Staten Island Greenbelt



The Greenbelt Nature Center is a good starting off and orientation part for those new to the Greenbelt. It offers nature education programming, including bird walks, year-round and has displays about Greenbelt ecology. The Nature Center has its own short Nature Loop Trail, but is also a useful starting point to explore a number of the location described on this page. From the Nature Center property, you can easily connect to the Blue and White trails shown on the Greenbelt trail map. The White Trail leads from Willowbrook Park to the Nature Center's North, and continues all the way south to Great Kills Park on the south shore. The Blue Trail swings around in a long loop through Latourette Park and High Rock Park, and eventually all the way to Clove Lakes Park.
View a Google map of the Greenbelt Nature Center and visit the NYC Parks page for the GreenBelt Nature Center for operating hours and directions,.
View a detailed map of the Greenbelt Trail System (PDF) to see all the locations on this page. highrockhs

Birding Highlights by the Season
Get Oriented

High Rock Park, owned by NYC Parks, is a fine place to bird in spring, fall and winter. With approximately 190 acres of older second growth forest, a stroll in these woods can be a rewarding experience for naturalists..
Oaks dominate with hickories, White Ash, Sweetgum, Black Birch, American Beech and other deciduous trees native to our region making up the character of this forest.
Some of the vernal ponds, permanent ponds and the Loosestrife Swamp (which is close to the parking area) are excellent in early spring for locating a fine diversity of migrant birds.
Fungi and wildflowers can be found along with Spring Peepers, Gray Tree Frogs and other amphibians. White-tailed Deer are now recent immigrants in the Greenbelt and are encountered while walking the trails.

Both kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, Eastern Phoebes, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Pine, Yellow, and Palm Warblers are among the spring migrants that can be observed in good numbers in a more natural setting compared to other parks. From mid-March through May, birds can be seen and heard in the trees. The rich understory here provides habitat for species such as Hooded Warbler, Kentucky Warbler (rare) and Mourning Warblers.
Gray-cheeked Thrush can be found in mid-May along the asphalt road leading uphill especially after a rainfall when many larvae fall from trees. Flowering oaks in spring harbor a number of caterpillars on their catkins. This produces a wealth of food for warblers and other migrants. During good flights or "waves" this park can be very productive.

Look for the Acadian Flycatcher in June in the moister parts of the park near the swamp and just west of the swamp beyond a glacial hill of the moraine. Acadian Flycatchers are quite vocal but it requires some patience to locate the birds.
With some patience, Eastern Screech-Owls can be found roosting in Wood Duck boxes or in tree cavities. Creating a stressful situation for the owls with tapes or imitated calls during the breeding season, is discouraged.

When to Go
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.
eBird
Guided Bird Walks
The Greenbelt Conservancy, a nonprofit working in partnership with NYC Parks, offers bird walks from the Greenbelt Nature Center and throughout the entire Staten Island Greenbelt, along with other educational programming.
The Staten Island Museum, founded in 1881 by a group of young Staten Island naturalists, offers bird and nature walks in Staten Island's parks throughout the year, along with many other programs and educational activities.
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Staten Island's principal land conservation organization, offers bird and nature walks and other conservation-oriented events throughout the year. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and its forerunner, SIGNAL, were involved in the preservation of much of Staten Island's parkland, and the organization continues to fight for the responsible stewardship and preservation of the island's wild habitats.
Personal Safety
Directions and Visiting Info
Visit the NYC Parks page for High Rock Park for operating hours, directions, and additional background information. The Greenbelt Conservancy page for High Rock Park provides further information.willowbrookhs

Birding Highlights by the Season
Get Oriented

The 164 acres of Willowbrook Park preserve a natural area of freshwater streams and wetlands that has long been under threat of development. The park include a large tract of lowland forest where Tulip Poplar, Red Maple, and yes, willows (of several species) grow, as well as a Red Maple swamp. The park includes and is connected to the rest of the Greenbelt via the property at one time destined to become the Willowbrook Parkway extension; the park is now reachable by a hike along the White Trail.
Willobrook Park's wetlands and woodlands attract a good variety of species; eBirders have recorded over 165 species here. Wading birds and waterfowl are in good supply and acessible to view by birders, but a good varietey of flycatchers, warblers, and other songbird are also seen here.

When to Go
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.
eBird
Guided Bird Walks
The Greenbelt Conservancy, a nonprofit working in partnership with NYC Parks, offers bird walks from the Greenbelt Nature Center and throughout the entire Staten Island Greenbelt, along with other educational programming.
The Staten Island Museum, founded in 1881 by a group of young Staten Island naturalists, offers bird and nature walks in Staten Island's parks throughout the year, along with many other programs and educational activities.
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Staten Island's principal land conservation organization, offers bird and nature walks and other conservation-oriented events throughout the year. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and its forerunner, SIGNAL, were involved in the preservation of much of Staten Island's parkland, and the organization continues to fight for the responsible stewardship and preservation of the island's wild habitats.
Personal Safety
Directions and Visiting Info
Visit the NYC Parks page for Willowbrook Park for operating hours, directions, and additional background information. The Greenbelt Conservancy page for Willowbrook Park provides further information.latourettehs

Birding Highlights by the Season
Get Oriented

Latourette Park is a multiuse park including a golf course and other recreations faclities. It also includes some of the richest and most fabled lowland habitat in the Greenbelt, including Heyerdahl Hill and Buck's Hollow, a rich bottomland featuring wetland species such as native Persimmon and Skunk Cabbage, a refuge of Spring Peepers and Gray Tree Frog. The woodlands here host forest species uncommon in New York City, including Pileated Woodpecker.
Because of Latourette Park's multiple parts and location in the middle of the Greenbelt, it is somewhat difficult to get a clear picture of the outlines of this park. It is best accesses via the Greenbelt trail system; the Greenbelt Nature Center is a good starting-off point.

When to Go
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.
eBird
Personal Safety
Guided Bird Walks
The Greenbelt Conservancy, a nonprofit working in partnership with NYC Parks, offers bird walks from the Greenbelt Nature Center and throughout the entire Staten Island Greenbelt, along with other educational programming.
The Staten Island Museum, founded in 1881 by a group of young Staten Island naturalists, offers bird and nature walks in Staten Island's parks throughout the year, along with many other programs and educational activities.
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Staten Island's principal land conservation organization, offers bird and nature walks and other conservation-oriented events throughout the year. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and its forerunner, SIGNAL, were involved in the preservation of much of Staten Island's parkland, and the organization continues to fight for the responsible stewardship and preservation of the island's wild habitats.
Directions and Visiting Info
Visit the NYC Parks page for Latourette Park for operating hours, directions, and additional background information.moravianhs

Birding Highlights by the Season
Get Oriented

Like many cemeteries in New York City, Moravian Cemetery offers excellent birding. Directly Adjacent to High Rock Park and within the boundaries of the Greenbelt, the cemetery is the oldest on Staten Island, dating to 1740. It's two lakes and wooded grounds have attracted at least 160 bird species, as documented by eBirders. A surprising variety of diving and dabblings ducks have been seen here, including Ring-necked Duck, Redhead, and Common Goldeneye.
The mature trees in the cemetery also attract a variety of landbirds including a strong contingent of woodpeckers: even Pileated Woodpecker, which has recently begun nesting in the Greenbelt, is seen here. A good variety of other year-round tree-loving birds such as chickadeees, nuthatches, and Blue Jays are joined during migration by warblers, kinglets, and other songbirds.

When to Go
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.
eBird
Personal Safety
Guided Bird Walks
The Staten Island Museum, founded in 1881 by a group of young Staten Island naturalists, offers bird and nature walks in Staten Island's parks throughout the year, along with many other programs and educational activities.
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Staten Island's principal land conservation organization, offers bird and nature walks and other conservation-oriented events throughout the year. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and its forerunner, SIGNAL, were involved in the preservation of much of Staten Island's parkland, and the organization continues to fight for the responsible stewardship and preservation of the island's wild habitats.
Directions and Visiting Info
Visit the Moravian Cemetery website for operating hours, directions, and additional background information.williamtdavishs

Birding Highlights by the Season
Get Oriented

The William T. Davis Wildlife refuge was the first designated wildlife preserve in New York. In 1928, William T. Davis (a renowned naturalist and entomologist) and the Audubon Society successfully secured 52 acres as a wildlife and bird sanctuary which has grown through various acquisitions to the almost 430 acres it is today. The refuge is remarkably diverse, containing broad expanses of salt meadow fringed by low marsh, forested uplands, rock outcrops, a swamp forest, and small, spring-fed ponds. The variety of habitat is reflected by abundant birdlife.

When to Go
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.
eBird
Personal Safety
Guided Bird Walks
The Greenbelt Conservancy, a nonprofit working in partnership with NYC Parks, offers bird walks from the Greenbelt Nature Center and throughout the entire Staten Island Greenbelt, along with other educational programming.
The Staten Island Museum, founded in 1881 by a group of young Staten Island naturalists, offers bird and nature walks in Staten Island's parks throughout the year, along with many other programs and educational activities.
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Staten Island's principal land conservation organization, offers bird and nature walks and other conservation-oriented events throughout the year. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and its forerunner, SIGNAL, were involved in the preservation of much of Staten Island's parkland, and the organization continues to fight for the responsible stewardship and preservation of the island's wild habitats.
Directions and Visiting Info
Visit the NYC Parks page for he William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge for operating hours, directions, a refuge map, and additional background information.
Read more about the Refuge on this NYC Parks page.brookfieldhs

Birding Highlights by the Season
Get Oriented

Staten Island's Brookfield Park has gone from a toxic blight to a beautiful natural area with plenty of walking trails and paths for intrepid city travelers. The park was once the site of a municipal solid waste facility, one that needed tons of care to make safe for plants, animals, and people--two million tons of soil, in fact. A layer of soil four feet deep covers a barrier which keeps any pollutants from affecting the soil.

When to Go
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.
eBird
Personal Safety
Guided Bird Walks
The Greenbelt Conservancy, a nonprofit working in partnership with NYC Parks, offers bird walks from the Greenbelt Nature Center and throughout the entire Staten Island Greenbelt, along with other educational programming.
The Staten Island Museum, founded in 1881 by a group of young Staten Island naturalists, offers bird and nature walks in Staten Island's parks throughout the year, along with many other programs and educational activities.
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Staten Island's principal land conservation organization, offers bird and nature walks and other conservation-oriented events throughout the year. Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and its forerunner, SIGNAL, were involved in the preservation of much of Staten Island's parkland, and the organization continues to fight for the responsible stewardship and preservation of the island's wild habitats.
Directions and Visiting Info
View a NYC Parks trail map of the park.
Visit the NYC Parks page for Brookfield Park for operating hours, directions, and additional background information.