Jones Beach State Park, located on Long Island in New York, is a popular beach destination that also provides excellent birdwatching opportunities. The park’s diverse habitats, including open ocean beach, bay beach, marshes, and woodlands, attract over 300 species of birds throughout the year. Some birds are permanent residents, while others only visit during spring and fall migrations or winter months. This article provides an overview of some of the notable bird species that can be found in Jones Beach State Park.
Seabirds
The open ocean beaches and offshore waters of Jones Beach draw many seabird species. The most commonly sighted include:
- Northern Gannet – Large seabirds with bright white bodies, black wingtips and graceful flight. Gannets plunge dive for fish.
- Herring Gull – Abundant large gulls with pale gray backs and white heads and undersides. Omnivorous.
- Great Black-backed Gull – The largest gull in the world, identified by entirely black backs and large size. Eats fish, crabs, mollusks and small mammals.
- Forster’s Tern – Medium-sized terns with orange legs, a black cap and forked tail. Hovers while hunting for small fish.
- Common Tern – Smaller terns with gray backs, forked tails and orange legs. Nests on beaches.
- Double-crested Cormorant – Large aquatic birds with black feathers and orange facial skin. Often seen perched on rocks with wings spread to dry.
Other pelagic species like Northern Fulmar, Black-legged Kittiwake and Wilson’s Storm-Petrel may also be observed from shore following storms or during migration. Patient birders can scan feeding flocks offshore for rarer jaegers, skuas and shearwaters as well.
Shorebirds
Beaches and tidal flats provide critical foraging and roosting habitat for shorebirds. Some of the shorebirds commonly seen at Jones Beach include:
- Piping Plover – Small pale shorebirds with single neck bands, often found feeding in tidal zones. Threatened species.
- American Oystercatcher – Large black and white shorebirds with long, bright red bills used for prying open oysters.
- Willet – Large mottled brown and white shorebirds with long bills. Loud “pill-will-willet” calls.
- Ruddy Turnstone – Plump shorebirds with black, white and reddish markings and short orange bills. Turn stones to find prey.
- Sanderling – Tiny shorebirds that run in and out of waves, probing for insects. Mostly white and gray.
- Semipalmated Plover – Small pale brown and white plovers with single neck bands. Quick run-stop feeding style.
Other sandpipers, yellowlegs and plovers are also regulars along the ocean and bay beaches. These busy birds forage in the intertidal zone and roost in large groups at high tide.
Marsh Birds
Coastal marshes in Jones Beach provide prime habitat for wading birds and waterfowl. Look for these species in the marshes:
- Snowy Egret – Slender white herons with yellow feet and black legs. Stalk prey in shallow water.
- Black-crowned Night Heron – Shorter gray and black herons, with white faces and red eyes. Nocturnal feeders.
- Glossy Ibis – Curved red bills give this dark ibis its name. Wades in flocks, probing mud for prey.
- Osprey – Large fish hawks that dive for fish. Look for hovering birds and huge stick nests.
- Clapper Rail – Shy grayish marsh birds with long bills and reddish markings. Listen for “clap-clap” calls.
- Seaside Sparrow – Stout orange and gray sparrows of the saltmarsh. Skulk in marsh grasses, flushed by walkers.
Wading birds like egrets, herons and ibises congregate in marsh pools at low tide to feed on fish and invertebrates. Rails and seaside sparrows take cover in dense marsh vegetation.
Raptors
Jones Beach State Park provides nesting and migratory stopover habitat for numerous birds of prey. Some raptors to watch for include:
- Bald Eagle – Large dark eagles with white heads and tails, often seen soaring over bay waters.
- Northern Harrier – Slender hawks that fly with distinctive V-shaped wings held at an upward angle.
- Sharp-shinned Hawk – Tiny but fierce accipiters that surprise prey from dense woods.
- Cooper’s Hawk – Larger woodland accipiters with broad banded tails.
- Red-tailed Hawk – Common large soaring buteos with rich brown bodies and reddish tails.
- Osprey – Fish hawks that dive feet-first to snag prey. Look for hovering birds and huge nests.
- American Kestrel – Colorful small falcons, seen perched on wires or hovering while hunting.
Migrant Merlins, Peregrine Falcons and Short-eared Owls also pass through in spring and fall, patrolling beaches and fields for food.
Woodland Birds
Woodlands and scrub habitat scattered through Jones Beach provide refuge for songbirds. Some species to search for among the trees and bushes include:
- Northern Flicker – Distinctive woodpeckers with brown barred backs, spotted bellies and black “mustache” marks.
- Eastern Phoebe – Dainty flycatchers that constantly wag their tails. Nest under eaves and bridges.
- Blue Jay – Familiar noisy jays with blue, white and black plumage.
- Black-capped Chickadee – Active little birds with soft chick-a-dee-dee calls. Common in winter flocks.
- Tufted Titmouse – Plump gray birds with crest tufts and loud whistled calls.
- White-throated Sparrow – Large striped sparrows with bright white throats and melodic calls.
- Eastern Towhee – Long-tailed black and rufous birds that kick leaf litter aside while foraging.
Warblers and other neotropical migrants flock to the park’s wooded areas during spring and fall migrations. Pine woods host species like Pine Warbler and Prairie Warbler year-round.
Open Country Birds
Beaches, fields and parking lots offer habitat for open country species in Jones Beach. Some open area birds include:
- Horned Lark – Brown larks with black breast bands and feather tufts, often seen walking on beaches.
- Barn Swallow – Dark blue swallows with long forked tails and reddish throats.
- American Pipit – Small brown-and-white ground foragers that wag their tails frequently.
- Killdeer – Noisy plovers with two neck bands and reddish rumps.
- American Kestrel – Tiny falcons that hover while hunting for rodents in grassy areas.
Other swallows, blackbirds, gulls, waterfowl and breeding sparrows are also found in open habitats throughout Jones Beach.
Best Birdwatching Areas
Some specific places to look for birds in Jones Beach State Park include:
- West End 2 – A prime shorebird spot, with tidal flats and small rock jetties attracting sandpipers, plovers and more.
- West End Nature Center – Woodland trails harbor songbirds and raptors.
- Southwest Nature Area & Quogue Wildlife Refuge – Coastal woodlands and marsh with trails.
- Zach’s Bay – Good for viewing seabirds like loons and grebes in winter.
- The Point – Jutting rock formations hold roosting Double-crested Cormorants.
Patient observers can also find good birding along the park’s many trails, beach walkways, fishing piers and picnic areas.
Seasonal Highlights
Different Jones Beach birds can be seen throughout the year. Here are some seasonal highlights:
Winter
- Red-throated Loon
- Common Eider
- Long-tailed Duck
- Horned Grebe
- Purple Sandpiper
- Iceland Gull
- Snow Bunting
Spring
- Osprey
- Piping Plover
- Seaside Sparrow
- Marsh Wren
- Warblers
- Scarlet Tanager
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Summer
- Least Tern
- Black Skimmer
- Boat-tailed Grackle
- Chuck-will’s-widow
- Yellow-crowned Night Heron
- Glossy Ibis
- Black-bellied Plover
Fall
- Jaegers
- Shearwaters
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Upland Sandpiper
- American Golden Plover
- Merlin
- Orange-crowned Warbler
Conclusion
With productive coastal habitats like ocean beach, salt marsh, pine woods and more, Jones Beach State Park attracts a remarkable variety of birds throughout the year. Over 300 species have been recorded in the park, ranging from pelagic seabirds to secretive marsh denizens to wide-ranging raptors, waterfowl and songbirds. Birders of all levels are sure to find rewarding species to observe during a visit.