Fort Tilden
New York · Northeast
Easy
April-May, September-October
Free
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
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Ruff
Calidris pugnax
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Boat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus major
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Canada Goose
American Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Black Skimmer
Double-crested Cormorant
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Osprey
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Rock Pigeon
Ring-billed Gull
Forster's Tern
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
- 4
Visit during spring migration (April-May) for the greatest species diversity
- 5
Fall migration (September-October) brings waves of southbound warblers and raptors
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
- Riis Beach
- Breezy Point
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New York Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in New York →