Waterfowl; flycatchers, thrushes warblers, tanagers, and other land birds; 

 

Posssible nesting Mallard, Barn and Tree Swallows, Willow and Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Cedar Waxwing, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird

Warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and other songbirds

 

Wintering waterfowl including diving ducks such as Redhead and Ring-necked Duck; accipiters; songbird feeding flocks

 

Red-tailed Hawk, common woodpeckers

View a Google map of Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park.

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Built in 1858 to provide drinking water to Brooklyn, Ridgewood Reservoir (originally consisting of three basins) was abandoned in 1989. In the 30 years since, the 50 acres reverted to wetlands, meadows, and forests. In 2018, the nearly 30 acres of wetlands at Ridgewood Reservoir were protected under New York State’s Freshwater Wetlands Act, after a long fight by local conservation groups. (Learn more about the preservation of Ridgewood Reservoir).

Officially part of Brooklyn's Highland Park, Ridgewood Reservoir is actually on the Brooklyn/Queens border, so belongs to both boroughs. One of the wildest places in all of New York City, it is home to a broad diversity of plants (over 180 species), insects, reptiles, and animals. Over 170 species of birds have been documented by eBirders, including Philadelphia Vireo, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Blue Grosbeak; 31 warbler species have included rarities such as Kentucky and Connecticut.

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Of the property's original three basins, only the center basis remains a constant freshwater impoundment, while the basins to the east and west have grown up as forest. The center basin, accessible by a trail that runs along its southern, western, and northern sides, attracts wintering waterfowl including species uncommon in New York City, such as Redhead and Ring-necked Duck.

The park's woodlands and edge habitat attract many species of migrant songbirds, and a good variety stay to nest. Confirmed and likely breeding species include Mallard, Great-crested and Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, and Baltimore Oriole--along with loads of Gray Catbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds.

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To see birding highlights at Ridgewood Reservoir by the season, see the top of this section.

See "Birding Highlights by the Season" above; the eBird links below also may be helpful. To learn about bird migration times and get other timing tips, see the When to Bird in NYC guide on our Birding 101 page. 

 

For park operating hours, see the “Directions and Visiting Info” section, below.

 

View eBird hotspot records for Ridgewood Reservoir to explore recent bird sightings, species bar charts, and more. (Note that the park is divided into multiple hotspots; click on “Hotspot Map” at left to see even more locations.)

 

While Highland Park is a well-frequented neighborhood Park, the more remote areas of the Ridgwood Reservoir trails are more remote; birding with a companion is recommended. Come prepared for mosquitoes in summer. 

NYC Audubon leads occasional trips to Ridgewood Reservoir. Visit our Local Trips page for information on upcoming walks led by NYC Audubon.

The Brooklyn Bird Club, a private nonprofit organization founded in 1909, offers frequent bird walks in Brooklyn and beyond. The club provides a number of other resources for birders as well, including a checklist and map for birdwatchers of Prospect Park, The Clapper Rail newsletter, and an active blog with the latest news and bird reports.

The trails of Ridgewood Reservoir can be accesses from Highland Park. View a Google map of Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park.

Visit the NYC Parks page for Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park for operating hours, directions, and additional background information. canarsiehs

Flycatchers, thrushes warblers, tanagers, and other land birds; shorebirds and waders

 

Foraging wading birds, gulls, and terns, American Oystercatcher; Osprey; migrating shorebirds; foraging Killdeer, Barn and Tree Swallows; nestin Yellow Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Baltimore Oriole, Boat-tailed Grackle 

 

Shorebirds; warblers, sparrows, and other songbirds

 

Wintering waterfowl including diving ducks and mergansers; common woodpeckers; mixed songbird flocks; Yellow-rumped Warbler

 

Gulls, common dabbling waterfowl

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View a Google map of Canarsie Park.

Canarsie Park, like its surrounding neighborhood and Canarsie Pol, the Harbor Heron Island directly south of it, is named after the Canarsie tribe of Native Americans that once resided here. The park's land includes both NYC Parks and National Parks property, and while much of it is devoted to cricket and other sports fields, it also includes substantial natural habitat: upland scrub and woodland, shorefront on a tidal creek and Jamaica Bay, and Canarsie Pier, a fishing pier that juts out in the Bay.

Canarsie Park is traced by several winding trails including the Jamaica Bay Greenway, which follows the southwest border of the park, and provides access under the Belt Parkway to the Jamaica Bay shoreline, and further east, to Canarsie Pier. As it is essentially a northern component of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge like nearby parks such as Shirley Chisholm and Spring Creek Parks, Canarsie Park attracts a good variety of birds throughout the year--almost 200 species, according to eBirders.

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During the warmer months, watch for wading birds such as Great and Snowy Egrets and both Night-Heron Species, whicn nest on the Jamaica Bay islands. Osprey are frequently spotted, as are other species that nest in the bay such as Common and Forster's Terns, American Oystercatcher, and Willet. Nesting land birds include swallows, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, and Boat-tailed Grackle.

In late summer, look for migrating shorebirds such as Least, Spotted, and both Semipalmated Sandpipers and Plovers. During the winter, check the tidal creek and bay for diving birds such as Bufflehead and both Hooded and Red-breasted Mergansers.

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To see birding highlights at Canarsie Park by the season, see the top of this section.

See "Birding Highlights by the Season" above; the eBird links below also may be helpful. To learn about bird migration times and get other timing tips, see the When to Bird in NYC guide on our Birding 101 page. 

 

For park operating hours, see the “Directions and Visiting Info” section, below.

 

View eBird hotspot records for Canarsie Beach Park to explore recent bird sightings, species bar charts, and more. (Note that the park is divided into multiple hotspots; click on “Hotspot Map” at left to see nearby locations.)

 

Canarsie Park is well-frequented by locals and generally safe to bird. Come prepared for mosquitoes in summer. 

View a Google map of Canarsie Park.

Visit the NYC Parks page for Canarsie Park and the National Parks page for Canarsie Pier for operating hours, directions, and additional background information.