Sightings

Purple Finch

Haemorhous purpureus

3/5/20263663 Haskell Valley View Road, Cuba, New York, US (42.15, -78.285)

Ring-necked Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

3/5/2026Fishkill Creek / Clove Mountain Rd4 observed

Snow Goose

Anser caerulescens

3/5/2026Buffalo RiverWorks1 observed

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

3/5/2026Hamilton College (Campus Grounds)1 observed

Purple Finch

Haemorhous purpureus

3/5/2026Quaker Bridge2 observed

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

3/5/2026Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center1 observed

Harlequin Duck

Histrionicus histrionicus

3/5/2026Ft. Edward Yacht Basin1 observed

Trumpeter Swan

Cygnus buccinator

3/5/2026Wallabout Channel1 observed

Red Crossbill

Loxia curvirostra

3/5/2026Webster Park--Campground area

Snow Goose

Anser caerulescens

3/5/2026Buffalo Scholastic Rowing Assn.1 observed

Harlequin Duck

Histrionicus histrionicus

3/5/2026Bradley Beach, Ft. Edward1 observed

Pine Grosbeak

Pinicola enucleator

3/5/2026Webster Park--Campground area2 observed

Common x Barrow's Goldeneye (hybrid)

Bucephala clangula x islandica

3/5/2026Stillwater Blockhouse Park1 observed

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

3/5/2026Agawam Lake1 observed

Glaucous-winged Gull

Larus glaucescens

3/5/2026Stevenson Rd. Game Farm and Compost1 observed

Glaucous-winged Gull

Larus glaucescens

3/5/2026Stevenson Rd. Game Farm and Compost1 observed

American Wigeon

Mareca americana

3/5/2026Governors Island (N.Y. County)20 observed

Purple Sandpiper

Calidris maritima

3/5/2026Governors Island (N.Y. County)9 observed

Greater Scaup

Aythya marila

3/5/2026Governors Island (N.Y. County)1 observed

Barrow's Goldeneye

Bucephala islandica

3/5/2026Kingston Point1 observed

Recent Observations

Brant

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

60 birds

Canada Goose

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

20 birds

Gadwall

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

1 birds

Greater Scaup

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

4 birds

Black Scoter

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

1 birds

Long-tailed Duck

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

2 birds

Bufflehead

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

4 birds

Red-breasted Merganser

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

2 birds

Rock Pigeon

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

2 birds

Killdeer

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

10 birds

Ring-billed Gull

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

150 birds

American Herring Gull

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

95 birds

Great Black-backed Gull

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

4 birds

Double-crested Cormorant

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

1 birds

Cooper's Hawk

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

1 birds

Red-shouldered Hawk

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

1 birds

Northern Flicker

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

2 birds

American Crow

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

2 birds

Common Raven

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

1 birds

European Starling

Floyd Bennett Field

3/5/2026

70 birds

Birding Tips

1
The community gardens and overgrown battery areas are the best migrant traps for songbirds
2
Stay off marked nesting areas on the beach — Piping Plovers and Least Terns nest here in spring
3
Combine with a visit to nearby Jamaica Bay NWR for a full day of diverse coastal birding

Amenities

Parking

Trails

Restrooms

Nearby Attractions

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Riis Beach
Breezy Point

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.

Birding Guides

The Ultimate Guide to Fall Bird Migration: Hawks, Sparrows, and Confusing Plumages

10 min read

How to Identify Birds Like an Expert: The Four Keys to Field Identification

11 min read

The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Birdwatching: Gear, Identification, and Etiquette

8 min read

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to visit Fort Tilden for birding?▼

The best months to visit Fort Tilden for birding are April-May, September-October. The best seasons are Spring and Fall.

What birds can I see at Fort Tilden?▼

Notable species at Fort Tilden include Piping Plover, Least Tern, American Oystercatcher, Yellow-breasted Chat, Peregrine Falcon, Seaside Sparrow. The area supports coastal, dune, urban park habitats.

How difficult is birding at Fort Tilden?▼

Birding at Fort Tilden is rated as Easy. The trails and viewing areas are accessible for birders of all experience levels.

Is there an entrance fee at Fort Tilden?▼

There is no entrance fee at Fort Tilden. Hours: Dawn to dusk daily.

What amenities are available at Fort Tilden?▼

Fort Tilden offers the following amenities: Parking, Trails, Restrooms.