Lots of us live in big cities and believe that if we want to view birds we either have to do it from out backyards (if we have them) or we must drive long distances to spot birds in the wild. And those are our only two options. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this article I want to give everyone some tips on bird watching right in the middle of a big city.

Just last week, I mentioned the Blackburn Pavilion at the London Zoo which features an entire rainforest with many species of birds – all in the heart of a bustling city like London. Most big cities have some sort of dedicated green space whether it be Central Park in New York City, Hyde Park in Chicago or Piedmont Park in Atlanta. Speaking of New York’s Central park you can find about 275 species of birds out of the 800 that can be found in North America. This is an excellent place to start.

Another commonality with large cities is a river is usually within the city limits. This is another great spot to find birds as birds love water. You can view some great birds from bridges, hiking trails, in parking lots, even in sewage ponds.

Also, many big cities are along some bird’s migratory patterns, so even if they don’t stay for a lengthy amount of time you may have a short window to get a glimpse of some rare birds without traveling to far from home. Other factors that make a big city a good place to find birds are the fact that the temperatures are slightly warmer and the ample supply of food.

Gardens remain a vitally important habitat for birds and other wildlife. Even if you live in the city and don’t have much space available for gardening any little helps. Many species of birds are doing very well as a result of people providing safe havens for them in their gardens. Providing food, water and shelter are not only helpful to birds, it will also encourage a wider variety of birds.

When you bird watch by yourself or with a group, make sure you to bring all the equipment you need like a pair of binoculars, a pen, a journal, a hat, backpack and even a digital camera. With a digital camera you will be able to start your life list and also if you weren’t able to identify the species right away you can always look it up online when you get home.


City Birding