Birding Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx

Plan Pelham Bay Park birding around Hunter Island, Twin Islands and Orchard Beach, with seasonal birds, raptor flight clues, transit and access checks.

Places · Updated October 23, 2026 · Editorial team Sparrow Line

NYC bird checklist by month

235 species reported in the five boroughs. Pick a month and a place; tick what you see (your ticks stay in this browser).

Species reported here, month by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct92NovDec

92 species reported in October at Pelham Bay Park.

  • American Robin Turdus migratorius

    commonfairly common Jan, common Feb–Dec

    Orange breast below gray back, with broken white eye-ring.

  • European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

    commonfairly common Jan, common Feb–Dec

    Short-tailed, pointed-winged blackbird with iridescent plumage, heavily pale-spotted in winter.

  • Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

    commoncommon Jan–Oct, fairly common Nov, common Dec

    Pointed crest and thick orange-red bill in both sexes.

  • Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

    commoncommon all year

    Long, pointed tail with white outer edges.

  • Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata

    commoncommon all year

    Blue crest and bold black necklace.

  • Canada Goose Branta canadensis

    commoncommon Jan–Jun, fairly common Jul, common Aug–Dec

    Black neck and head with a broad white chinstrap.

  • Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

    commoncommon all year

    Blue wing patch bordered in white; breeding males have glossy green heads.

  • White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

    commoncommon Jan–Apr, fairly common May, not expected Jun–Aug, fairly common Sep, common Oct–Dec

    White throat patch and yellow spots between bill and eyes.

  • American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus

    commoncommon all year

    Large pale gray gull with pink legs and black wingtips.

  • Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

    commoncommon all year

    Bold breast streaks usually converge into a dark central spot.

  • Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

    commoncommon all year

    Black ring encircles the yellow bill near its tip.

  • Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos

    commoncommon Jan, fairly common Feb, common Mar–Dec

    Large white wing patches flash conspicuously in flight.

Seasonal data: eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0, 2021–2025. Status is our own index: how often a bird is reported, relative to the most-reported bird that month (reports, not a promise of a sighting).

In short

  • Choose April to May or September to October for a mixed woodland-and-shore walk; December to February reports emphasize waterfowl.
  • Combine Hunter Island's Kazimiroff Nature Trail with the Orchard Beach promenade, adding Twin Islands only on open public routes.
  • Bufflehead and Red-breasted Merganser are among Pelham Bay Park's most-reported winter birds in the 2021 to 2025 data.
  • Take the 6 train to Pelham Bay Park, then plan a separate bus-and-walking connection toward Orchard Beach.

What is reported at Pelham Bay Park

Pelham Bay Park, the Bronx. Most species are reported in September (106, rare ones not counted).

Species reported here, month by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSep106OctNovDec

Stand-outs by season

Birds reported often here in that season, and more often than in the rest of the year.

Winter Dec, Jan, Feb

  1. Buffleheadcommon
  2. Greater Scaupcommon
  3. Red-breasted Mergansercommon
  4. Canada Goosecommon
  5. American Black Duckcommon
  6. Gadwallcommon

Spring Mar, Apr, May

  1. Red-winged Blackbirdcommon
  2. Common Gracklecommon
  3. American Robincommon
  4. Mallardcommon
  5. European Starlingcommon
  6. Northern Cardinalcommon

Summer Jun, Jul, Aug

  1. Barn Swallowcommon
  2. Great Egretcommon
  3. Gray Catbirdcommon
  4. Ospreycommon
  5. Yellow Warblercommon
  6. Laughing Gullcommon

Fall Sep, Oct, Nov

  1. Blue Jaycommon
  2. Eastern Phoebecommon
  3. Double-crested Cormorantcommon
  4. Ruby-crowned Kingletcommon
  5. Swamp Sparrowcommon
  6. Great Blue Heroncommon

Seasonal data: eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0, 2021–2025. Status is our own index: how often a bird is reported, relative to the most-reported bird that month (reports, not a promise of a sighting).

Pelham Bay Park birding works well as a woodland-and-shore outing: pair Hunter Island's marked trails with Orchard Beach's open water views. Choose April to May or September to October for a mixed route, or December to February for winter waterfowl. Plan the connection beyond the 6 train terminal before leaving home.

What the place is like

NYC Parks manages forest, salt marsh, rocky shoreline and beach across Pelham Bay Park. NYC Parks describes Hunter Island, about 189 acres, with an interior forest and a wetland border.

The Hunter Island Marine Sanctuary includes Twin Islands and the northeastern Hunter Island shoreline. These sensitive areas are protected, so stay on designated public routes and keep off offshore islands.

Start with one woodland route and one public shoreline to keep your walk manageable. Compare other transit-accessible options in the NYC birding places guide.

Season by season

These seasonal summaries use Pelham Bay Park reports from the eBird Observation Dataset, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, via GBIF, 2021 to 2025. The site's seasonal index was verified October 23, 2026. It shows how often birds are reported in each season, not what a single visit will bring.

Spring, April to May. Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Song Sparrow are among the park's most-reported birds. Great Egret and Double-crested Cormorant also appear often, supporting a walk that pairs woods with water.

Summer, June to July. Reports frequently include Barn Swallow, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler and Osprey. Check the vegetation, open sky and water as you walk through the park.

Fall, September to October. Blue Jay, Northern Flicker and Common Yellowthroat are among the most-reported species. Great Egret, Great Blue Heron and gulls make the shoreline worth a visit.

Winter, December to February. Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, American Black Duck and Greater Scaup appear regularly in winter park reports. Blue Jay and White-throated Sparrow are among the most-reported woodland birds then.

Use the month-by-month birding year for broader timing across the city. The NYC bird checklist lets you compare seasonal reporting patterns before you head out.

Where to walk

NYC Parks trail and natural-area descriptions provide the route references here, verified October 23, 2026.

Hunter Island: woodland first. Follow the marked Kazimiroff Nature Trail loops. NYC Parks lists the Red Loop at 0.94 mile and the Blue Loop at 1.24 miles. Pick one loop to suit your pace.

Pause where the trail opens into a clearing. Watch birds moving between tree canopies, then compare their wing shape, tail proportions and flight rhythm.

Orchard Beach: shore and sky. Walk the public promenade for broad water views without stepping into sensitive marsh vegetation. Scan the bay in sections, then check the open sky overhead for flying raptors and gulls.

Twin Islands: a conditional extension. Add the designated public path only when access and trail conditions allow. View the shoreline and marsh from established trails. Never use exposed mudflats or tidal rocks as shortcuts.

Compare raptor silhouettes and flight

A silhouette is a bird's outline against the sky. Field marks are visible identification clues such as proportions, wing patterns and flight style, beyond plumage color alone. Cornell Lab raptor identification resources support these comparisons.

Use the raptor silhouette table to practice identifying shapes in flight from public viewing areas.

Candidate Shape and flight clues to compare Look-alike or limitation Public viewing area
Northern Harrier Low gliding flight with wings held in a shallow V, called a dihedral. Confirm the wing angle with the low hunting flight and the white rump patch when visible. Open marsh views from designated Twin Islands paths
Sharp-shinned Hawk Small head barely projecting beyond the wing wrists; square or notched tail; quick flap-and-glide flight. Separate from Cooper's Hawk using head projection and tail shape along with size. Kazimiroff trail clearings
Cooper's Hawk Larger projecting head, broad shoulders and a more rounded tail outline. Tail posture and viewing angle can obscure the difference from Sharp-shinned Hawk. Hunter Island woodland openings
Red-tailed Hawk Broad wings; adults show a broad rusty-red tail. Compare Red-shouldered Hawk; look for the dark bar along the leading edge of the underwing. Orchard Beach promenade
Osprey Long wings with a pronounced wrist bend, producing an M-shaped outline when seen overhead. Check flight rhythm and proportions to separate an Osprey from large gulls. Orchard Beach and public Twin Islands shoreline views

Getting there and rules

These access details come from MTA and NYC Parks updates verified October 23, 2026; check before you go.

  • Subway. Take the 6 train to the Pelham Bay Park terminal. MTA lists this station as ADA accessible, but Hunter Island requires an additional bus or walking connection.
  • Buses. MTA connects subway riders to Orchard Beach via the City Island-bound Bx29 bus; MTA lists the Bx12 to Orchard Beach on summer weekends only. Check bus stops and walking distances in advance.
  • Restrooms. Check NYC Parks notices for current restroom hours and seasonal closures before traveling.
  • Sanctuary boundaries. Stay on marked public paths, follow posted closures and keep off offshore islands.

Birding etiquette here

Keep owl watching incidental: view from marked trails at a distance, keep visits short and back away if a bird shifts posture. Never share roost locations, use audio playback, or crowd an owl for photos.

Keep dogs leashed and away from marsh borders. Give foraging shorebirds plenty of space and avoid walking through resting flocks on the sand.

Follow NYC Health tick-prevention advice, verified October 23, 2026. Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent and inspect your clothing and skin after walking near woods or tall grass. Walk in the center of cleared paths. NYC Health advises seeing a health care provider if a rash, fever or flu-like symptoms develop within a few weeks of a tick bite or a walk in tick habitat. Call 911 in a medical emergency.

  • Bring binoculars and a downloaded trail map.
  • Confirm 6 train service, your connecting bus and the return trip.
  • Check NYC Parks notices, restroom availability and shoreline conditions.
  • Carry water, sturdy footwear and an EPA-registered tick repellent.
  • Keep any dog leashed and remain on designated public routes.

Questions we get

Does an accessible subway station mean the woodland route is accessible?

No. MTA lists Pelham Bay Park station as ADA accessible, but that does not establish a step-free route through Hunter Island. Confirm the connecting bus, paths and facilities separately with MTA and NYC Parks.

How many bird species have been recorded in Pelham Bay Park?

NYC Bird Alliance reports more than 250 recorded species. That is a cumulative park total over many years, not the number to expect during a single visit.

Should I identify a distant hawk if I only saw its outline?

Record the shape and flight behavior, but leave the identification broad if clues conflict. Logging "hawk species" or "Cooper's/Sharp-shinned Hawk" is more useful than an unsupported species identification.

Keep reading

How we know

Seasonal patterns are guides, not promises of a sighting. Check current access rules and conditions before heading out. Give birds space, stay on open paths and avoid disturbing nests or roosts.