Great Spots To Watch Birds Without Leaving Your Seat
Birds wind up on the strangest perches, and not always in remote places. Wild turkeys roam Central Park in midtown Manhattan. Hummingbirds and herons are seen near downtown Denver, Colorado, and loons linger along Cleveland’s lakefront.
The National Audubon Society has released its list of the 15 most accessible Important Bird Areas to remind people that birdwatching exists on many levels that do not include getting up before the crack of dawn in a remote wilderness area.
Besides providing passive birdwatching experiences inside cities, urban perches are important stops for migratory birds on their lengthy trips.
“Important Bird Areas provide vital homes, nesting areas and rest stops for migratory birds all across the United States,” said Frank Gill, Audubon senior vice president of science. “While many areas are in places that can’t be visited, many are easily accessible to people in and around cities.”
Audubon’s Important Bird Areas program identifies places that are home to a significant number of birds, including species that are endangered or threatened. It also lists hundreds of species of special concern, including many birds on the Audubon WatchList of birds in decline or at special conservation risk.
Besides Denver, New York and Cleveland, the list includes urban areas like Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, the C&O Canal National Historic Park in Washington, DC, and Rock Creek Park in Rockville, Maryland.
More than 1,500 Important Bird Areas have been identified by Audubon and its partners in 46 states. Once an area is classified, Audubon works with BirdLife International and local community partners to aid in restoration and protection efforts.
The American Birding Association reminds birdwatchers to respect wildlife and habitat by avoiding activities that may disturb or stress birds. Do not expose them to danger during observation, and limit or avoid using recordings to attract birds. Stay back from nests, roosts and feeding sites.
The 15 most visitable Important Bird Areas, in alphabetical order are:
* B. Everett Jordan Lake near Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina
* C&O Canal National Historic Park, Washington, DC
* Central Park, New York City
* Cleveland Lake Front, Cleveland, Ohio
* Congaree Swamp National Monument, Columbia, South Carolina
* Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, Boise, Idaho
* Denver City Parks Lakes, Denver, Colorado
* East Rock Park, New Haven, Connecticut
* Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park, Casper, Wyoming
* Everglades National Park near Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida
* Fernbank Forest in Atlanta, Georgia
* John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Tinicum Island, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
* Potlatch State Park, northwest of Olympia, Washington
* Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York
* Rock Creek Park, Rockville, Maryland
Provided by theEnvironmental News Service.
