Huntley Meadows Park
Virginia · Southeast
Easy
April-July
Free
Dawn to dusk daily
About This Location
Huntley Meadows Park is the premier wetland birding destination in the Washington DC metropolitan area, with a 1,500-foot boardwalk that provides outstanding eye-level access to a central freshwater marsh. Over 200 species have been recorded in the park's 1,500 acres of wetland, forest, and meadow habitats in the heart of suburban Alexandria, Virginia.
The boardwalk and observation platform offer intimate views of nesting herons, including Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, and occasional Least Bitterns hiding among the cattails. Virginia Rails and Soras call from the marsh during migration, while Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and Pied-billed Grebes are regular on the open water. The surrounding upland trails pass through mature forest with breeding warblers and woodpeckers.
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
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Alder Flycatcher
Empidonax alnorum
Blackpoll Warbler
Setophaga striata
Northern Harrier
Circus hudsonius
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Catharus minimus
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Semipalmated Plover
Charadrius semipalmatus
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Mallard
Long-tailed Duck
American Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Piping Plover
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Laughing Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Black Skimmer
Least Tern
Common Tern
Double-crested Cormorant
Glossy Ibis
Osprey
Northern Mockingbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Birding Tips
- 1
The boardwalk observation platform is the prime spot — arrive early for the best light and activity
- 2
Listen for Virginia Rails and Soras calling from the marsh at dawn during spring migration
- 3
The upland Hike-Bike Trail loop passes through forest with breeding warblers
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Mount Vernon
- Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve
More in Virginia
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Great Falls Park
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Accotink Bay Wildlife Refuge
Coastal birding hotspot in Virginia with 222 recorded species.
Virginia Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Virginia →