Find out where to go to hike and bird watch on Long Island. 🐦
Does your child love birds? Are you looking to get out more and maybe take a hike? Check out these fun resources for bird-watching!
🎒 Top 5 Kid-Friendly Birding Tips: What to Bring and Why
| 1. Binoculars & Field Guide/App: | Spark curiosity! Apps like Merlin or eBird help ID birds in real time. |
| 2. Scavenger Bird Bingo | Keep kids engaged with fun checklists or bingo cards. |
| 3. Snacks + Water & Sunscreen | Stay energized & sun-safe—kids get hungry fast on trails! |
| 4. Layers + Hats | Weather shifts on the sound, and mornings can be brisk. |
| 5. Journals & Crayons | Draw trips or fun sightings—turn outings into creative keepsakes. |
| ➡️ Bonus tips: | move quietly, mimic bird sounds, and take rest breaks for wildlife watching. |
🐦Upcoming Events:
- South Shore Audubon Societies has various “Bird Walks” 🦅
- Eastern Long Island Audubon Society has various walks, as well.
- Note: Walks in State Parks may include an $8 fee unless you have the Empire Pass.
Know of an upcoming event?
Contact us to submit it or share a flyer with us on Facebook Messenger.
📍 Where to Go: Best Long Island Sites for Hiking & Birdwatching
- Tackapausha Preserve (Seaford) has 84 acres, boardwalk trails, 170+ bird species, and is an easy family hike. (The kids also enjoy seeing the turtles, ducks, and rabbits we usually see in and around the pond.)
- Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge (Shirley) has 2,550-acre estuary preserve with ~300 bird species, ideal for migratory waterfowl and raptors.
- Wertheim & Massapequa Preserve – locals highlight these for raptors, owls, and summer songbirds.
- Norman J. Levy Park (Merrick) is a wetlands & forest mix with an excellent Manhattan-skyline observation point. There are 3.5 miles of walking trails. There is a 1.6 mile trail around the base of the park. It includes a 500 foot fishing pier and 18 exercise stations along the trail.
- Heckscher State Park (East Islip) is home to ~280 bird species in diverse habitats.
- Cold Spring Harbor trails & Caumsett State Park is a scenic North Shore spots with osprey nests and bluff views.
- Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area – hidden town-run reserve for waterfowl, songbirds, and raptors. Follow on Facebook or their Google Site.
- The Bronx Zoo is a great place to find birds. They have birds throughout the park plus the World of Birds exhibit.
- The Queens Zoo also has an Aviary exhibit.
- There are numerous birds to be found in Manhattan’s Central Park.
- The Department of Environmental Conservation also has resources on where to find birds in NY.
🦢 Bird Watching or Audubon Societies on Long Island
- Eastern Long Island Audubon Society – East Quogue, NY – 631/294-9612 – Offers monthly meetings at the Quogue Wild Refuge and monthly walks & field trips.
- Four Harbors Audubon Society – St. James, NY – 631/766-3075 – Offers walks through the Avalon Preserve monthly at the gate opposite the Stony Brook Grist Mill.
- Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society – Huntington, NY – 516/987-7136 – Offers monthly nature programs at the Cold Spring Harbor Library, weekend field trips, and other workshops on and off of Long Island.
- Great South Bay Audubon Society – Sayville, NY – 631/563-7716 – Offers monthly meetings indoors and outdoors, nature walks, and other programs.
- North Fork Audubon Society – Mattituck, NY – 631/477-6456 – Offers walks, field trips, and educational programs for all ages, all year long, as well as, meetings and events at The Red House at Inlet Pond County Park in Greenport.
- North Shore Audubon Society – Port Washington, NY – Offers monthly meetings at the Manhasset Public Library, walks during the week all year long, and on Saturdays during the spring and fall.
- South Shore Audubon Society – Freeport, NY – 516/467-9498 – Offers monthly meetings and occasional walk events.
- Get Involved! Volunteers at the Audubon Centers and Sanctuaries are always needed. Find them in Cold Spring – Hillsdale – and Savannah, NY.
- Download the Audubon Bird Guide App for a complete field guide to over 800 species of North American Birds.
- Explore different species of birds by entering the species name.
- Explore the different regions of the country where birds live, like NY.
- Take a look at species maps with an interactive range map by species and subspecies.
- Explore Hot Spots for birding around the world
- Search photos of birds in the Macaulay Library
- Search bar charts to find out what birds you might see throughout the year in different regions or locations.
- Rare Bird Alert – Did you spot a rare bird or would you like to know what rare birds are in your area? Check ebird.org for rare bird alerts and to submit a rare bird sighting! You can also use
- Checklists for bird watching like a list of birds in NY State and a downloadable field checklist.
- NYS Youth Birders Club information
- Another resource for seeing and reporting rare birds.
- Information about the Annual January Waterfowl Count and how you can participate.
🧭️ Follow us on Facebook for more adventures! 🧭
Want to add an event to our list? Submit your info email to lifamilyadventures@gmail.com.
