One of the largest parks in Brooklyn, Prospect Park, offers the chance to see just about any bird that travels through New York City. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Prospect Park is ideal for birding, with more than 250 species spotted each year, including migrating songbirds in spring and fall, and a large diversity of waterfowl and resident birds throughout the year.
For these reasons, Prospect Park has been designated one of New York’s 130 Important Bird Areas, which are critical for bird conservation.
Prospect Park features a variety of nature trails, accessible areas, viewing platforms, and an Audubon Center that is open seasonally. It is also accessible via public transportation. To plan a visit to this site or to check out more unique birding areas located throughout New York, click on the New York State Birding Trail map.
Photo of bird watchers courtesy Virginia Freire, Prospect Park Audubon Center.
My first awareness of Prospect Park (since I live in another nearby state) was unfortunately Mayor Bloomberg’s death decree for 900 Canada geese who called it home – this was around the time of the “Miracle on the Hudson” Flight 1549, and he was obsessed with these birds flying into airplanes, hence his authorised killing of Canada geese all over, starting in Prospect Park. This was regardless of the fact that these were largely resident geese who did not fly high or far enough to be a threat to aircaft (similar to the ongoing killing of them at Jamaica Bay Refuge, shamefully endorsed and abetted by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand), and subsequent information about Flight 1549, which was an Airbus A320 – the FAA had issued warnings in previous years that the Airbus A320 was prone to double engine failure and was also written up in numerous aviation publications for same.
I hope there will never again be bird executions in this beautiful park and it can be enjoyed for the lovely nature home and educational resource it truly is.