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Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus ©Robert Royse Website

Massachusetts, officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode Island to its south, New Hampshire and Vermont to its north, and New York to its west. Massachusetts is the sixth-smallest state by land area covering over 27,300 km2 (c. 10,500 square miles). With over seven million residents as of 2020, it is the most populous state in New England, the 16th-most-populous in the country, and the third-most densely populated, after New Jersey and Rhode Island having 6.7 million inhabitants. The state’s capital and most populous city, as well as its cultural and financial centre, is Boston with over 650,000 people in the city and well over 4.3 million people in the greater metropolitan area. Other major cities are Worcester, Springfield and Cambridge.

Despite its small size, Massachusetts features numerous topographically distinctive regions. The large coastal plain of the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern section of the state contains Greater Boston, along with most of the state’s population, as well as the distinctive Cape Cod peninsula. To the west lies the hilly, rural region of Central Massachusetts, and beyond that, the largely agricultural Connecticut River Valley. Along the western border of Western Massachusetts lies the highest elevated part of the state, the Berkshires, forming a portion of the northern terminus of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Berkshires in Spring – ©Lance Monotone, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The National Park Service administers a number of natural and historical sites in Massachusetts. Along with twelve national historic sites, areas, and corridors, the National Park Service also manages the Cape Cod National Seashore and the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. In addition, the Department of Conservation and Recreation maintains a number of parks, trails, and beaches throughout Massachusetts. The primary biome of inland Massachusetts is temperate deciduous forest. Although much of the state had been cleared for agriculture, leaving only traces of old-growth forest in isolated pockets, secondary growth has regenerated in many rural areas as farms have been abandoned. Forests currently cover around 62% of Massachusetts.

Most of Massachusetts has a humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Far southeast coastal areas are the broad transition zone to Humid Subtropical climates. The warm to hot summers render the oceanic climate rare in this transition, only applying to exposed coastal areas such as on the peninsula of Barnstable County. The climate of Boston is quite representative for the commonwealth, characterised by summer highs of around 27 °C and winter highs of 2 °C, and is quite wet. Frosts are frequent all winter, even in coastal areas due to prevailing inland winds. Boston has a relatively sunny climate for a coastal city at its latitude, averaging over 2,600 hours of sunshine a year.

Thatcher Island – ©Poole Matt, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A number of species are doing well in the increasingly urbanised state. Peregrine Falcons utilise office towers in larger cities as nesting areas, and the population of coyotes, whose diet may include garbage and roadkill, has been increasing in recent decades. White-tailed Deer, Raccoons, Turkeys, and Eastern Grey Squirrels are also found everywhere. In more rural areas in the west, larger mammals such as Moose and Black Bears have returned, largely due to reforestation following the regional decline in agriculture.

Protected areas such as the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge provide critical breeding habitat for shorebirds and a variety of marine wildlife including a large population of Grey Seals. Marine species also include Harbour Seals, the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales, as well as Humpback, Fin & Minke Whales, and Atlantic White-sided Dolphins.

Birding Massachusetts

Located along the Atlantic Flyway, there is a major route for migratory waterfowl along the eastern coast. Lakes in central Massachusetts provide habitat for many species of fish and waterfowl, but some species such as the Common Loon (Great Northern Diver) are becoming rare. A significant population of Long-tailed Ducks winter off Nantucket. Small offshore islands and beaches are home to Roseate Terns and are important breeding areas for the locally threatened Piping Plover.

Massachusetts has a long and rich birding history. The Nuttall Ornithological Club – the oldest bird club in North America, and parent organisation to the American Ornithologists Union – was founded in Cambridge in 1873. In 1896, the protest of two Boston Brahmin women against the use of bird feathers in the millinery trade eventually lead to the establishment of the Massachusetts Audubon Society – the oldest such organisation in the country. Ludlow Griscom – Dean of Field Ornithology – held a research position at Harvard University from 1927 until his retirement in 1955. Griscom was the first to effectively demonstrate that birds need not be collected to be correctly identified. And in 1975, the discovery of a Ross’s Gull in Newburyport attracted hundreds of birders from around North America and once and for all showed the world that birding was not just a sport for little old ladies in tennis shoes.

Massachusetts is varied in both topography and biological diversity. The mountains of Berkshire County in western Massachusetts have the highest elevation in the state (3,491); and are home to a number of northern breeding species, such as Olive-sided Flycatcher, Blackpoll and Mourning warblers, and as recently as the 1970s, Bicknell’s Thrush. There are many fine locations in the Berkshires to watch migrating hawks in autumn, and irruptive northern finches are more likely to be found in Berkshire County than in any other part of the state.

The agricultural plains and neighbouring wooded hills of the Connecticut River Valley represent a highway for migratory songbirds in spring and fall. Snow Geese pass through the valley in spectacular numbers during migration, and in 1997, two Ross’s Geese were discovered among an enormous flock of Snow Geese – the first for Massachusetts. In late August, hundreds of migrating Common Nighthawks can often be seen hunting flying ants at dusk.

Greenway State Park, Connecticut River Valley – ©Tom Walsh, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts is the only consistent breeding location for Cerulean Warblers in the Commonwealth, and with nearby Wachusett Reservoir represents the southernmost breeding locale for Common Loons in the country. The greatest draw at Quabbin, however, is the Bald Eagle population, with several pairs breeding since 1989, and impressive concentrations of over-wintering birds every year. At Enfield lookout in Belchertown, one can almost be assured of finding a group of eagle watchers any day in the winter, all with scopes set up and engaged in lively conversation about eagle behaviour. In eastern Worcester County, Mount Wachusett and Mount Watatic are popular spring and fall hawk-watching locales.

The North Shore of Essex County features two of the best-known birding locations in the country. Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (i.e. Plum Island) and adjacent Newburyport are justifiably famous for vagrants, as well as shorebirds in migration, and both waterfowl and raptors during the winter. At Cape Ann, especially in winter, one can almost always encounter birders searching the offshore waters for loons, seabirds, ducks, and gulls. Following south-west winds in spring, both Plum Island and Cape Ann periodically collect impressive numbers of migrating songbirds.

The Great Marsh, Parker River – ©NewtonCourt, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The Greater Boston area offers birders a number of options. The Blue Hills Reservation south of the city is one of the more reliable areas in the state for finding breeding Worm-eating Warblers, and the region was the location of the first breeding Black Vulture in Massachusetts (1998). A short subway ride from Logan Airport is Belle Isle Marsh in East Boston, a locality productive for both herons and shorebirds. Winthrop Beach is a fairly reliable spot to look for Barrow’s Goldeneye, King Eider, and Black-headed Gull in winter, and Mew Gulls have been reported here almost annually in recent years. Marblehead Neck and the Nahant peninsula north of Boston are famous migrant traps for songbirds, but perhaps best known is Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. Every day during spring migration one can join dozens, if not hundreds, of other birders enjoying spring migration.

The south-eastern mainland of Massachusetts includes both Plymouth and Bristol counties. In the pine-oak barrens of Plymouth’s Miles Standish State Forest, Whip-poor-wills are a common evening sound, and the barrier spit at Plymouth regularly supports breeding Piping Plovers, Common and Least terns, a few Roseate and Arctic terns, and occasionally a pair of Black Skimmers. In Halifax, agricultural fields belonging to Cumberland Farms often support Rough-legged Hawks by day and Short-eared Owls in the evening during the winter. The Dartmouth/Westport area has the largest breeding concentration of Ospreys in the Commonwealth, and is one of the few breeding areas in Massachusetts for White-eyed Vireo. Almost anywhere along the extensive shoreline of south-eastern Massachusetts it is possible to find a pleasant variety of ducks and shorebirds in season.

Leominster State Forest – ©John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cape Cod and the Islands are considerably farther south than the rest of Massachusetts, and consequently are good locations to search for southern species, such as Blue Grosbeak and Summer Tanager, during migration. At the elbow of Cape Cod is Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and South Beach, a constantly shifting series of sandbars and mud flats, that are virtually shorebird magnets. Practically every shorebird rarity ever recorded in Massachusetts has found its way to this remarkable area at one time or another. The Cape and Islands are also the breeding grounds of several species found nowhere else in the state, but access to these breeding specialities is extremely limited. Tiny Penikese Island in Buzzards Bay is home to a small colony of Leach’s Storm-Petrels, and Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls – now rare or absent as breeders on the mainland – still regularly nest on Tuckernuck Island off Nantucket. And despite the fact that Chuck-will’s-widow has never been confirmed as a breeder in Massachusetts, indications are that the species has likely been breeding on Martha’s Vineyard for over a quarter of a century.

The popularity of whale-watching makes pelagic birding in Massachusetts more accessible than in many other coastal localities. Whale-watching boats leave daily in the summer from various ports, including Newburyport, Gloucester, Boston, Plymouth, & Provincetown, and occasionally there are dedicated birding trips sponsored by local birding clubs to offshore waters.

Contributors

Bird Observer Staff
| Webmaster@Massbird.Org
https://www.birdobserver.org

Number of Species

Number of bird species: 520

(As at October 2024)
State Bird - Black-capped Chickadee Parus atricapillus

Checklist

Avibase
PDF Checklist
This checklist includes all bird species found in Massachusetts , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.
Massachusetts Avian Records Committee
Checklist
Official State List
Wikipedia
Annotated List
This list of birds of Massachusetts includes species documented in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and accepted by the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee (MARC). As of July 2023, there are 516 species included in the official list.[1] Of them, 194 are on the review list (see below), six have been introduced to North America, three are extinct, and one has been extirpated. An additional seven species are on a supplemental list of birds whose origin is uncertain.
eBird
PDF Checklist
This checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.

Useful Reading

A Birder's Guide to Eastern Massachusetts

By Bird Observer, Barry W Van Dusen & Janet L Heywood | American Birding Association | 1994 | Spiralbound | 292 pages, B/w illustrations, maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9781878788085 Buy this book from NHBS.com
ABA Field Guide to Birds of Massachusetts

By Wayne R Petersen & Brian E Small | Scott & Nix, Inc | 2017 | Paperback | 336 pages, colour photos | ISBN: 9781935622666 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birding New England

| A Field Guide to the Birds of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont | By Randi Minetor & Nic Minetor | Falcon Guides | 2019 | Paperback | 352 pages, 395 colour photos, 1 colour illustration, 144 maps | ISBN: 9781493033881 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birds of Massachusetts

By Richard R Veit, Wayne R Petersen, Barry W Van Dusen & RT Peterson | Massachusetts Audubon Society | 1993 | Hardback | 514 pages, B/w illustrations, maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9780932691118 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birds of Massachusetts Field Guide

| By Stan Tekiela | Adventure Publications | 2023 | Edition 2 | Paperback | 336 pages, colour photos, colour maps | ISBN: 9781647554033 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birds of Massachusetts Field Guide

| By Stan Tekiela | Adventure Publications | 2023 | Edition 2 | Paperback | 336 pages, colour photos, colour maps | ISBN: 9781647554033 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Massachusetts Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species

by James Kavanagh & Raymond Leung | Waterford Press | 2000 | Unbound | 12 pages, colour illustrations | ISBN: 9781583551523 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas

| Edited by Wayne R Petersen & W Roger Meservey | University of Massachusetts Press | 2003 | Hardback | 441 pages, 198 colour illustrations, 198 maps | ISBN: 9781558494206 Buy this book from NHBS.com

Festivals & Bird Fairs

Boston Birding Festival
Website
The Boston Birding Festival 82 Wendell Ave. Suite 100 Pittsfield, MA 01201 USA
Cape Cod Bird Festival
Facebook Page
...As always the Festival would never be anything if it wasn’t for the Volunteers. We rely on you for so many things and cannot thank you enough. Please contact Diane Silverstein or Stefanie Paventy if you wish to Volunteer. Diane – birder526@comcast.net Stefanie-stefpav09@gmail.com We need your help...

Observatories

Mark Blazis Research Station
Observatory Website Satellite View
Banding is conducted on weekends during the spring and fall migration.
Trevor Lloyd-Evans Banding Lab
Observatory Website Satellite View
At the Trevor Lloyd-Evans Banding Lab, we use science and education to create opportunities that connect people to nature. Migratory and resident birds have been banded at our Manomet’s Plymouth, Mass. location since 1966.
Wellfleet Bay
Observatory Website Satellite View
The banding station provides an extraordinary opportunity for the public to observe wild birds at relatively close-range during banding demonstrations. Watching the banders handle and process birds never fails to generate numerous questions from kids and adults alike.
Wing Island Bird Banding Station
Observatory Website Satellite View
The Wing Island Bird Banding Station has been in operation since September 2000. The station is sponsored by the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster, MA and is situated on 80 acres abutting a sprawling salt marsh and 300 acres of conservation land…

Museums & Universities

Cape Cod Natural History Museum
Museum
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, was founded in 1954. Our mission is to encourage and advance understanding of our natural environment through discovery and learning. The museum is housed in a 17,000 square foot building on its own 80-acre site and abutted by 320 acres of town- and Conservation-owned land

Organisations

Allen Bird Club
Website
We offer a wide variety of field trips throughout the year, where you can be in the company of experts and beginners alike as you explore the habitats and behavior of wild birds. Our evening programs, presented by biologists, photographers and well-traveled birding enthusiasts, offer fascinating insights into the lives of birds -- how, when, where and even why they fly, feed, breed, raise their young and migrate.
Athol Bird & Nature Club
Website
The Athol Bird and Nature Club was formed in 1963 to enhance the appreciation of natural history in the North Quabbin Region. Founded by Robert Coyle, an eighth grade science teacher at the Athol Junior High School, the Club was a spin-off of the science curriculum which included studies in astronomy, geology, geography, and field ornithology…
Boxborough Birders
Website
Boxborough Birders is an enthusiastic group of bird watchers from Boxborough, Massachusetts and nearby towns, including Acton, Harvard, Stow, and Littleton. The group focuses primarily on local “patches” (habitats) in studying and learning about resident and migratory bird species. The group organizes walks throughout the year, especially during spring and fall migration, and members post their observations (and often photos) from each scheduled walk to eBird as well as shares lists with group members via the Boxborough Birders Google group. In the winter, Boxborough Birders participate in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count as part of the Concord circle.
Brookline Bird Club
Website
The Brookline Bird Club, commonly known as the BBC, is the largest and one of the oldest of the many bird clubs in Massachusetts. Membership is opened to all who are interested in birds and nature. (A membership form can be found here or on the last page of the BBC bulletin or “bluebook”.) The Club sponsors an active program of year-round field trips, covering the entire state of Massachusetts from the Berkshires to Stellwagen Bank. During the peak of spring migration, walks are scheduled for every day of the week. Three evening meetings are held each year, one in the fall and winter with the annual meeting being held each year in the spring. Guests are always welcome on Club walks and at Club meetings.
Cape Cod Bird Club
Website
Welcome to the website of the Cape Cod Bird Club, Inc., an organization whose members are dedicated to the protection and conservation of the bird life and natural resources of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and beyond. Also see their Facebook page.
Eastern Massachusetts Hawk Watch
Information
Founded in 1976, EMHW is an all-volunteer, member-based organization whose mission is to promote the study, conservation and preservation of hawks locally and on a continental scale by monitoring migration in Massachusetts; to share data for research and conservation purposes; to promote education and awareness of the identification of hawks and the issues related to migrating hawks and to instill an appreciation for hawks in general…
Essex County Greenbelt Association
Website
Greenbelt, Essex County's Land Trust, is the most effective champion of land conservation, working to conserve the farmland, wildlife habitat and scenic landscapes throughout the region.
Essex County Ornithological Club
Webpage
The purposes of the Club, which was established in 1916, are to promote interest in ornithological study in Essex County, Massachusetts, and to engage members in projects and pursuits in the furtherance of such study. More specifically, the Club seeks:1. To maintain a long tradition of holding an annual May bird census by canoe and on foot on and along the Ipswich River.2. To periodically revise the official checklist of the birds of Essex County.3. To organize or participate in other such projects and field trips consistent with the above purposes
Forbush Bird Club
Website
The aim of the Forbush Bird Club is to promote the study of birds with relation to their distribution, ecology, and food, and to promote a desire for the conservation of all our natural resources.
Hampshire Bird Club
Website
We are a membership-supported organization. Although programs and many field trips are open to the public, some trips are open for Hampshire Bird Club, Inc. members only. Join today to take advantage of all offerings of the HBC!
Hoffmann Bird Club
Website
The Hoffmann Bird Club was established in 1940 with a mission of promoting the study of birds in Berkshire County. The club was founded under the auspices of the Berkshire Museum and named in honor of Ralph Hoffmann a naturalist who was born in Berkshire County. Meetings are held from September thru May and are open at no charge to anyone interested in birds and birding. Field trips are led by experienced birders and beginners are always welcome.
Manomet Centre for Conservation Sciences
Website
A nonprofit grounded in science, Manomet is named for the coastal village in New England where our headquarters have been for more than 45 years. A Native American word, the name Manomet means portage path. We embrace the legacy of this name in our mission by charting pathways to a thriving future. As Manomet approaches its sixth decade, we have achieved a great deal; yet there is still much work ahead. We are forging a pathway for our generation and those to come. If you want to be part of a positive force for change, we hope you will join us.
MassBird.org
Website
MassBird.org continues to be the location on the web for several Massachusetts Bird clubs with links to each on the left.
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Website
Mass Audubon protects 38,000 acres of land throughout Massachusetts, saving birds and other wildlife, and making nature accessible to all. As Massachusetts’ largest nature conservation nonprofit, we welcome more than a half million visitors a year to our wildlife sanctuaries and 20 nature centers. From inspiring hilltop views to breathtaking coastal landscapes, serene woods, and working farms, we believe in protecting our state’s natural treasures for wildlife and for all people—a vision shared in 1896 by our founders, two extraordinary Boston women.
Massachusetts Avian Records Committee
Website
The Massachusetts Avian Records Committee (MARC) was formed in 1989 for the purposes of evaluating, analyzing, archiving and sharing evidence supporting current and historical records of birds rare to the Commonwealth. We hope this website will be a valuable resource to fellow enthusiasts of bird distribution, as well as a fun place to rehash great finds and twitches or to catch up on what you've missed…
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
Website
MassLand works to advance land protection in Massachusetts by providing education, tools, networking, and advocacy support for land trusts and their partners.
Menotomy Bird Club
Facebook Page
The Menotomy Bird Club is dedicated to making birding accessible to everyone in the Mystic Valley Watershed. We have no dues, and all activities are free and open to members and non members alike. All activities are posted on the web page, but we encourage people to join the Arlington Birds Listserve to get reminders of events as well as discussion of birds and birding in the area.
Merrimack Valley Bird Club
Webpage
The Merrimack Valley Bird Club has been exploring the Merrimack Valley and North Shore of Massachusetts since 1948. Newcomers are welcome. Bring binoculars and/or spotting scope if you have them! Most walks include coffee and snacks at the end unless otherwise noted. Bring something to share if you can!
Millers River Environmental Center
Information
The Millers River Environmental Center (MREC) is a community resource providing a working environment for collaboration between governmental and non-governmental agencies and citizens. Integral to this mission is a strong emphasis on the education and training of area citizens to enhance their appreciation for, connection with, and stewardship of the rich natural resources of the region.
Nasketucket Bird Club
Webpage
The Nasketucket Bird Club was founded in 2006 under the auspices of the Mattapoisett Land Trust and is now a separate organization. Meets every 4th Thursday of the month at 7 pm. Mattapoisett Public Library unless otherwise noted. Annual membership is $10. New members are always welcome.
Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts
Website
Over the past 50 years, The Nature Conservancy has taken a leadership role in the protection of some of Massachusetts’ most critical landscapes. These areas include the Berkshire Taconic Landscape, Cape Cod, the Massachusetts Islands, Southeast Massachusetts and the Westfield and Connecticut River Watersheds.
Paskamansett Bird Club
Webpage
Based in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, the club was established in 1963 for the purpose of bringing people together who have the utmost fascination and appreciation for nature's crown jewels, birds. Members are always willing to share their knowledge to help beginning birders enjoy their newly found hobby. We have many bird walks that take us to some of the most beautiful areas in Southern New England. We conduct monthly meetings with distinguished guest speakers who give a wealth of information on birding and other nature related subjects, often accompanied by wonderful slide presentations. The enthusiasm and participation of our club members result in many lifelong friendships
South Shore Bird Club
Website
The South Shore Bird Club (SSBC) was founded in 1946 and the first members set out to explore and share the birds and birding habitats of the South Shore of Massachusetts. We still concentrate on a variety of mainly local field trips. Many trips involve car-pooling. In case of inclement weather please check back on this website or contact leader.
Sudbury Valley Trustees
Website
Sudbury Valley Trustees works to protect natural areas and farmland for wildlife and people in the 36 communities that surround the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers.
Trustees of Reservations
Website
This web site is your window into the diverse work of The Trustees of Reservations, the nation's oldest private, state-wide conservation and preservation organisation. Since 1891, we have protected over 33,000 acres of land in Massachusetts, including 82 public reservations representing many of the state's most scenic, ecologically rich, and historically important landscapes…

Reserves

Abbreviations Key

*Massachusetts State Forests and Parks
Website Satellite View
One of the smallest states in the nation, Massachusetts has one of the largest state park systems. Wherever you go, you are always near a state park.
*National Wildlfe Refuges in Massachusetts
Website Satellite View
…exactly what it says on the tin…
*Protected areas of Massachusetts
Information Satellite View
Parks, Forests, Marine reserves etc
IBA Mount Auburn Cemetery
Webpage Satellite View
With its lushly-planted 175 acres, Mount Auburn provides the perfect habitat for many species of urban wildlife. Spotted Salamanders, frogs, turtles, and coyotes are among the species that make the Cemetery their year-round home. For several species of migratory birds, Mount Auburn provides temporary shelter for a few weeks each April and May. Mount Auburn is committed to protecting important wildlife habitat in this densely developed urban area.
IBA Sampsons Island
Information Satellite View
As a barrier island, Sampsons Island and Dead Neck Island protect Cotuit Harbor and nearby coastal areas. The island is a nesting site for piping plovers, least terns, and common terns and a habitat for many other shore birds. It is designated an Important Bird Area. Access to the island is limited during nesting season.
NR Fresh Pond Reservation
Facebook Page Satellite View
Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation is a citizens group whose purpose is to enhance and protect the natural environment of Fresh Pond Reservation through education and community participation. Started during the winter of 2001-2002, the group has offered activities at the Reservation including three Winter Tree Identification Walks, and an evening called Reflections on the Pond, where participants shared their artwork and personal experiences. Plans for future events include a Birds Nest Survey, guided bird, wildflower, tree and insect walks, and other activities suggested by members…
NWR Mashpee
Webpage Satellite View
Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1995 to preserve and protect natural resources associated with the Waquoit Bay area for the protection of waterfowl and protection of wildlife. Located in the towns of Mashpee and Falmouth, this refuge will total 5,871 acres when complete, only a small percentage of which will be owned by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Currently, 341 acres are in FWS ownership. Managed through a unique partnership among nine Federal, State and private conservation groups, this Cape Cod refuge preserves thousands of acres of magnificent salt marshes, cranberry bogs, Atlantic white cedar swamps, freshwater marshes, rivers and vernal pools.
NWR Monomoy
Webpage Satellite View
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge consists of North and South Monomoy Islands and a portion of Morris Island. Its 2,750 acres are predominantly barrier beach island of sand dunes, freshwater ponds, and salt and freshwater marshes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protects and manages Monomoy as habitat for wildlife, with a special emphasis on migratory birds. Many of these migratory species nest here, and a variety of species native to the area also inhabit the refuge….
NWR Parker River
Webpage Satellite View
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1942 to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds. The refuge occupies 4,662 acres on the southern two-thirds of Plum Island, a barrier island on the Northeast coast of Massachusetts…
NWR Silvio O Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Webpage Satellite View
The Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge is no ordinary Refuge! The Connecticut River watershed, 7.2 million acres in four states, is larger and more heavily populated than areas usually considered when creating a refuge…
WMA Burrage Pond
Information Satellite View
BPWMA is made up mainly of swampy lands, old cranberry bogs (formally Bog 18, the biggest in the world), and cedar forest. It is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.
WMA Leadmine
Information Satellite View
Leadmine Wildlife Management Area is a 640-acre (260 ha) wildlife conservation area located in Holland and Sturbridge, Massachusetts.
WRf Cape Poge
Information Satellite View
Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge on Chappaquiddick Island (Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts) owned and managed by The Trustees of Reservations. The refuge consists of 516 acres (2.09 km2) and includes the 1893 Cape Poge Lighthouse.
WRf Long Point
Information Satellite View
Long Point Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge and nature reserve located in West Tisbury, Massachusetts.
WS Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary
Webpage Satellite View
There are many different types of birds that have been seen on the Broad Meadow Brook sanctuary grounds. Over 160 have been sighted at Broad Meadow Brook…
WS Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary
Information Satellite View
The sanctuary, formerly the farm of Edward Dwyer, statesman Daniel Webster and the William Thomas family of Marshfield, the first English landowner to live on the sanctuary land, was purchased by Mass Audubon in 1984 thanks to the volunteer efforts of the Committee for the Preservation of Dwyer Farm for the People of Marshfield. The majority of the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary is a polder, land reclaimed from water by the installation of a dike near the mouth of the Green Harbor River in 1872. The Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary has historically been home to a large colony of purple martins. And, because the sanctuary is one of the last remaining managed cultural grasslands in Massachusetts, species that rely on such habitats breed there in the spring and summer, most notably bobolinks. Mute swans and several species of ducks and geese feed on the pond. Ducks, geese, herons, egrets and a wide variety of shorebirds visit the wet panne, while several species of birds of prey, most notably red-tailed hawks and northern harriers, feed on the small rodents that breed in the grasslands. Several species of owls have historically roosted in the red maple swamps during the winter, including great horned, barred, long-eared, short-eared, eastern screech and saw-whet owls. The sanctuary’s plants provide ample food for warblers, sparrows and many other species during migration.
WS Ipswich River
Information Satellite View
The Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s largest wildlife sanctuary, is located in Topsfield and Wenham, Massachusetts. Much of its 2,800-acre (11 km2) landscape was created by a glacier 15,000 years ago.
WS Moose Hill
Information Satellite View
Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary is a 1,971 acres (798 ha) wildlife sanctuary located in Sharon, Massachusetts. The property is the oldest property of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, established in 1916. It is adjacent to Moose Hill Farm, which is owned by the Trustees of Reservations.
WS North River
Information Satellite View
Due to its wide variety of habitats, the North River Wildlife Sanctuary attracts a great variety of species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. hanks to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the North River Wildlife Sanctuary offers a wide variety of bird sightings. Along the river’s edge, several species of gulls can be seen in season, including great black-backed, herring, ring-billed and Bonaparte’s gulls. Egrets and herons feed in the marshy edges of the river. Red-tailed hawks hunt in the open field, while sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks prey on the smaller birds that inhabit the area. A wide variety of birds breed on the property, including American woodcocks, red-bellied woodpeckers, tree swallows, eastern phoebes, Baltimore orioles, scarlet tanagers, eastern towhees, and more. Historically, a purple martin colony has nested in the open field.
WS Stony Brook
Information Satellite View
The 104-acre sanctuary is adjacent to the 140-acre Bristol Blake State Reservation. Both areas are managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). An easy 1 mile (1.6 km) trail starts around by encircling Stony Pond and ends by a waterfall at the site of a former mill. It is wheelchair accessible. The trail includes a 525-foot long boardwalk, installed in 2017, that allows visitors to view birds, wildlife, and the wetland habitat over Teal Marsh and Kingfisher Pond. Wildlife found at there include turtles, ducks, geese, great blue herons, and muskrats
WS Wachusett Meadow
Information Satellite View
Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary is a 1,124 acres (455 ha) wildlife sanctuary located in Princeton, Massachusetts. The former farmstead includes a nature center, 12 miles of trails through woodlands, wetlands, and meadows, and a large pond with canoe rentals in season.
WS Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Webpage Satellite View
Wellfleet Bay’s woodlands, salt marsh, barrier beach and heath lands attract a wide variety of wildlife, especially songbirds and shorebirds. Five miles of scenic trails wind through these habitats and provide a lovely view of Cape Cod. In addition, the beginning of the Goose Pond trail is universally accessible. The sanctuary’s nature center is a modern example of “green” architecture, including passive solar heating and composting toilets. Inside, the nature center features two 700-gallon aquariums that introduce you to the sanctuary’s salt marsh tidal organisms and our freshwater life as well…

Sightings, News & Forums

Mass Audubon
Sightings
Recent Bird Sightings
Massachusetts Rare Bird Alert
Sightings
The report below shows observations of rare birds in Massachusetts. Includes both unreviewed and reviewed/approved observations.
Recent Bird Sightings from Plum Island
Sightings

Guides & Tour Operators

7 Seas Whale Watch
Local Tour Operator
7 Seas is proud of its reputation as being “the birder’s whale watch” in Gloucester. While the whales are, of course, the main focus of our trips, many of our crew are also avid bird watchers and are always aware of any birds in the area. We make a special point to make sure that any birders on board don’t miss any rare (or common!) species that we encounter.
Essex River Cruises
Local Tour Operator
Discover the saltmarshes, wildlife
Wildside Nature Tours
Tour Operator
MASSACHUSETTS: New England Winter Specialties

Trip Reports

2016 [10 October] - James P Smith - New England
PDF Report
2019 [11 November] - James P Smith - New England
PDF Report

Places to Stay

Captain Farris House
Accommodation
Captain Farris House 308 Old Main Street, South Yarmouth, MA 02664, In Bass River Village 15 minutes away from Hyannis, 508-760-2818, A unique bed & breakfast inn voted 'One of New England's Best' by Fodor's and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. All accommodations have large, private bathrooms, private phone, private entrances, fine bath amenities, and some have fireplaces and sundecks.
Clark Tavern Inn B&B
Accommodation
The inn's tranquil surroundings include a graceful water garden, a large built-in swimming pool, a beckoning hammock, and lots of outdoor sitting areas perfect for quiet moments. A screened-in patio is a splendid place to enjoy a candle lit breakfast al fresco while watching the birds attend their morning rounds…
Inn at Cape Cod
Accommodation
Our Inn is located in the historic district of Yarmouth Port, MA and abuts 250 acres of Cape Cod conservation land and 50 acres of walking trails. We are also down the street from Grey`s beach boardwalk (marsh land) which is home to birds of all kinds. Including sightings of a Merlin spotted on the Osprey pole near Gray`s Beach…
Isaiah Hall B&B Inn
Accommodation
The location is ideal for exploring all the Cape has to offer in under an hour. But for those looking to relax and escape the every day hassles the Inn`s beautiful gardens are a great place to decompress. Our quiet location means you are more likely to hear the sound of birds than the sound of traffic…
Isaiah Jones Homestead B&B - Sandwich
Accommodation
We are a small Bed and Breakfast located in Sandwich about a mile from the Sandwich Boardwalk over the salt marsh…
Nobnocket Boutique Inn - Martha's Vineyard
Website
Birder owned B&B in a secluded location surrounded by gardens, trees and the sound of songbirds...

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Birding Massachusetts

Bird Observer Staff

Number of bird species: 520

Avibase

Massachusetts Avian Records Committee

Wikipedia

eBird

A Birder's Guide to Eastern Massachusetts

ABA Field Guide to Birds of Massachusetts

Birding New England

Birds of Massachusetts

Birds of Massachusetts Field Guide

Birds of Massachusetts Field Guide

Massachusetts Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species

Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas

Boston Birding Festival

Cape Cod Bird Festival

Mark Blazis Research Station

Trevor Lloyd-Evans Banding Lab

Wellfleet Bay

Wing Island Bird Banding Station

Cape Cod Natural History Museum

Allen Bird Club

Athol Bird & Nature Club

Boxborough Birders

Brookline Bird Club

Cape Cod Bird Club

Eastern Massachusetts Hawk Watch

Essex County Greenbelt Association

Essex County Ornithological Club

Forbush Bird Club

Hampshire Bird Club

Hoffmann Bird Club

Manomet Centre for Conservation Sciences

MassBird.org

Massachusetts Audubon Society

Massachusetts Avian Records Committee

Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition

Menotomy Bird Club

Merrimack Valley Bird Club

Millers River Environmental Center

Nasketucket Bird Club

Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts

Paskamansett Bird Club

South Shore Bird Club

Sudbury Valley Trustees

Trustees of Reservations

*Massachusetts State Forests and Parks

*National Wildlfe Refuges in Massachusetts

*Protected areas of Massachusetts

IBA Mount Auburn Cemetery

IBA Sampsons Island

NR Fresh Pond Reservation

NWR Mashpee

NWR Monomoy

NWR Parker River

NWR Silvio O Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

WMA Burrage Pond

WMA Leadmine

WRf Cape Poge

WRf Long Point

WS Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary

WS Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary

WS Ipswich River

WS Moose Hill

WS North River

WS Stony Brook

WS Wachusett Meadow

WS Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Mass Audubon

Massachusetts Rare Bird Alert

Recent Bird Sightings from Plum Island

7 Seas Whale Watch

Essex River Cruises

Wildside Nature Tours

2016 [10 October] - James P Smith - New England

2019 [11 November] - James P Smith - New England

Captain Farris House

Clark Tavern Inn B&B