Van Cortlandt Park
New York · Northeast
Moderate
April-May
Free
6:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily
About This Location
Van Cortlandt Park is the Bronx's largest park at over 1,100 acres, encompassing mature forest, freshwater marsh, open meadows, and a large lake that together support more than 250 bird species. The park's Northwest Forest is the largest remaining tract of old-growth woodland in New York City and provides critical stopover habitat for migrating songbirds.
The Van Cortlandt Lake and adjacent marsh attract migrating shorebirds, herons, and waterfowl, while the ridgeline above the Croton Aqueduct trail offers excellent hawk watching during fall migration. Breeding birds include Louisiana Waterthrush, Red-shouldered Hawk, and various woodpecker species in the forest interior.
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
Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Northern Parula
Setophaga americana
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora cyanoptera
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Virginia Rail
Rallus limicola
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Birding Tips
- 1
The Northwest Forest old-growth section is best for breeding warblers and woodpeckers
- 2
Check the lake and marsh early morning for herons and waterfowl
- 3
Fall hawk migration can be observed from ridgeline trails above the Croton Aqueduct
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Wave Hill
- New York Botanical Garden
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