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State of West Virginia

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis ©Laszlo Ilyes via Wikimedia Commons Website

West Virginia is a landlocked state located in the Appalachian Mountains in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north and east, Maryland to the east and northeast, Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, and Ohio to the northwest. West Virginia is the 10th-smallest state by area covering nearly 63,000 km2 (over 24,000 square miles). It ranks as the 12th-least populous state, with a population of c. 1,800,000 residents. The capital and most populous city is Charleston with a population of less than 50,000 people. The state is noted for its mountains and rolling hills.

West Virginia is located entirely within the Appalachian Region, and the state is almost entirely mountainous, giving the reason for the nickname The Mountain State and the motto Montani Semper Liberi (Mountaineers are always free). The elevations and ruggedness drop near large rivers like the Ohio River or Shenandoah River. About 75% of the state is within the Cumberland Plateau and Allegheny Plateau regions. Though the relief is not high, the plateau region is extremely rugged in most areas. The average elevation of West Virginia is approximately 1,500 feet (460 m) above sea level, which is the highest of any US state east of the Mississippi River.

On the eastern state line with Virginia, high peaks in the Monongahela National Forest region give rise to an island of colder climate and ecosystems similar to those of northern New England and eastern Canada. The highest point in the state is atop Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet and is covered in a boreal forest of dense spruce trees at altitudes above 4,000 feet. Spruce Knob lies within the Monongahela National Forest and is a part of the Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area. A total of six wilderness areas can also be found within the forest. Outside the forest to the south, the New River Gorge is a canyon 1,000 feet deep, carved by the New River. The National Park Service manages a portion of the gorge and river that has been designated as the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

Monongahela National Forest – ©Valerius Tygart CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Other areas under protection and management include: Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Bluestone National Scenic River, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington National Forest, Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The native vegetation for most of the state was originally mixed hardwood forest of oak, chestnut, maple, beech, and white pine, with willow and American sycamore along the state’s waterways. Many of the areas are rich in biodiversity and scenic beauty, a fact appreciated by native West Virginians, who refer to their home as Almost Heaven (from the song Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver). Before the song, it was known as ‘The Cog State’ (Coal, Oil, and Gas) or ‘The Mountain State’.

The climate of West Virginia is generally a humid subtropical climate, except at the higher elevations with warm to hot, humid summers and chilly winters, increasing in severity with elevation. Some southern highland areas also have a mountain temperate climate where winter temperatures are more moderate and summer temperatures are somewhat cooler. However, the weather is subject in all parts of the state to change. In the eastern panhandle and the Ohio River valley, temperatures are warm enough to see and grow subtropical plants such as southern magnolia Magnolia grandiflora, crepe myrtle, Albizia julibrissin, American sweetgum and even the occasional needle palm and sabal minor. These plants do not thrive as well in other parts of the state. The eastern prickly pear grows well in many portions of the state. It harbours at least 56 species and subspecies of mammals, more than 340 types of birds and more than 100 species of fish. As with West Virginia’s remote mountain forests, the farms and lands with meadows and woodlots near urban areas also hold whitetail deer, chipmunks, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, opossums, weasels, field mice, flying squirrels, cotton-tail rabbits, gray foxes, red foxes, gray squirrels, red squirrels and a cave bat to name a few. Bobcats, snowshoe hares, wild boars and black bears are not strictly found in deepest forests and parks of West Virginia. But, the mink, beaver  are very rarely seen near farms, even the farthest from towns.

Cranberry Glades Botanical Area – ©CV1958 (Colin Viney) CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Migrant birds such as Tufted Titmouse, Scarlet Tanager, Brown Thrasher, American Robin and humming birds live throughout the warmer seasons, except in the highest peaks. Some Icterid birds visit West Virginia, as well as Hermit Thrush and Wood Thrush. The American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Bluejay, Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, American Sparrow, some wrens, and even crows can be found passing through urban lawns to meadows and cattail ponds or a farmer’s field. Major game birds include ducks & geese, Bobwhite Quail, Ruffed Grouse, and Wild Turkey. Pairs of Turkey Vultures can be seen while driving along the open highway. The sandhill crane lumbers at flight over the large rivers to conservation ponds. Occasionally, Osprey and Golden Eagle can be found watching over or snatching a fish on remote lakes and larger streams. Hawks and owls are the most common birds of prey. Cranberry Glades is the southernmost breeding pocket for some northern breeding species of birds like the Purple Finch and Northern Waterthrush. West Virginia’s western valley contrasts the mountains with another natural treasure, the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge. These islands serves as a habitat for Great Blue Heron, Wood Ducks, cormorants, Canada Geese, migrating loons (divers) and Tundra Swans.

Birding West Virginia

At some juncture before the United States reached it’s current geo-political size, it was said of West Virginia, It’s the most northern of the southern states, the most southern of the northern states, the most eastern of the western states and the most western of the eastern states. Even although it’s a safe bet that someone from West Virginia coined the phrase, that adage held true at the time and still describes with some accuracy, it’s geo-political boundaries. It’s northern most point extends farther north than Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Huntington in the west extends farther west than Cleveland, Ohio, Bluefield is farther south than Richmond, Virginia. and it’s easternmost town, Harper’s Ferry, lies at the same approximate longitude as Hagerstown, Maryland.

Appalachians – ©Forest Wander CC BY-SA 3.0 US via Wikimedia Commons

Even though West Virginia lies soley within the Appalachian Mountain System, it can be divided into three distinct physiographic regions, the Ridge and Valley Province in the eastern panhandle, the Allegheny Mountains and the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. The eastern panhandle can be further divided into the Potomac and Shenandoah River valleys and the Blue Ridge Mountain Section. Principal rivers in the Allegheny region are the Ohio along the western border and northern panhandle, the New, Kanawha, and Gauley in the south and the Monongahela, Cheat and Tygart in the north-central region.

The majority of the state is covered by deciduous forest, but conifer, mixed conifer/deciduous and boreal habitats are also to be found in the Allegheny Mountains. The eastern panhandle and southwestern area of the state contain extensive enough tracts of pine that Pine Warblers nest regularly. Very little marsh habitat exists in the state, but enough is present in the Eastern panhandle and along the Ohio River that Pied-billed Grebes, Least and American Bitterns, Virginia Rails, Soras, Comon Moorhens and Marsh Wrens nest.

The geographic scope of the state coupled with habitat diversity provides the basis for West Virginia’s distinction of having more breeding species of new-world warblers than any other state. Currently, 29 species of eastern warblers, including two of the most sought-after ones, Swainson’s and Mourning, breed in West Virginia. Breeding Least Bittern’s, Loggerhead Shrikes, Dickcissels and disjunct populations of breeding Northern Goshawks, Olive-sided Flycatchers and Nashville Warblers, give West Virginia a unique ornithological flair. The diversity of breeding species in the state has been increased with the re-introduction programs of Bald Eagles, Ospreys and Peregrine Falcons.

Babock State Park  – ©ForestWander CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Birding Locations – The vast majority of rarities that appear in West Virginia, seem to turn up at Greenbottom Wildlife Management Area and at Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam. Both of these areas are found along state route 2 which parallels the Ohio River just west of Huntington in the southwestern corner of the state. In addition to this being the most rairity-rich area in the state, Least Bitterns, Common Moorhens, Virginia and Sora Rails, Summer Tanagers and Blue Grosbeaks nest here.

To find Swainson’s Warblers in West Virginia a trip to the rhododendron thickets of the southern part of the state is a must. For specific locations try Babock State Park off of state route 41 north of Beckley and Coonskin Park in Charleston. In addition to searching for Swainson’s Warblers here, a visit to New River National Gorge can be visually rewarding. Most of the breeding species found in deciduous habitats, are also present in this area of the state.

Some more top sites are set out below. Additional information and details regarding birding locations can be found in the Birding Guide to West Virginia which is published by the Brooks Bird Club.

Top Sites

  • Gaudineer Knob Recreation Area & Barton Knob

    InformationSatellite View
    Located in Randolph and Pocahontas Counties, Gaudineer Knob Recreation Area and nearby Barton Knob provide some of the richest birding in the state. Northern Goshawk, Saw-whet Owl, Olive-sided Flycatcher and Red Crossbill are possibilities here during breeding season. Winter Wrens are abundant and with the exceptions of Gray-cheeked and Bicknell's, all of the eastern thrush species breed in this area. Other species you're likely to encounter are Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, the mountain type of Blue-headed Vireo, Dark-eyed Junco and Yellow-rumped Warbler. If that's not enough, Gaudineer Knob is one of the best locations in the state for find Mourning, Blackburnian and Canada Warblers.

  • NS Cranesville Swamp

    WebpageSatellite View
    Also in Preston County is botanic-rich Cranesville Swamp. Just a few of the interesting plant species that can be found along the boardwalk are large cranberry, sundew and eastern larch. Saw-whet Owls are year-round residents and among others, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Alder Flycatcher, Hermit Thrush, Northern Waterthrush and Golden-winged Warblers breed here. Nashville Warblers have been found breeding here in the past and may still be present as nesters.

  • SP Blackwater Falls State Park

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Canaan Valley and Blackwater Falls state parks in Tucker County offer a wide variety of birding habitats and stunning scenery. Canaan Valley contains almost every type of habitat found in the state. It is suspected that Common Snipe and American Bitterns breed here. Once a documented nester, Sedge Wren may still breed in remote locations in the valley. In recent years, Black Vultures have established permanent residency in Black Water Falls State Park and Rough-legged Hawks are common winter residents in Canaan Valley. Also of interest in nearby Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory. Every year from mid-August to mid-September, The Brooks Bird Club conducts a passerine banding operation. The station is situated along the eastern edge of the Allegheny Front which offers some of the most spectacular views in the state.

  • SP Cathedral State Park

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Cathedral State Park located just off of US Route 50 in Preston County, contains one of the few remaining stands of mixed, old-growth timber in West Virginia. Several trails through the park provide ample birding opportunities amidst sublime surroundings. Some of the birds found nesting in the park are Scarlet Tanager, Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos, Louisiana Waterthrush and Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green and Canada Warblers.

  • WMA Altona Marsh & Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area

    InformationSatellite View
    Altona Marsh at Charles Town and Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area near Martinsburg in the eastern panhandle can provide rewarding birding experiences. Among others, Virginia Rails and Marsh Wrens nest at Altona Marsh. Sleepy Creek is productive during spring migration and breeding season when Whip-poor-wills and Pine Warblers are nesting. The eastern panhandle is the only area of the state where both Fish Crows and Loggerhead Shrikes can be found.
Contributors

  • Gary L Felton

    | GL1JE1@AOL.COM

Number of Species

  • Number of bird species: 374

    (As at October 2024)

    State Bird: Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Checklist

  • Avibase

    PDF Checklist
    This checklist includes all bird species found in West Virginia , 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.

  • Brooks Bird Club

    PDF Checklist
    WV State Bird List

  • West Virginia DNR

    PDF Checklist
    Birds of West Virginia

  • Wikipedia

    Annotated List
    List of birds of West Virginia

  • 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

  • Birds of West Virginia

    | By Todd Telander | Falcon Guides | 2012 | Paperback | 95 pages, colour illustrations | ISBN: 9780762781003 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Birds of West Virginia Field Guide

    | By Stan Tekiela | Adventurekeen | 2024 | Edition 2 | Paperback | 328 pages, colour photos, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9781647554514 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • Birds of the West Virginia Northern Panhandle II

    | By Philip M Carter | Philip M Carter | 2016 | Paperback | 50 pages, b/w illustrations | ISBN: 9781537622002 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in West Virginia

    | Edited by Richard S Bailey & Casey B Rucker | Pennsylvania State University Press | 2021 | Hardback | 554 pages, 202 colour & 4 b/w photos, 249 colour illustrations, 693 colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9780271089805 Buy this book from NHBS.com

  • West Virginia Birds: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species

    | By James R Kavanagh & Raymond Leung | Waterford Press | 2002 | Unbound | 12 pages, colour illustrations, 1 colour map | ISBN: 9781583551868 Buy this book from NHBS.com
Festivals & Bird Fairs

  • Mountain State Birding Festival - Blackwater Falls

    Information
    This is the ultimate birding weekend for advanced and beginning bird watchers. The weekend is designed to see and listen to birds in scenic mountain habitats with well-known naturalist/guide Bill Beatty [Bill Beatty Nature] and Janice Runyan of Wellsburg WV as well as indoor presentation with Beatty and Runyan and a live educational birds program on Sunday afternoon. Mountain State Birding Festival is June 2-4, 2023 with Blackwater Falls State Park as the home base.

  • New River Birding & Nature Festival

    Website
    Since 2002, the annual New River Birding & Nature Festival takes place in May in and around the New River Gorge National River in the heart of the upland, hardwood forests that Cornell Lab of Ornithology identified as a crucial stopover habitat for the continued survival of species such as Golden-winged, Blue-winged, and Swainson's Warbler, as well as the Scarlet Tanager. This bird and nature watching festival highlights more than 100 bird species on a variety of birding tours.
Observatories

  • Allegheny Front Migratory Observatory

    Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
    ​The AFMO has been operating each fall (mid August to early October) since 1958 and is the oldest continuously operating bird banding station in North America. The AFMO is located along the Allegheny Front (eastern continental divide) near the Red Creek Campground on Dolly Sods in WV. Most of Dolly Sods is a federally designated Wilderness Area comprising 32,000 acres. The banding station is in the Dolly Sods Scenic Area, next to the Wilderness. The Allegheny Front Migratory Observatory (AFMO) is located within the Monongahela National Forest in Grant County West Virginia. Ten miles southeast of Davis West Virginia, the banding station sits 4,000 feet up on the Allegheny Front Mountain range in the area known as Dolly Sods. The observatory station and mist nets are set up in late summer and then dismantled in early fall each year.

  • Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory

    Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
    Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory on Peter's Mountain in Monroe County, West Virginia, is a former fire tower now used to monitor raptor migration. Every year, starting around the first of September, volunteers man the tower to watch for migrating hawks, eagles, falcons, and ospreys.

  • Northern Saw-whet Owl Bird Banding

    BandingSatellite View
    In 2005 Brooks Bird Club member Joey Herron began banding Saw-whet Owls at Valley Falls State Park in Marion County WV. Banding is conducted during the fall migration (October and November) as the owls migrate south.

  • ​The MAPS Banding Program

    Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
    The MAPS program is a continent-wide collaborative effort among public agencies, non-governmental groups, and individuals to assist the conservation of birds and their habitats through standardized bird monitoring.
Museums & Universities

  • West Virginia University

    Website
    If you enjoy the outdoors, are comfortable handling animals and are interested in society’s impact on wildlife, fish and their habitats, consider majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources.

  • West Virginia University Natural History Museum

    Website
    Housed in Percival Hall, our natural history museum provides enhanced learning opportunities, promotes economic development, and ensures maintenance of natural history collections in the Appalachians.
Organisations

  • Audubon Society in West Virginia

    Website
    Offices & Chapters

  • Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia (ACCA)

    Website
    ​The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, Inc. (ACCA) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization located near Morgantown, WV. We are licensed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to treat and rehabilitate injured, ill, or orphaned wild birds, including raptors, eagles, songbirds, waterbirds, waterfowl, and sea birds. We are also licensed to possess non-releasable birds for educational purposes, and we sponsor the West Virginia Young Birders Club.

  • Bibbee Nature Club

    Webpage
    ​The Bibbee Nature Club is dedicated to the observation and study of the natural world near our homes in southeastern West Virginia.​Our purpose is to provide our members an opportunity to enjoy, protect and respect the natural world in which they and their families find themselves. Throughout the year, we offer a variety of observational and learning experiences: lectures, movies, and (of most important) field trips. Our Wild Food Dinner each fall provides a climax to our year.​

  • Brooks Bird Club

    Website
    Formed back in 1932, the Brooks Bird Club has had a long history with many members over the years. To learn how the BBC has evolved over the years, check out the BBC Historical Timeline below. You will learn how and when we formed, who created the first newsletter, when the BBC Foray began, about past members, and so much more!

  • Handlan Chapter (Charleston) - Brooks Bird Club

    Webpage
    The Handlan Chapter is Charleston's oldest and only organized group dedicated to the study and enjoyment of wild birds.​In 1944 members of the Brooks Bird Club from the Charleston WV area formed the BBC Handlan Chapter.

  • Mountaineer Audubon Society

    Facebook Page
    Mountaineer Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society which meets in Morgantown. Visit our website for more info.

  • Mountwood Bird Club

    Webpage
    The Mountwood Bird Club was formed in 1978 and currently has 33 members from the Parkersburg / Vienna / Marietta area. The club has a very active schedule with a birding outing nearly every week of the year, including some out-of-town trips and occasional evening programs. Membership is open to all who enjoy birding.

  • Nature Conservancy in West Virginia

    Webpage
    In West Virginia, we're working toward innovative solutions to boost the economy and help nature thrive. When you donate today, you will help ensure a thriving natural environment for future generations.

  • Pocahontas Nature Club

    Webpage
    ​Our Pocahontas Nature Club Facebook page, is the place to post anything of local interest to nature-lovers: spring bird arrivals, interesting wildflowers spotted, wild animals, fossils, weather phenomena, and more.

  • Potomac Valley Audubon Society

    Website
    PVAS is a chapter of the National Audubon Society and covers the counties of Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan in West Virginia and Washington in Maryland. Monthly meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month, September through May, at the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center outside Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

  • West Virginia Bird Records Committee

    Webpage
    The Virginia Avian Records Committee (VARCOM) was formed in 1989 to increase knowledge of Virginia birds, to evaluate and to archive records of vagrants and rare nesting species in the state, and to encourage high standards of observation, recording, and reporting in the birding community. Since then, VARCOM has evaluated more than 1,250 records of rare species, unseasonal occurrences, and unusual breeding attempts...

  • West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

    Website
    West Virginia is a wonderful place for wild birds. With more than 170 breeding species and an ever-changing assortment of migrants and winter residents, the state offers unlimited opportunities both to observe and to promote birdlife. Its varied habitats make the Mountain State a hub of biodiversity in the eastern United States.

  • West Virginia Highlands Conservancy

    Website
    The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy promotes, encourages and works for the conservation – including both preservation and wise management – and appreciation of the natural resources of West Virginia and the Nation. We focus primarily on the Highlands Region of West Virginia, but our work is for the cultural, social, educational, physical health, spiritual and economic benefit of present and future generations of residents and visitors alike.

  • West Virginia Young Birder’s Club

    Website
    Are you under age eighteen, and are you interested in learning more about our state’s amazing birds? Then the West Virginia Young Birder’s Club may be the place for you! Our mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle through birding while encouraging an appreciation for West Virginia’s native wild birds and Appalachian ecosystems.
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • IBA Robert C Byrd Locks and Dam

    InformationSatellite View

  • IBAs West Virginia

    InformationSatellite View
    West Virginia's Important Bird Areas Program has been active for two years with a steering committee and a web site that hosts nomination forms, site forms, and county contacts. Phase one of the IBA program, site identification, is moving forward with selection of a technical committee and solicitation of site nominations. Efforts are also underway to establish close ties with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, West Virginia Audubon Chapters and other interested individuals and organizations.

  • NA Cranesville Swamp

    WebpageSatellite View
    Cranesville Swamp's lush forest and wetland is home to an exceptional variety of plants and animals. In 1965, Cranesville Swamp was one of the first National Natural Landmarks designated by the National Park Service. The mountain peatlands created by this rare mix of altitude, temperature, and precipitation are home to a spectacular range of plants, birds, and mammals.

  • NF George Washington & Jefferson

    WebpageSatellite View
    The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests stretch along the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and even cross into parts of West Virginia and Kentucky. It includes Dolly Sods National Wilderness Area.

  • NR Cool Spring Nature Preserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    Cool Spring Nature Preserve consists of 32 acres of forest, meadow and marsh in southern Jefferson County, West Virginia. Bullskin Run, a major stream with significant historical value, borders one side of the preserve. Cool Spring is designated as a “birding hotspot.”

  • NR Cranberry Glades Botanic Area

    InformationSatellite View
    Cranberry Glades — also known simply as The Glades — are a cluster of five small, boreal-type bogs in southwestern Pocahontas County, West Virginia, USA. This area, high in the Allegheny Mountains at about 3,400 feet (1,000 m), is protected as the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, part of the Monongahela National Forest...

  • NR Eidolon Preserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    The 354-acre Eidolon Nature Preserve is located along the summit and east side of Sideling Hill, in Morgan County, West Virginia. The preserve features dense mountaintop forests, several ground-fed natural springs and commanding views of the Potomac River.

  • NR Stauffer’s Marsh Preserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve consists of 46-acres of primarily wetland in Back Creek Valley in Berkeley County, WV. Formerly marshy farmland, the USDA restored the wetland ponds and marshes as a part of the Wetland Reserve Program. Today, Stauffer’s Marsh is a paradise for migrating and nesting waterfowl.

  • NR Three Rivers Avian Center

    Facebook PageSatellite View
    Three Rivers Avian Center is a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to wild bird conservation & to educating and involving people in ecosystem stewardship. Join in!

  • NR Yankauer Nature Preserve

    WebpageSatellite View
    The 104-acre Yankauer Nature Preserve is located in Berkeley County, WV, just northwest of Shepherdstown. This preserve is historic farmland that is now forested. The backside of the preserve overlooks the Potomac River. Yankauer is the best location for a spring native wildflower walk of PVAS’s four preserves.

  • NWR Canaan Valley

    WebpageSatellite View
    Welcome to Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the nation’s 500th! The refuge works to preserve the unique wetlands and uplands of this high elevation, moist valley. On August 11, 1994, with the purchase of 86 acres the refuge was established. With the purchase of approximately 12,000 acres in 2002, the refuge grew to 15,245 acres in size. The refuge currently is approximately 17,000 acres.

  • NWR Ohio River Islands

    InformationSatellite View
    The Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge (ORINWR) is a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in non-contiguous sites consisting of islands along 392 miles (631 km) of the Ohio River, primarily (85% of acreage) in the U.S. state of West Virginia.

  • SP Blackwater Falls

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Canaan Valley and Blackwater Falls state parks in Tucker County offer a wide variety of birding habitats and stunning scenery. Canaan Valley contains almost every type of habitat found in the state. It is suspected that Common Snipe and American Bitterns breed here. Once a documented nester, Sedge Wren may still breed in remote locations in the valley. In recent years, Black Vultures have established permanent residency in Black Water Falls State Park and Rough-legged Hawks are common winter residents in Canaan Valley. Also of interest in nearby Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory. Every year from mid-August to mid-September, The Brooks Bird Club conducts a passerine banding operation. The station is situated along the eastern edge of the Allegheny Front which offers some of the most spectacular views in the state.

  • SP Cathedral

    WebsiteSatellite View
    Cathedral State Park located just off of US Route 50 in Preston County, contains one of the few remaining stands of mixed, old-growth timber in West Virginia. Several trails through the park provide ample birding opportunities amidst sublime surroundings. Some of the birds found nesting in the park are Scarlet Tanager, Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos, Louisiana Waterthrush and Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green and Canada Warblers.

  • WMA Amherst-Plymouth

    InformationSatellite View
    Amherst-Plymouth Wildlife Management Area is a 7,061-acre (2,857 ha) protected area located in Putnam County, West Virginia. The site is along the banks of the Kanawha River.

  • WMA Anawalt Lake

    InformationSatellite View
    Anawalt Lake Wildlife Management Area is a 1,792-acre (725 ha) protected area located in McDowell County, West Virginia.The terrain at Anawalt lake is steep, and covered with a second-growth hardwood forest.

  • WMA Greenbottom

    InformationSatellite View
    Green Bottom WMA is also a popular location for watching wildlife. Over 100 species of birds are regularly seen each year along the river bottom. More than 30 mammals, as well as several amphibians and reptiles, are available for viewing.

  • WMA Sand Hill

    InformationSatellite View
    Located Twelve miles east of Parkersburg on either side of U.S. Route 50 in Wood and Ritchie counties, the 967-acre Sand Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) lies at the heart of this IBA. The forested areas of the IBA hosts species of birds that require intact forest interiors for successful breeding. The large contiguous forests provide suitable habitat for interior forest breeding species such as Broad-winged Hawk, Hairy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood Pewee, Great-crested Flycatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo, Ovenbird, Wood Thrush, and Scarlet Tanager.

  • WMA Sleepy Creek

    InformationSatellite View
    Altona Marsh at Charles Town and Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area near Martinsburg in the eastern panhandle can provide rewarding birding experiences. Among others, Virginia Rails and Marsh Wrens nest at Altona Marsh. Sleepy Creek is productive during spring migration and breeding season when Whip-poor-wills and Pine Warblers are nesting. The eastern panhandle is the only area of the state where both Fish Crows and Loggerhead Shrikes can be found.
Sightings, News & Forums

  • Mountain State Birders-WV

    Forum
    This group is envisioned as an extension of the WV Bird listserv, with an emphasis on conservation.

  • West Virginia Birding Hotspots

    Sites
    Discover where to go birding in West Virginia by browsing our tips, descriptions, maps, and images for many eBird hotspots.

  • West Virginia Rare Bird Alert

    Sightings
    The report below shows observations of rare birds in West Virginia. Includes both unreviewed and reviewed/approved observations.
Guides & Tour Operators

  • Hillstar Nature

    Tour Operator
    Almost Heaven: Birds, Nature, and Culinary Adventures in West Virginia

  • Ventures Birding Tours

    Tour Operator
    This driving trip to West Virginia has been designed as part of our new “Road Trip America” series – where we independently drive to our destination, birding along the way. Leaving from Asheville, NC we will also wend our way through several West Virginia counties stopping to see what we can find and hitting good local birding spots along the way.

  • WINGS

    Tour Operator
    Maryland and West Virginia Birding the American Civil War: Gettysburg, Antietam, and the Appalachians
Trip Reports

  • 2015 [May] - John Rowlett, Tom Johnson, and Jan Pierson - Virginia's Warblers

    Report
    ...Here, along the banks of the James at Warren Ferry and the Hardware River WMA, such lowland, southern species as Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Orchard Oriole, and Blue Grosbeak graced us with appearances. The birding didn't stop for dinner, either - a Louisiana Waterthrush arrived in a small stream next to our restaurant and sang from mere feet away as we dined.

  • 2021 [06 June] - John Dunn

    Report
    Our trip in mid-June to Maryland and West Virginia experienced delightful and unseasonal cool temperatures. The heavy rains that had fallen in advance of the tour had ended and the weather did not factor much in our birding or in our touring of the Civil War battlefields, notably Gettysburg, Antietam (Sharpsburg), and Harpers Ferry. We recorded 113 species, including 25 species of warblers, missing only Blue-winged and Pine.

  • 2022 2022 Adult Birder Camp West Virginia Trip Report

    Report
    We began our first full day at a privately-owned farm field that is left uncut until the higher-altitude grassland birds finish breeding. The stars of the show were the Bobolinks.
Places to Stay

  • Canaan Valley Resort

    Accommodation
    Situated in one of the most scenic and tranquil settings in the Mid-Atlantic, with unlimited recreation and family-focused activities, Canaan Valley Resort is a four-season destination providing the perfect escape from the pressures of daily life. Fifteen miles long by three miles wide, Canaan Valley is the highest mountain valley east of the Rocky Mountains, with a base elevation of 3,100 feet. Canaan Valley Resort is nestled on a plateau overlooking the valley, offering sweeping views of the surrounding peaks
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