Birding is a hobby the whole family can enjoy. It can also enhance your connection to the places you travel to as you gain a keen understanding of the ecosystems that have fueled those places for eons.
This is true of New England as well. Below, we’ll discuss the differences between birding and birdwatching, reveal the best birdwatching spots, and highlight some of the unique avians you might spot this winter.
Birding and Birdwatching – What’s the Difference?
It might be said that all birdwatching is birding but not all birding involves watching. Birdwatchers use field guides with pictures or descriptions to identify birds by sight.
Birding is a broader category that can include listening for birdsong in the wild, looking for other evidence of birds (such as nests, feathers, or scat), putting out birdfeeders or baths, or planting native plants for birds to use, for example.
Whether you consider yourself a birdwatcher or an all-around birder, you will do well to equip yourself with a good field guide, a pair of binoculars, a camera, and even a CD of birdsongs you might encounter in the area.
Best Birding Spots in New England
Plum Island, MA is one of the best year-round birding venues. Plum Island is home to diverse habitats and the Plum Island National Wildlife Refuge. It is listed as a US Top 100 birding site.
Other favorite spots include:
- Newburyport’s Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
- Acadia National Park
- Maine’s Baxter State Park
- New Hampshire’s Odiorne Point State Park
- Massachusett’s Outer Cape, which encompasses Monomy National Wildlife Refuge, the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, and Cape Cod National Seashore
Rare and Wonderful New England Bird Sightings
While in New England, you are sure to notice familiar feeder birds such as sparrows, woodpeckers, chickadees, jays, and brilliantly hued northern cardinals. You will also see a myriad of gulls, seabirds, and waterfowl.
But careful observation might allow you to add some of these beauties to your life list:
- Look for the huge nests of the bald eagle near sources of water.
- The snowy owl, pictured above, has striking yellow eyes and white feathers with dark bands. These birds, which typically reside farther north, can often be spotted in New England in winter.
- You might spot a silent-winged great horned owl – or at least hear its haunting call – if you brave deeply wooded areas at night.
- The colorful ring-necked pheasant is a naturalized species that can be found in New England year-round.
- Listen for the whistled “Bob-white” call of the northern bobwhite quail. When it feels threatened, this bird will freeze before bursting into flight with a loud whirring sound.
But really, you can enjoy birding no matter where you are in New England – in the city, on the highway, or even in your own backyard.
Take a birding break on your next vacation. Print out the checklist below and see how many you can spot!
Download the New England Bird-Watching Checklist
One part Lois Lane, one part Jimmy Olsen, one part Johnboy Walton, and a bit of that Clark Kent secret identity thing thrown in for good measure.
Cara Siera is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for travel and exotic cuisine. Join Cara, her husband Marc, and one very spoiled German Shepherd on their next great adventure.