Jones Beach State Park
New York · Northeast
Easy
November-March
$10 per vehicle (seasonal)
Dawn to dusk daily
About This Location
Jones Beach State Park on Long Island's south shore barrier island is one of the premier coastal birding sites in the New York metropolitan area. The park's 6.5 miles of ocean beach, tidal marshes, dune habitat, and the nearby Coast Guard station attract an impressive diversity of shorebirds, terns, gulls, and raptors throughout the year.
The West End of Jones Beach is legendary among birders for wintering Snowy Owls and concentrations of sea ducks including Long-tailed Duck and all three scoter species. During fall migration, the dune crossings and bayberry thickets can hold impressive numbers of sparrows, warblers, and raptors. The Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center provides educational programs and easy birding access.
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
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
Virginia Rail
Rallus limicola
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Northern Parula
Setophaga americana
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Canada Goose
American Oystercatcher
Black Skimmer
Common Tern
Glossy Ibis
Osprey
Monk Parakeet
American Robin
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Northern Cardinal
Willet
Laughing Gull
American Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Tree Swallow
Purple Martin
Birding Tips
- 1
The West End is best for wintering Snowy Owls and sea ducks from November through March
- 2
Check the Coast Guard station jetty for Purple Sandpipers and Harlequin Ducks in winter
- 3
Bring a spotting scope for scanning offshore rafts of sea ducks and loons
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center
- Long Beach Boardwalk
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New York Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in New York →