Birding at Elk Neck State Park

​​​​​​​Birdwatching is one of the most popular activities at Elk Neck State Park. With a variety of habitats along the peninsula, visitors can see many types of birds throughout the seasons but especially during times of migration. Elk Neck State Park falls within the Atlantic Flyway zone.



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Photo Credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service​


Maryland Biodiversity Project

Since 2021, Elk Neck State Park has partnered with the Maryland Biodiversity Project (MBP), a non-profit organization that performs nature studies of Maryland’s living things (birds, insects, plants, and others) to promote conservation, science, and education. This MBP community has cataloged more than 20,600 species, including nearly 13,000 species with photographs and features the work of more than 18,000 naturalists and photographers. For more information a​bout the Maryland Biodiversity Project or to see the data collected from the nature studies, visit https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com​.​


Common Birds seen at Elk Neck State Park

  • Length (L), Wingspan (WS), Habitat (H), Features (F), Seasons (S)
  • Numbers viewed taken from 2022 Bird Count Aug-Nov Summary
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​Ring-billed Gull
(Larus delawarensis)
L: 17"
WS​: 48"
H: Beaches, ponds, reservoirs
F: Yellow bill w/black, ring; pale gray above; white; yellow legs      
S: All year​
​# viewed in bird count: 4137 ​


Photo Credit: Skip Russell​​

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​Double-Crested Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax auritus)
L: 32"
WS: 52​"
H: Coastal areas, bays, lakes
F: Large black body, orange to yellow skin on face and throat; hooked bill​​
S: All year
# viewed in bird count: 4024​​
Photo Credit: Dennis Church

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Snow Geese
(Chen caerulescens)
L: 30"
WS: 54"
H: Shallow marshes and ponds, grain fields​
F: White body w/ black wingtips; large pink bill; pink legs
S: Fall - Spring
# viewed in bird count: 104​

​Photo Credit: Mick Thompson

Tundra Swan
(Cygnus columbianus)
L: 52"
WS: 85"
H: Estuaries, lakes​
F: Huge white body; black bill w/ yellow patch near eye                 
S: Fall - Spring
# viewed in bird count: 1937
​​Photo Credit: Sergey Yeliseev​

Forster's Tern
(Sterna forsteri)
L: 19"
WS: 31​"
H: Marshes, lakes, bays​
F: Breeding adult w/ full black cap; orange ​bill
w/ dark tip; forked tip
S: All year​
# viewed in bird count: 2942
​Photo Credit: ​Len Blumin​

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Red-winged Blackbird​​​
(Agelaius phoeniceus)
L: 9"
WS: 13"
H: Marshes, ponds, wet fields​
F: Male: jet black w/ red or orange ​shoulder patch w/ yellow edge
S: All year
# viewed in bird count: 14632​​
Photo Credit: Ashok Boghani

American Goldfinch​​​
(Carduelis tristis)
L: 5"
WS: 9"
H: Shrubby areas, farms, gardens
F: Male: yellow body; dull orange bill; black wings, tail and cap​     ​
S: Spring - Fall
# viewed in bir​d count: 15017​​
Photo Credit: ​​Karin Lewis

Common Grackle​​​
(Quiscalus quiscula)
L: 12"
WS: 17"
H: Farmlands, parks, wetlands
F: Mostly black; iridescent wings in sunlight; yellow eyes​​
S: All year
# viewed in bir​d count: 128181​​​
Photo Credit: Tim Sackton

Cedar Waxwing​​
(Bombycilla cedrorum)
L: 7"
WS: 12"
H: Countryside, suburbs, parks
F:Brown overall; black eyestripe; yellow-tipped tail and red-tipped ​wings
S: All year
# viewed in bir​d count: 14685 ​​​​

Photo Credit: Diana Robinson

Eastern Bluebird
(Sialia sialis)
L: 7"
WS: 9"
H: Farmlands, country yards
F: Male: Bright blue head, ​wings and back, rust colored breast           ​
S: All year
# viewed in bir​d count: 1201​​​​​
Photo Credit: Miki Jourdan

Blue Jay
(Cyanocitta cristata)
L: 11"
WS​: 16"
H: Woodlands, parks, gardens
F: Blue crest and back; white ​around the eye; primarily blue wings w/ black bars​
S: All year
# viewed in bir​d count: 18462​​​​​​

Photo Credit: Phil Romans


American Robin
(Cyanocitta cristata)
L: 10"
WS​: 14"
H: Fields, woodland edges, lawns
F: Yellow bill; dark gray upperparts; brick red below
S: All year
# viewed in bir​d count: 25026​

Photo Credit: MD Dept of Natural Resources

Scarlet Tanager​​​
​(Piranga olivacea)
L: 7"
WS: 12"
H: Mature woodlands​​
F: Male: bright red body; black wings and tail​​
S: Spring - Fall
# viewed in bird count: 148
​Photo Credit: Steven Kersting


Pileated Woodpecker
​(Dryocopus pileatus)​
L: 17"
WS: 29"
H: Mature woodlands, suburbs
F: Black body and wings; red neck; males w/ red stripe on chin
S: All year​
# viewed in bird co​unt: 17​
Photo​ C​redit: Jerry McFarland 

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
​(Colaptes auratus)​
L: 13"
WS:​ 19"
H: : Open woodlands, parks, suburbs
F: Yellow under wing and tail; black
​spotted underparts; black bill; red blaze on nape
S: All year
# viewed in bird co​unt: 1505
​Photo C​redit: Mark Moschell​

Bald Eagle
​(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)​
L: 35"
WS:​ 85"
H: Bays, lakes, rivers, fields
F: adults: white head, tail; ​hooked yellow bill; yellow feet
S: All year
# viewed in bird co​unt: 139
Phot​o C​redit: MD Dept of Natural Resources
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​Osprey​
​(Pandion haliaetus)​
L: 24"
WS: 70"
H: Coastlines, bays, rivers
F: White head; dark streak through eye; dark above; white below; underwings boldly patterned
S: Spring - Fall
# viewed in bird co​unt: 86​

​Photo C​redit: Mick Thompson​


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Turkey Vulture​​
​(Cathartes aura)​
L: 27"
WS: 69"
H: Woodland edges, fields
F: Large black body; red, unfeathered head, trailing wing ​edge silver in flight
S: All year
# viewed in bird co​unt: 1319​
​​​Photo C​redit: Mark Moschell