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Birding in the Finger Lakes

Birding is one of the most popular year 'round outdoor activities in the region. This is due primarily to the region's diverse habitat, the hundreds of bird species that visit and breed in the region, the many opportunities to view birds, and the promotion of an interest in birds by such institutions as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Braddock Bay Raptor Research, and Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.

The Finger Lakes is on the Atlantic Flyway and benefits from the great migrations of birds from their wintering grounds in the southern U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America to their breeding grounds in New York State and Canada. Errant species are not uncommon and add interest, if not excitement, to the activity.

Below is some information to help you get started birding in the Finger Lakes.

STATE BIRD CLUB

New York State Ornithological Association

P.O. Box 95

Durhamville, NY 13054

REGIONAL BIRD CLUBS

Burroughs Audubon Nature Club

P.O. Box 26814

Rochester, NY 14626

Cayuga Bird Club

c/o Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology

159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.

Ithaca, NY 14850

Chemung Valley Audubon Society

P.O. Box 35

Elmira, NY 14902

Cortland Lime Hollow Bird Club

Lime Hollow Nature Center for Environment & Culture

Phoebe nestlings in the Finger Lakes, New York USA. 3091 Gracie Rd.

Cortland, NY 13045

607-758-5462

Eaton Birding Society

P.O. Box 928

Geneva, NY 14456

Genesee Valley Audubon Society

P.O. Box 15512

Rochester, NY 14615-0512

Onondaga Audubon Society

P.O. Box 620

Syracuse, NY 13201

Rochester Birding Association

8 Chipmunk Trail

Pittsford, NY 14534

Tioga Bird Club

c/o Jeannette Baldwin

2027 Day Hollow Rd.

Owego, NY 13827

Watch a video of a pileated woodpecker working on a tree.

CHECKLIST

FIELD GUIDES

See the bottom of this page and the Bookstore.

ONLINE DATABASE

New York eBird

ONLINE IDENTIFICATION

All About Birds

BLOGS

Bob Marcotte's The Word on Birds is an informative blog about birding in the region where you can ask questions, post information and photos about birds you've seen, and find out about what you missed.

LOCATION GUIDE

The Wiki Guide to Birds

LISTSERVES

Frequenting these lists will give you access to daily postings of birds sighted in each region and rare bird alerts.

CVBIRDS

KHAMO

BIRDING TOURS

Lakeshore Nature Tours

HOUSES, FEEDERS, AND OTHER PARAPHERNALIA

Birdhavenonline.com

HELPFUL ARTICLES

"The Age of Binoculars" by Kenneth V. Rosenberg

BIRD WEB CAMS

BIRDING SITES

There are hundreds of great birding spots in the Finger Lakes. In general, you can be sure to find plenty of interesting birds (as well as other animals and plants) along the Finger Lakes Trail and other hiking trails, at any of the state forests, state parks, and wildlife management areas, at nature centers, and, during migration, on most of the lakes. The sites listed on the links below are spots birders in the region particularly enjoy and would like to share with you.