Birding

Alapocas Run

Alapocas Run State Park offers a wide variety of birding options year-round, from open habitats of the Blue Ball Barn to mature forested hillsides.

Alapocas Run State Park offers a wide variety of birding options year-round, from open habitats of the Blue Ball Barn to mature forested hillsides. During spring and fall migration the park’s forests can be teeming with songbirds. Open field and scrub habitat offers excellent habitat for winter sparrows, and don’t miss the Brandywine Creek for herons and egrets, wood duck and common merganser.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L126643
Number of recorded species: 150+
Plan your visit

Auburn Valley

The park's wide diversity of habitats attracts an interesting mix of migrating and breeding bird species.

The park’s wide diversity of habitats attracts an interesting mix of migrating and breeding bird species. Check the man-made wetlands around the old NVF site or the gravel bars in Red Clay Creek for spotted and solitary sandpipers, wading birds and waterfowl. Visit the Oversee Farm property for open field and forest habitat with abundant songbirds and sparrows Throughout the park, look and listen for common ravens that have recently begun appearing in the Delaware Piedmont region.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L1668258
Number of recorded species: 150+
Plan your visit

Beach Plum Island

This lightly visited site along the Delaware Bayshore includes beach, dune and marsh habitat as well as excellent views of the Delaware Bay and Broadkill River.

This lightly visited site along the Delaware Bayshore includes beach, dune and marsh habitat as well as excellent views of the Delaware Bay and Broadkill River. Look for shorebirds on the beach during both spring and fall migration. This is a great place to look for lesser black-backed gull among the more common herring, great black-backed and ring-billed gulls. Red knots frequent the area in late spring to feast on Horseshoe Crab eggs, while willets nest in the dunes throughout summer. Scan the bay from late winter to early spring for sea and bay ducks, loons and gannets.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L2369211
Number of recorded species: 140+
Plan your visit

Bellevue

An urban oasis, this park's habitats include forest, field and wetland and pond.

An urban oasis, this park’s habitats include forest, field and wetland and pond. The park’s forest attracts migrating songbirds, including warblers, orioles, flycatchers and more in both spring and fall. Eastern bluebirds nest around the park’s open fields. And all of the parks habitats are easily accessible from smooth gravel and paved trails and paths.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L1053172
Number of recorded species: 160+
Plan your visit

Brandywine Creek

Brandywine Creek State Park features extensive forested habitat, hillside meadows, Wilson's Run and the Brandywine Creek.

Brandywine Creek State Park features extensive forested habitat, hillside meadows, Wilson’s Run and the Brandywine Creek. Birding is exceptional year round. Migrating songbirds frequent forest trails in spring and fall, and a vast array of hawks, eagles, falcons and vultures can be spotted around the “hawk watch hill” during late summer & early fall. Birding programs frequently offered at this park.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L126640
Number of recorded species: 200+
Plan your visit

Cape Henlopen

A wide variety of coastal habitats provide many excellent birding opportunities throughout the year at Cape Henlopen.

A wide variety of coastal habitats provide many excellent birding opportunities throughout the year at Cape Henlopen. From maritime forests teaming with nuthatches and other songbirds to the nesting habitat for the only viewable Piping Plovers in Delaware at the point – Cape Henlopen is renowned for its diverse birdlife. Check out the Point and Herring Point overlooks for excellent vantage points to scan the bay and ocean for migrating sea ducks, loons and gannets in fall and early spring, Wilson’s storm-petrels in summer and gulls, loons, sea ducks and other waterbirds in winter. Visit Gordons Pond in late summer to see large aggregations of herons, egrets and ibis. A hawk watch is manned in both spring and fall..

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L126644
Number of recorded species: 300+
Plan your visit

Delaware Seashore

More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in this dynamic coastal park.

More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in this dynamic coastal park. The Indian River Inlet is the best place to start your birding trip to spot Purple Sandpipers from late-fall to early spring, as well as large numbers of sea ducks like scoters, common eider and the occasional harlequin duck throughthe winter months. . The hiking trails through the Burton Island and Thompson Island Nature Preserves and Fresh Pond are great places to find songbirds during spring and fall migration. Take advantage of naturalist-guided kayak trips to see nesting colonies of marsh birds in summer.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L192679
Number of recorded species: 250+
Plan your visit

Fenwick Island

More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in this dynamic coastal park.

This little-birded coastal park is a hidden gem on the coast. Walk miles of ocean beach to observe gulls, shorebirds and osprey in summer or explore the shore of Little Assawoman Bay for wading herons, egrets, ibises and more. Great site for spotting waterfowl during winter months.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L634043
Number of recorded species: 140+
Plan your visit

Fork Branch Nature Preserve

Fork Branch Nature Preserve is often overlooked, but contains one of the largest forest tracts in the Saint Jones River watershed and is an urban oasis in the state’s capital.

Fork Branch Nature Preserve is often overlooked, but contains one of the largest forest tracts in the Saint Jones River watershed and is an urban oasis in the state’s capital. White-breasted nuthatch, ovenbird, prothonotary warbler, red-shouldered hawk, great-horned and barred owls all nest in the preserve, and migrant songbirds are frequently spotted in spring and fall.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L6962393
Number of recorded species: 90+
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Fort Delaware

Fort Delaware’s Pea Patch Island is located in the middle of the Delaware River, and home to a large mixed-species heron rookery.

Fort Delaware’s Pea Patch Island is located in the middle of the Delaware River, and home to a large mixed-species heron rookery. The summer home to nine different species of herons, egrets and ibis, visitors canhike the Prison Camp Trail to a raised platform with spectacular views of the heronry and spot nesting songbirds along the way. Bird from the ferry on your journey to the island, then scan the marsh habitat along the tram path for nesting marsh wren and Virginia rail, as well as herons, egrets and shorebirds.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L575120
Number of recorded species: 125+
Plan your visit

Fort DuPont & Port Penn

Fort Delaware’s Pea Patch Island is located in the middle of the Delaware River, and home to a large mixed-species heron rookery.

Fort Dupont’s trails provide access to a variety of habitats for songbirds during spring and fall migration. Scenic river overlooks are perfect for spotting herons and egrets transiting to and from the heronry on Pea Patch Island as well as migrating shorebirds in late spring on their journey to Arctic nesting grounds after feeding along the shores of Delaware Bay.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L4332543
Number of recorded species: 90+
Plan your visit

Fox Point

With one of the best access to the Delaware River in New Castle County, birders can spot winter roosts of great and double-crested cormorants in winter as well as a variety of gulls and shorebirds.

With one of the best access to the Delaware River in New Castle County, birders can spot winter roosts of great and double-crested cormorants in winter as well as a variety of gulls and shorebirds. Spot uncommon songbirds and local favorites in open grassy habitat, too! .

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L144013
Number of recorded species: 200+
Plan your visit

Holts Landing

This small gem of a park provides easy access to Indian River Bay, maritime forest and coastal scrub habitat.

This small gem of a park provides easy access to Indian River Bay, maritime forest and coastal scrub habitat. In winter the crabbing pier is a great place to scan the bay for loons, grebes and waterfowl. The accessible Sea Hawk Trail and marsh boardwalk bring birders to all of the parks habitats including a series of small freshwater ponds for easy viewing of wading shorebirds and songbirds.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L656963
Number of recorded species: 160+
Plan your visit

Killens Pond

Killens Pond State Park’s forest, field, scrub-shrub, swamp and pond habitats are teeming with a wide variety of bird life!

Killens Pond State Park’s forest, field, scrub-shrub, swamp and pond habitats are teeming with a wide variety of bird life! Check out the Pondside Trail for one of the best places in Delaware to find prothonotary warbler as well as a wide variety of songbirds. Hit the forest trails to find woodpeckers, scarlet and summer tanager, Kentucky warbler, barred owls and more. Rent or bring your own watercraft to paddle upstream for more sightings of prothonotary warblers, Lousiana Waterthrush and wood ducks.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L270753
Number of recorded species: 170+
Plan your visit

Lums Pond

Productive birding happens year-round with trails that access forest, field, Delaware's largest pond and lots of edge habitat.

Productive birding happens year-round with trails that access forest, field, Delaware’s largest pond and lots of edge habitat. A nice variety of songbirds can be found in the park’s forests and fields, while waterfowl, herons and egrets frequent the pond and its edges.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L131094
Number of recorded species: 190+
Plan your visit

Trap Pond

Bird in one of Delaware’s most unique habitats: a baldcypress swamp and surrounding forest!

Bird in one of Delaware’s most unique habitats: a baldcypress swamp and surrounding forest! Find Summer Tanager, Kentucky warbler and other summer migrants amid the baldcypress, as well as woodpeckers and bald eagles year round. Waterfowl and Tundra Swan are abundant in the winter months. Explore on trails or watercraft with rentals and launch sites.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L469392
Number of recorded species: 170+
Plan your visit

White Clay Creek

A delight for warblers and migrant songbird spotting!

A delight for warblers and migrant songbird spotting! Frequent sightings include more than 20 warbler species, Baltimore oriole, Louisiana Waterthrush, American redstart, northern parula and barred owls. Explore habitats including the slow-flowing scenic White Clay Creek, mature hardwood forest, open field and meadow.

eBird hotspot – ebird.org/hotspot/L304814
Number of recorded species: 200+
Plan your visit

Wilmington

An urban oasis providing important habitat to migrant songbirds and more, Wilmington State Parks’ Rockford and Brandywine Parks are easily accessible and productive birding locations.

An urban oasis providing important habitat to migrant songbirds and more, Wilmington State Parks’ Rockford and Brandywine Parks are easily accessible and productive birding locations. During spring and fall migration, spot warblers, thrushes, finches and other songbirds. In winter, bird along the brandywine creek for waterfowl. Plus, keep an eye out for the local pair of nesting peregrine falcons as they hunt along the Brandywine.