Birding in New Jersey
New Jersey is a birding powerhouse, with Cape May ranking among the top birding destinations anywhere in North America.
Overview
The Garden State's Atlantic coastline, Pine Barrens, and Delaware Bay shores make it one of the most productive birding states on the East Coast. Cape May is legendary for fall raptor migration and spring shorebird spectacles, while the Meadowlands marshes near New York City offer surprisingly good urban birding. The Delaware Bay horseshoe crab spawn rivals Delaware's for shorebird concentrations. TrailBird is expanding to cover New Jersey's birding hotspots with live eBird data, trail maps, and seasonal guides.
Seasonal Birding Guide
Delaware Bay shorebird migration in May is world-class. Warblers move through forest corridors across the state.
Breeding Black Skimmers and Least Terns on barrier beaches. Pine Barrens support unique species assemblages.
Cape May hawk migration is legendary, with tens of thousands of raptors counted. Waterbird flights and passerine fallouts make Cape May a must-visit.
Sea ducks and alcids along the coast. Short-eared Owls and Northern Harriers hunt coastal marshes.
Quick Facts
🚨 Recent Rare Bird Alerts in New Jersey
Notable sightings in the last 14 days
No rare alerts in the last 14 days.
🔥 Top Birding Hotspots in New Jersey
Ranked by total species recorded
🪶 What's Being Seen in New Jersey
Species spotted in the last 14 days
No recent species data available yet.
📍 Most Active Hotspots This Week
Where birders are reporting right now
🥾 Trails Near the Action
Hiking trails near recent rare sightings