birding tours 2023

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Worldwide Birding & Nature Tours

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Mainland USA

Naturalist Journeys offers birding and wildlife tours through the United States. Our US birding and wildlife tours explore habitats across the country — from Washington's Olympic Peninsula to South Florida, from Arizona to New Jersey, and many states in between. Join a birding migration tour, a desert monsoon tour, or simply witness the wonder of our national parks on a Yellowstone wildlife tour or Olympic Peninsula wildlife tour. Independent US Travel If our small group US birding tours don't fit your schedule or your interests, Naturalist Journeys is happy to arrange an independent birding venture designed just for you.

Destinations in this Region

• New Hampshire
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Utah & Southwest Parks
• Wyoming & Montana
• The Great Lakes

Guided Group Tours

Group travel is rewarding and fun! With more eyes you see more species. Travel Planners of Naturalist Journeys and Caligo Ventures have been creating memorable journeys for 40+ years. We offer you small-group birding and nature tours, limited to just 8-10 persons led by expert guides. Learn and explore with like-minded people, enjoy local food and culture, and immerse yourself in birding and nature.

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Featured Trips

These tours are Guaranteed Departures, or only need a couple more bookings to become guaranteed.

2025 Puerto Rico Escape – Endemics and Island Birding

2025 Minnesota – Sax-Zim Bog, Boreal Specialties, and Owls

2025 California – Northern California: Mountains, Ocean and Desert

2024 Northern Arizona – The Grand Canyon and Condors

Destinations.

We go where the birds are!

Worldwide Birding Tours available through

Details on the Birding Ecotours website!

Most popular tours.

Our most sought-after destinations

2024 Florida – South Florida Specialties and the Dry Tortugas

2025 Oregon – Klamath Basin & the Coast

2024 North Carolina – The Outer Banks

2024 California – Southern California Specialties

2025 Texas Winter — Whooping Cranes and Rio Grande

2024 oregon – klamath basin & the coast, meet the leaders.

Our highly trained and knowledgeable guides at your service!

Jacob Roalef

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Custom and Set-Departure Bird & Wildlife Tours Around the World

To Tropical Birding Tours

Our story began back in 2001 when three friends abandoned promising careers in science so that they could go birding and call it ‘work'. Diligent and caring staff, great products and loyal clients have helped us grow, and we now offer various nature-based travel experiences to over 60 global destinations, running more than 150 tours a year. Our main goal will always be to show you the natural world we love, from flocks of tanagers in the Andes to Clouded Leopards in Borneo, and we want to share it with you. Hope to see you in the field soon…

Recent News:

Recent trip reports:.

Upper Texas Coast & Hill Country - April 2024

Mexico: Oaxaca and Chiapas Custom Tour - March 2024

Colorado: Chasing Chickens - April 2024

Belize: Birding with a Camera ® - April 2024

Costa Rica Photo Tour - Feb 2024

Eagle-Eye Tours offers exceptional Birding and Wildlife Tours worldwide

Small groups.

We believe small-groups are essential for a quality, enjoyable travel experience. Our tours have a guide-to-client ratio that reflects a more intimate travel experience.

Expert Guides

Our guides are expert birders and naturalists and go the extra mile to ensure an optimal experience during your trip.

We Give Back

We believe it’s important to give back to help conserve the birds and other wildlife that we so enjoy. Read more about what we do.

Birding Tours Worldwide

Small ship expedition cruises and sailing adventures, where do you want to go.

• Canada & USA
• Mexico, Central America & Caribbean
• South America
• Asia & Australasia

Most Popular Tours

Patagonia Wildlife Safari

Panama: Canal Zone & the Darien

Arizona in Winter

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eagleeyetours

We have been offering high quality birding tours and expedition cruises with exceptional leaders worldwide for 25+ years!

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Costa Rica Birding Tours 2023 & 2024 by Local Experts

Our birding tours, recommended  on tripadvisor, grand costa rica bird watching tour.

Focus: Advanced Birding Type:  Privately guided tour Days:  14

Costa Rica Bird Photography Tour

Focus:  Bird Photography Type: Privately guided tour Days:  12

Costa Rica Biological Stations Birding Tour

Focus: Advanced Birding Type: Privately guided tour Days: 10

Secluded Costa Rica Birdwatching Tour

Focus: Advanced Birding Type:  Privately guided tour Days:  9

Costa Rica Birding at Its Best Tour

Focus: Advanced Birding Type: Privately guided tour Days:  10

Unique Costa Rica Birding & Beach Tour

Focus: Intermediate Birding Type: Privately guided (beach portion is independent) Days: 10

Costa Rica Highlights Bird Watching Tour

Focus: Advanced Birding Type: Privately guided tour Days:  8

Intro to Costa Rica Birdwatching Tour

Focus: Intro to Birding Type: Independent with local guides Days: 8

Birding on a Budget in Costa Rica

Focus: Intermediate Birding Type: Independent with local guides Days: 13

Costa Rica Bird Watching Tours:

Birding tour vs birding with a camera tour vs photography tour.

What kind of bird watching experience are you looking for? Each Costa Rica Focus birding trip is designed around the main objective: the intensity of birding, tour pace and target species all matter… and our birding specialists will help you make the best choices and book the best birdwatching lodges in Costa Rica that perfectly suit the purpose of your tour.

Intensity of Birding

Birding tour.

Tour designed to see as many birds as possible. Focus on Endemics and lifers for guests.

The pace is set by participants, can range from relaxed to intense.

Birding with Camera

A balance of seeing as many birds as possible, especially endemics and lifers, while allowing time for everyone to get good shots.

Photography Tour

Tour is designed around photographing certain species, in settings designed for photography. The number of species is not important, it’s allowing time for everyone to get great shots.

Need Binoculars?

Need a camera.

Yes, and keep in mind you’ll need to carry the equipment you bring.

Yes, and we recommend a good telephoto lens, too.

Guide with a Spotting Scope?

Priority of photography.

Welcome as long as it does not interfere with birding. Photography is on the go.

Partial focus of the tour, time will be spent to get pictures, without affecting the ability to see target species.

Top priority. Hours can be spent on a single species so that participants can get the shots they want.

Time Spent at Feeders, Blinds, Hides, etc.

Yes, until all new species have been seen.

Yes, long enough for everyone to get good shots.

Yes, long enough for participants to get the shots they came for.

Pursuing Target Birds

Yes, this is the focus of the tour.

Yes, for people to get good shots of the target birds.

Only if conditions are great for excellent photos.

Other Wildlife?

Yes, for “star” species especially, and birds are still the main focus.

Yes, for “star” species, time is allowed for photographs.

Yes, for important or “star” species.

Help with Photo Setup

If time allows.

Bird & Wildlife Checklist

Yes, daily with the guide. List provided.

Available if guests want to do this.

Costa Rica Bird Watching Tours Have Much More to Them than Just Birds

Our Costa Rica Bird Watching Tours can offer you an unforgettable bird watching experience in the country. We have to say that we feel privileged to have visited some of the most spectacular locations on the planet. After so many birding trips across the globe, Costa Rica is still one of our favorite vacation destinations.

Costa Rica is not only an excellent  bird watching  destination, but it has much more to offer to travelers.

The country has amazing beaches, luxurious hotels, scenic oceanic coastlines, dense rainforests, river basin on the lowlands, National parks, serene beaches and much more.

Let us see what else this spectacular country has to offer to its visitors:

1. Incredible Wildlife

You will find more than 900 bird species in Costa Rica , but the country is also a paradise for wildlife adventurers. There are several rarest as well as endangered species on the earth that are only found here.

From Tapirs to Jaguars,  Giant Anteaters  to a mantled howler, cottontop tamarin to Geoffroy’s spider, more than 25% world’s endangered species are present in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica has numerous National Parks and Natural Reserves that protect this rare fauna. The country is also home for the legendary leatherback turtles.

Owing to its climatic conditions, even the most jeopardized bird and animal species can easily be viewed in Costa Rica.

2. Beautiful and Picturesque Landscapes

Second on our birding tours list is a trip to admire the beautiful landscapes. Costa Rica is a marvelous country. With an abundance of natural diversification in Costa Rica, you can enjoy every bit of the place.

Whether misty cloud forest or active but sleeping volcanoes, highlands or lake Arenal, every natural highlight in the country is overwhelming.

You can surf on the stunning beaches and go for snorkeling in the Caribbean waters. The country is both vibrant and colorful. It is surprising to see a few marvelous shades of green in the landscapes of Costa Rica.

3. Comfortable and Cozy Tourist Accommodations

Costa Rica tourism offers some unusual accommodations for high-spirited travelers. You can find some of the most amazing eco-lodges in the country.

These lodges are located in most unexpected places like near active volcanoes, in the highlands and forests, etc. In fact, one region in the country provides tree houses also for an adventurous stay.

There are some other finest accommodations that offer you open pools overlooking mountains and most exceptional scenic views. Besides, therapeutic spas and relaxing massages are also made available to the guests.

4. Terrific Birding Guides

Your birding and wildlife exploration experience becomes unforgettable if the guide is knowledgeable and passionate about his work.

Costa Rica has many renowned and outstanding birding guides that are handpicked for your trips. Most of these guides are local people and have been birding since their childhood.

These birders know precisely where you can watch a particular species. They are well aware of all the birding destinations in the country.

In fact, some of these are also authors or co-authors of many field guides that the travelers use to know about the  birds in Costa Rica .

5. Pleasant Costa Rica and Friendly Inhabitants

Costa Rica is a pleasant and peaceful country. People of Costa Rica are amiable. Most of the staffs in tourist lodges speak English.

They welcome you with an open heart and wish “Pura Vida” to every guest, which means “good life.” The hospitality of the Costa Ricans is outstanding.

The weather in the country is also pleasant most of the time. Roads are in good shape. The problem of the biting insects is also very less as compared to many such places.

6. Last but not least, the Amazing Birds

With around 850 bird species and unique wildlife, Costa Rica is a blissful country for birders and wildlife explorers.

Learn more: Where can I see birds in Costa Rica?

It also provides the ideal conditions for the nesting grounds. And that is why thousands of migratory birds come to Costa Rica every year. Many people enjoy the activities of these birds immensely.

Whether a rare species or a colorful and vibrant species, Costa Rican sky is always full of these winged creatures.

Awards & Accolades

About Costa Rica Focus

Costa Rica Focus is a birding tour company that offers customized Costa Rica birdwatching tours for individuals or groups of people and guided by a knowledgeable birding expert who will help you spot and learn about the beauty of the birds of Costa Rica. Let’s talk about your Costa Rica birding vacation!

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Alaska: The Great Land

Your first glimmer of the immensity of Alaska comes as the airplane drops in for a landing at Anchorage. There are towering, snow-capped peaks and icy waters practically beside the runway. And the northern sky is indescribably wide and high, the air crisp and pure. Heading for the hotel, you get the distinct urge to jump out and start birding immediately as gulls course over ponds dotted with phalaropes and waterfowl. Red-necked Grebes? Barrow's Goldeneyes? And those scaup were probably a mix of Lessers and Greaters. A tight flock of crossbill-like birds whizzes over and plummets into the spruces -- probably your lifer White-wingeds. Calming yourself, you realize this is just the beginning of one of the greatest of birding trips, in one of the wildest, most beautiful places on Earth.

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment "A person whom I met on local bird walks and who has used Field Guides repeatedly recommended your company. This was an excellent tour. It could not have been better! The guides were superior and all the arrangements were so carefully made that the travel was easy and efficient and there was very little time spent not birding. I'd absolutely travel with either Chris Benesh or Doug Gochfeld as a single leader or both of them together! They are a dynamic team and individually very knowledgeable, skilled, personable, and willing to go out of their way to offer the group the fullest experience possible and to make sure that everyone individually sees the birds. I had not used a national company prior to this for a birding tour. I was impressed that your big company could make this tour just as personal an experience for me as the trips I do with guides and clients whom I already know." D.M., ALASKA 2019

Other Tours in USA

Itineraries • tour status • details • space requests.

• 2025 (PDF expected Aug 2024)

DEPARTURES • We have 5 departures currently scheduled through 2026, with details including limits, guides, fees, and space available listed below.

Jun 1-17, 2024 Guided by: Chris Benesh Tour Manager: Karen Turner Tour Limit: 7 Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available - This tour is full, and all those booked have made deposits. Click below to be waitlisted for this tour with no obligation; if you are waitlisted, we will also notify you in case of an added departure of this tour. Tour Fee: $13075 Deposit: $1300 REQUEST WAITLIST OR MORE INFO

Jun 8-24, 2024 Guided by: Micah Riegner & Sam Wilson Tour Manager: Karen Turner Tour Limit: 14 Status: Open - This tour has enough participants registered to insure its operation, but it is not yet full. Click below to book one or more spaces. Tour Fee: $13075 Deposit: $1300 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

May 28 - Jun 13, 2025 Guided by: Micah Riegner & Sam Wilson Tour Manager: Karen Turner Tour Limit: 14 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$13075 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Jun 4-20, 2025 Guided by: Chris Benesh & Alex Sundvall Tour Manager: Karen Turner Tour Limit: 14 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$13075 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

May 27 - Jun 12, 2026 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 14 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$13075 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Enjoy looking through the 8 most recent Field Guides triplists for this tour linked below!

• 2023 (May departure guided by Chris Benesh & Micah Riegner)
• 2023 (May departure guided by Tom Johnson & Doug Gochfeld)
• 2022 (Part Two) (Jun departure guided by Chris Benesh & Micah Riegner)
• 2022 (Part One) (Jun departure guided by Chris Benesh & Micah Riegner)
• 2022 (Part Two) (Jun departure guided by Tom Johnson & Doug Gochfeld)
• 2022 (Part One) (May departure guided by Tom Johnson & Doug Gochfeld)
• 2021 (Part Two) (Jun departure guided by Tom Johnson & Doug Gochfeld)
• 2021 (Part Two) (Jun departure guided by Dave Stejskal & Micah Riegner)

Delmarva Birding Weekends

Experience the best of year-round birding on the Delmarva Peninsula

Join us June 14-16 for Songbirds of the Swamp!

Welcome to DelmarvaBirding.com! If you are new to our events and field trips and you want to be among the first to know when registration opens for our experiences, please subscribe to our e-newsletter .

Visit Songbirds of the Swamp for more info and to register for your field trips!

Birding Tour USA: Maine – From Mountain Forests to Sparkling Shores

Go to: USA Birding Tours | Birding Tours in North America | All our birding tours

Dates and Costs:

03 – 11 June 2025

Price: US$4,860 / £4,023 / €4,688 per person sharing

Single Supplement: US$850 / £704 / €820

* Please note that currency conversion is calculated in real-time, therefore is subject to slight change. Please refer back to the base price when finalising payments.

Recommended Field Guide

(Please also read our blogs about recommended field   guides for the seven continents here )

Tour Details

Duration : 9 days Group Size : 4 – 8 Tour Start : Portland, Maine Tour End : Portland, Maine

Price includes:

Meals/water Accommodation Transport Guiding fees Boat rides Entrance fees

Price excludes:

Flights Personal insurance Alcoholic beverages Gratuities ( please see our tipping guidelines blog ) Laundry service Personal expenses such as gifts

Featured Guide:

Birding Tour USA: Maine – From Mountain Forests to Sparkling Shores June 2025

Maine (and the northeast region of the United States in general) offers a great mixed bag of birding through its diverse habitats and high latitude location. Many migrant species call this area their home in the summer as they stake out territories and breed. The overlap between the more southern breeders and northern breeders is rarely seen elsewhere, meaning Maine offers a unique chance of some fantastic birding generating some good lists. The habitats on display range from coastal saltwater marshes to sandy-plains grasslands, high altitude mountain tops of the Appalachians , expansive boreal forests, and unique clusters of offshore islands inhabited by puffins and other charismatic wildlife. Each habitat contains its own picturesque beauty along with key bird species to see. This nine-day tour explores the best this region has to offer. On this tour, we focus on Maine, but also foray into New Hampshire and time-permitting into Vermont.

The trip will begin by exploring Scarborough Marsh , a massive saltwater estuary home to a large population of both Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows . From here we will continue along to the Kennebunk Plains and into the White Mountains National Forest of New Hampshire for our first taste of boreal forest birding. One of the best locations for breeding Bicknell’s Thrush is near the top of Mount Washington (from roadside pull-offs, so no need for a strenuous hike), the highest peak in the northeast (6,200 feet, almost 2,000 meters). We will continue our boreal birding experience scoring a myriad of thrush, warbler, and flycatcher species, all of which will be on their established breeding grounds by June. Black-backed Woodpecker , Canada (Grey) Jay , Spruce Grouse , Boreal Chickadee , Red Crossbill , and other charismatic birds of the taiga forests , are all possibilities. Eventually we will make it back to Maine’s coastline and begin our exploration of the ocean. With two pelagic boat trips planned, we will hopefully experience up-close-and-personal views of Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , Common Murre , Black Guillemot , Arctic Tern and more as we visit the numerous offshore islands. Finally, the trip concludes with a journey through the jaw-droppingly beautiful Acadia National Park , full of scenic viewpoints and great breeding birds. This New England birding and wildlife holiday might also generate some non-avian finds, such as Ocean Sunfish , Grey Seal , Humpback , Fin and Common Minke Whales , American Beaver , North American Porcupine , American Black Bear and Moose .

Date-wise, this Maine and New Hampshire birdwatching tour is combinable with our  Alaska birding tour  and  extension  (and sometimes with other  USA birding tours of ours ) but if you combine with Alaska you’re in for a long flight across North America – a similar distance to flying from London to Maine.

The boat departure to Machias Seal Island featured on Day 6 of this tour is sometimes replaced with a different pelagic trip to Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge and series of islands are located in more southern waters of Maine and features a restored seabird colony full of Atlantic Puffins , Razorbills , and Arctic and Common Terns . Additionally, this area features the largest colony of Great Cormorants found in Maine. With any luck, there is also the potential for a surprise star bird nicknamed “Troppy”, a Red-billed Tropicbird that has amazingly called these islands home for over 15 summers in a row! We never know until about early to mid May each year if this rather out of place, beautiful tropical seabird returns. Please note that in years we make this itinerary change, we also reverse the order of the itinerary because the alternate boat trip is further south, making logistics work better this way.

Itinerary (9 days/8 nights)

Day 1. arrival in portland, maine.

The tour begins in Portland, Maine with arrival at the Portland International Jetport (PWM). From here, we’ll transfer to our hotel and head to dinner to prepare for our upcoming tour as well as get to know each other better. If time and daylight allow, we may head to the coast to get our first breaths of the sea air and hopefully see a few species such as Common Tern and Common Eider .

Overnight: Portland, Maine

Day 2. Scarborough Marsh and Portland area

This morning we will begin at Maine’s largest saltwater marsh, Scarborough Marsh . This expansive estuary plays host to numerous breeding birds and is one of the best places to see both Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows . The shallow waters and rich habitat also prove to be a haven for wading birds like Little Blue Heron and Snowy Egret . After a productive morning of exploring the marsh, we will venture out to a few coastal sites for a chance at some great birds including Roseate Tern and Piping Plover .

Day 3. White Mountains National Park

Today we head into New Hampshire and the White Mountains National Forest , but first, we will plan a stop at the Kennebunk Plains along the way. This huge grassland area will provide us with a great opportunity to see some specials such as Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows , and Upland Sandpiper . Unfortunately, some of these birds have become quite scare and local in the northeast as these sand-plains have greatly dwindled. After a great morning of birding the grasslands, we will head up into the mountains. It is here in the higher altitudes and forests that we will have a chance at boreal species like Black-backed Woodpecker , Boreal Chickadee , and even a shot at Spruce Grouse . We’ll finish near the small town of Gorham for the evening and prepare for the next day.

Overnight: Gorham, New Hampshire

Day 4. Mount Washington and boreal birds

This morning we will begin to properly explore the White Mountains a bit further with a start on the Mount Washington Auto Road . Luckily, this 7.6-mile (12 kilometer) road allows us to gain sufficient altitude with relative ease in hopes of scoring our big target for the day, Bicknell’s Thrush . These sneaky birds typically only nest at high elevations of 3,000 feet (1,000 meters) or higher. Luckily, there are a few pull-offs along the road which allow for searching. In addition to the thrush, we hope to encounter other nice bird species such as Canada Jay , Dark-eyed Junco and the unusual Blackpoll Warbler .

From here, depending on how we’ve faired so far, we may even dip into Vermont for a bit, in hopes of encountering Spruce Grouse and Two-barred (White-winged) Crossbill . Plus, it is always fun to tick a few birds for a new state life list. From here we will continue along through the scenic spruce and firs of the boreal forest before eventually settling into Rangeley for the night.

Overnight: Rangeley, Maine

Day 5. Mountains and back to the coast

Today, our goal is to make it back to the coast of Maine in Machias, but of course there is plenty of birding to do along the way. First up is the Rangeley area, birding along the roadsides of the forest. This is a great area to pick up more superb bird species including Yellow-bellied , Olive-sided and Alder Flycatchers , Boreal Chickadee , Blue-headed Vireo , Veery , Winter Wren and a variety of breeding warblers.

We will then continue our journey towards the ocean in the afternoon, with a stop at Messalonskee Lake en route. This narrow lake hosts both Black Tern and Purple Martin colonies in addition to the other more common lake species like Common Loon and Western Osprey . We’ll make it to our hotel in Machias and get some rest in preparation for our boat trip the following morning.

Overnight: Machias, Maine

Day 6. Machias Seal Island

We depart Cutler Harbor at 7:00 a.m. and set sail for Machias Seal Island , home to an incredible seabird colony. We should see nesting Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , Common Murre , and Arctic Tern , all at point-blank range. Weather permitting, we will be able to land on the island which makes for great photographic opportunities. Grey Seals are likely at North Rock, while Harbor Seals are common. During the morning boat ride, we will look for pelagic species such as Northern Fulmar , Great Shearwater , and Wilson’s Storm Petrel . After lunch we’ll drive to Quoddy Head State Park that juts out into the Grand Manan Channel, which offers great opportunities for seabirds and shorebirds. Boreal species may include Lincoln’s Sparrow and Palm Warbler . After dinner, we will journey along the coast until we reach Bar Harbor where we will stay for the next two nights.

Overnight: Bar Harbor, Maine

Day 7. Petit Manan boat trip and Bar Harbor

We’ll have a few hours in the morning to begin our exploration of Mount Desert Island , the largest island off the coast of Maine. Around mid-morning we’ll head for the dock at Bar Harbor and prepare for a half-day boat excursion to visit Petit Manan Island National Wildlife Refuge . This series of many offshore islands plays host to loads of seabirds including Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , and Common Murre plus the potential for a shearwater or storm petrel. Humpback Whale is likely, with several other species of cetaceans also possible. This short boat trip also serves as a great back-up to Machias Seal Island if the weather was poor on the previous day. After arriving back on land, we will continue our birding of Mount Desert Island and its spruce and fir forests hoping for nice birds such as Magnolia , Blackpoll and Cape May Warblers .

Day 8. Acadia National Park and back to Portland

This morning and into the afternoon, we will get a chance to explore and bird the beauty of Acadia National Park . Taking up a large chunk of Mount Desert Island, Acadia has a great vastness and is rich in biodiversity. We should hear the echoing songs of Wood Thrush throughout our visit along with other amazing species like Blackburnian and Black-throated Green Warblers , Ovenbird , Cedar Waxwing , and more.  After a great morning and afternoon inside the park, we will do one final scan along the coast for any potential species we are missing, and it is also a great location for Great Cormorant . Finally, we will head back to Portland for our final evening of the trip.

Day 9. Departure from Portland

Today concludes what was surely a fantastic tour full of many highlights. If time permits, there may be a chance for a brief morning birding session at Scarborough Marsh or another nearby location before checking out of the hotel and transferring to the Portland airport.

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling.

Spruce Grouse

Saltmarsh Sparrow

Atlantic Puffin

Black-and-white Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Bicknell's Thrush

Eastern Bluebird

Common Eider

Alder Flycatcher

Arctic Tern

Northern Waterthrush

USA – Maine Birding Tour: Set Departure Trip Report

05 – 13 july 2021, by jacob roalef.

DOWNLOAD TRIP REPORT

This nine-day set departure tour of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont commenced in Portland, Maine on the 5 th of July 2021 and concluded back there on the 13 th of July 2021. The tour visited many amazing birding locations including Scarborough Marsh , Kennebunk Plains , Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge , Vinalhaven Island , Acadia National Park , Messalonskee Lake , Moose Bog , and Mount Washington Auto Road .

The tour connected with many of our target birds giving us a great list for our nine days in the region. Avian highlights included a long list of breeding species such as Upland Sandpiper , Vesper , Saltmarsh , Nelson’s and Field Sparrows , Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , Great Cormorant , Wilson’s Storm Petrel , Roseate , Least , Black and Arctic Terns , Sandhill Crane , Purple Martin , Olive-sided , Yellow-bellied , and Alder Flycatchers , Canada Jay , Ruffed Grouse , Common Eider , Piping Plover , Bicknell’s Thrush , Winter Wren , Broad-winged Hawk , Hooded Merganser , Purple Finch , Pine Siskin , Brown Creeper , Magnolia , Nashville , Pine , Blackpoll , and Blackburnian Warblers , Ovenbird , and a code 3 ABA rarity in Red-billed Tropicbird .

A total of 148 bird species were seen (plus three species heard only), along with a few other amazing animals, including Moose , Stoat (Ermine/Short-tailed Weasel), and Harbor Porpoise . Species lists can be found at the end of the report.

Detailed Report

Day 1, 05 th july 2021. arrival in portland and birding crescent beach.

After gathering everyone from the airport and meeting at the hotel, we decided to venture out for a quick session of birding before dinner. We headed over to Crescent Beach State Park for a lovely stroll along the sandy beach. Our hour or so of birding yielded some great species including Common Tern , Common Eider , Great Crested Flycatcher , Brown Thrasher , and Piping Plover , with a pair of adorable fluffball chicks. From here we headed off to dinner to discuss our upcoming trip in further detail.

Day 2, 06 th July 2021.Kennebunk Plains, Scarborough Marsh and Gilsland Audubon

The morning started off with a bit of birding in the hotel parking lot which netted us a stunning Pine Warbler , before we headed off towards the grasslands of Kennebunk Plains. This unique habitat was full of awesome birding and the weather held off nicely for us. We were treated to loads of sparrow species such as Eastern Towhee , Vesper , Grasshopper , and Field Sparrows , however the real highlight had to be a pair of Upland Sandpipers circling overheadand landing at the top of a pine tree! We crossed the road into another section of the plains in search of Clay-colored Sparrow and while we heard one singing, alas it did not want to make an appearance for us. That’s the way birding goes sometimes though. We headed off for more coffee and a bit of brunch.

Our next birding stop was the expansive saltwater marsh habitat of Scarborough Marsh. This area contains a nice (and extremely popular) dike trail, cutting right through the middle of the marsh. We had a great time birding here and the sun even poked out halfway through. Bird species here included Glossy Ibis , Snowy and Great Egrets , Song Sparrow , Tree and Barn Swallows, Sand Martin (Bank Swallow), Least Tern , and we were successful with the top targets for this location, Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows . We continued south to the mouth of the Nonesuch River where we set up shop to watch the tide recede and enjoy the various water birds coming in to feed. Here we managed to follow a pair of Roseate Terns way out over the water, really studying the plumage and identification characteristics, versus the more numerous Common Terns nearby. In addition to the terns, we spotted Great Black-backed and Bonaparte’s Gulls , Bald Eagle , and Common Eider . Our last stop of the day took us to Gilsland Farm. This lovely nature center offers a few feeder areas and some prairie areas where we noted White-breasted Nuthatch , Tufted Titmouse , Red-bellied Woodpecker , Black-capped Chickadee , House Finch , and a family of Wild Turkeys , including ten chicks! This certainly capped off a great day of birding and from here we headed off to dinner.

Day 3, 07 th July 2021. Vinalhaven and Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge

Today had us all excited as we were to catch a ferry over to Vinalhaven Island where we would meet up with the amazing Captain John Drury for an afternoon boat trip out to Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge. Before catching the 10:30 ferry out of Rockland, we made a quick stop at Wharton Point where we noted Bobolink , Eastern Kingbird , American Goldfinch and some beautiful scenery. From here it was off on our adventure to Vinalhaven! The ferry ride over offered us our first chance at some seabird species, so of course we were kept busy scanning. We saw several nice birds such as Laughing Gull , Black Guillemot , Common Loon and Wilson’s Storm Petrel , however most of these views were a bit distant, and so we hoped to improve upon them later.

We made it onto Vinalhaven and after a bit of lunch, we headed off towards the docks to meet up with Captain John Drury and board the Skua , his 36-foot vessel. On our way out, we really enjoyed chatting with John as his knowledge and personality are unmatched and he was a true highlight of the trip. We spotted several Northern Gannets , a few Harbor Porpoises and eventually became surrounded by a feeding group of Wilson’s Storm Petrels which was an awesome experience. Eventually we arrived at Seal Island and immediately were greeted by Atlantic Puffins , Razorbills , Common and Arctic Terns , and Great Cormorants . We did a full loop around the island taking in the scenery and birds before we anchored the boat and waited for the star to hopefully arrive. As time was passing, John did a bit of fishing, again adding to the fun and experience and then all of the sudden, boom, Troppy had arrived! This Red-billed Tropicbird is quite a marvel as it has returned to this area for 17 years now and we watched as it chased terns and was chased a bit in return. What an incredible bird and an unforgettable experience. With that, we started our way back to Vinalhaven where we didn’t see any new species but did enjoy the scenic route and setting sun over the amazing islands in the Gulf of Maine.

Day 4, 08 th July 2021. Back to the mainland and Mount Desert Island

We enjoyed a nice breakfast spread at the Tidewater, our local accommodation on Vinalhaven, before heading back to the mainland of Maine via a ferry ride. Similar to our ride the previous day, the ferry netted us Black Guillemot , Common Eider and the usual gull suspects like American Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls . We eventually made it back to Rockland and started our journey towards Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island. After enjoying a flyby Bald Eagle at lunch, we spent the afternoon on the west side of the island exploring Seal Cove and Seal Cove Road. These areas produced our first mixed flock of the trip with species such as Black-capped Chickadee , Brown Creeper , Black-and-white , Blackburnian , and Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warblers , American Redstart , Common Yellowthroat , and Red-breasted Nuthatch . A bit further along the road we encountered a pesky Blue-headed Vireo calling but only giving brief views as well as a small group of Black-throated Green Warblers . It was a very pleasant afternoon of birding on Mount Desert Island. In the early evening we headed up to the top of Cadilac Mountain to enjoy some great views out over the water, including Acadia, and Bar Harbor down below. We also managed to spot a few Dark-eyed Juncos but the wind was really strong and kept a lot of birds down, so we headed back for dinner.

Day 5, 09 th July 2021. Acadia National Park and Hurricane Elsa

We started off early in the hopes of getting some birding in before Hurricane Elsa made her way to Maine, as forecasts were indicating. We headed straight to Sieur de Monts Springs in Acadia National Park, one of the best birding locations in the park. As we arrived in the parking lot, I received the call that our second boat trip was indeed cancelled, an expected call and really it would have been hard to top our boat trip with John. So we were off on the trails, with no rain yet, exploring the mixed forest and picking up some lovely birds such as Barred Owl , Winter Wren , Wood Thrush , Ovenbird and Red-eyed Vireo . Towards the end of the trail, we were treated to a lovely sighting of a Stoat (Ermine/Short-tailed Weasel) as it bounced around from tree to tree. As soon as we loaded back into the van, the rain started, so we headed off to a delicious brunch full of blueberry pancakes and waffles. From here we continued and drove the park loop of Acadia hoping for a break in the weather, but the rain was strong, and the fog was thick. We eventually decided to take the afternoon to do some laundry and relax a little as a nice halfway point in the tour and knowing we couldn’t beat the rain and storm.

Day 6, 10 th July 2021. Messalonskee Lake and Boy Scout Road

Today we said our goodbyes to the coast and headed inland towards the mountains and boreal forest of interior Maine. To break up our drive, we stopped at Messalonskee Lake, a unique location with several key target species that strangely aren’t easily found elsewhere in the state. Here we encountered many great species including Sandhill Crane , Black Tern , Warbling Vireo , Least Flycatcher , and Purple Martin . After lunch we headed to Boy Scout Road for a fun afternoon of birding. This location is in the middle of nowhere and includes some nice bogs and forests, with minimal human traffic through it. We scored more great species such as Nashville Warbler , Red-breasted Nuthatch , Alder Flycatcher , Downy Woodpecker and Northern (Common) Raven . On our way back to town, we cruised down highway 16, also known as Moose Alley to locals, so of course we had our eyes peeled. About halfway down the road we spotted a beautiful female (cow) Moose !! These giant animals are always a huge highlight and command distance and respect. What a perfect ending to a day of birding and nature exploring.

Day 7, 11 th July 2021. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont birding

There are not very many locations in the US where you can bird three different locations and be in three different states, but today we did just that. Our first stop was a quick one back at Boy Scout Road in Maine to check if the birding was any different in the morning. Along the way we spotted another Moose on highway 16 but this time it disappeared quickly into the woods. Boy Scout Road produced much of the same from the previous evening with a picturesque Great Blue Heron and a Northern Waterthrush as new highlights. From here we ventured across the state line and into New Hampshire to bird along East Inlet Road. This area is very far north and approaches the Canadian border. Birding started off rather slowly with Swainson’s Thrush and Black-throated Blue Warblers singing in the dense woods. It wasn’t until our way back out that things started to heat up. It started with a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and soon after a small group of quizzical Canada Jays , coming in to inspect us. Finally, right at the end of the road, an incredibly accommodating Ruffed Grouse posed beautifully for us allowing prolonged looks before scurrying away into the brush.

Our last stop of the day was just barely into Vermont at Moose Bog. This amazing and unique habitat is always a joy to wander through and bird. Down on the boardwalk through the bog, things were particularly birdy, and we had several great species including Olive-sided Flycatcher , Eastern Kingbird , American Bittern , Hooded Merganser , and a pair of American Beavers swimming in the water. Someone had sprinkled some seeds out along the railing and a cute, Red-breasted Nuthatch came down for a visit as well as a terribly angry Red-winged Blackbird wanting some free food. On our way back out of the bog we spotted a large Hairy Woodpecker and a Winter Wren singing his heart out like they so often do. This completed our three-state birding day and we headed to our hotel and dinner for the evening.

Day 8, 12 th July 2021. Mount Washington and back to Portland

Today was spent climbing to the top of Mount Washington, the tallest summit in northeastern USA. We worked our way up to about 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) to the preferred habitat of our top target for the day. Unfortunately, it didn’t show at our first stop and besides a White-throated Sparrow , all we encountered were a face full of gnats! We carried onwards to the next pull off location and here the birding picked up immensely. It wasn’t long before the target Bicknell’s Thrush was spotted off in the distance, but it did take some time before we all enjoyed closer looks. In addition to the thrush, we scored goodies such as Blackpoll Warbler , Dark-eyed Junco , and Purple Finch . The real highlight however might have a been a hilarious Pine Siskin constantly flying in and checking us out, only to swirl in a circle again back overhead. We all enjoyed a good laugh at this funny behavior and watched a group of four siskins forage in the stunted growth trees. We eventually made our way up to the summit and the Alpine zone where we found a nice (American) Buff-bellied Pipit . Once back down from the mountain we headed back towards the coast of Maine.

Our final birding stop of the trip was at Wells Preserve. This lovely park has a nice trail showcasing different habitats from woodlands to a saltmarsh and eventually down to the ocean. On our way to the beach, we encountered several interesting species including Cedar Waxwing , Snowy Egret , Least Tern , American Black Duck , and Brown Thrasher . We did a bit of scanning on the ocean and bagged all three US scoter species, Black , White-winged and Surf Scoters , all new for the trip! On the way back we spotted a Chestnut-sided Warbler , always a welcome sight. It was now time for our final dinner together as a group and a recap of the trip and our favorite birds and moments.

Day 9, 13 th July 2021. Departure day

After a bit of breakfast, it was time to say our goodbyes after an incredible trip full of many birds, mammals, scenery, and memories. The favorite species for the group were Atlantic Puffin , Ruffed Grouse , Canada Jay , Winter Wren , and Razorbill .

Please see the downloadable PDF above for the full species lists. This is a sample trip report. Please email us ( [email protected] ) for more trip reports from this destination.

‘Maine is beautiful, whether you’re on the shore or inland, and this tour showed us the best of both. Experiencing the variety of habitats with a knowledgeable guide and great companions was just what we needed after a year of not travelling. Jacob was a great leader for our group, making sure we saw the birds we wanted, but also on the look-out for mammals or letting us slow down to enjoy the wildflowers.’

Tracy ‘Jacob is an excellent birder and has great people skills. Both are needed in a good guide. He knew his stuff and put up with all the joking but was serious when it came to the birds. Would definingly tour with him again.’ Debra ‘Every aspect of this tour was great. First of all, you must have cornered the market on great young tour guides, because Jacob was wonderful. Obviously an excellent birder, he was patient with us over 70 crowd members (we teased him about “nobody over 70 ever again”), enthusiastic and had a great sense of humor. He is very easy to be around, making all feel comfortable.

Of course, the pelagic trip was, for us, the high point. We would suggest that you make the trip to Vinalhaven a regular part of the tour, and add Captain John Drury a must. He was a real character, and took special pains to make sure we saw all that we could see…even the Red-billed Tropicbird.

And the trip up Mt. Washington was so very interesting, with all the vegetation changes as the altitude changed. AND we got the Bicknell’s Thrush!

“Maine, from the mountains to the sparkling waters” perfectly describes this tour, as it encompassed a wide variety of habitat and birds. Definitely a “must” if you want to see some hard-to-get species.’

Joyce and Bill We would recommend this trip to anyone interested in Alaska birding. Jacob was very knowledgeable and helpful. He took his time with us Ohio people that had never seen many of the birds there. The sites and road trips were well chosen and worthwhile. David and Joyce

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Birding is more than our passion, it’s our lifestyle, and we are dedicated to making professional, best value trips filled with endemic species and unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997, we’ve run bird watching tours in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders, small birding groups and top international tour companies. We’ve run Conservation Tours in association with the African Bird Club and work with and consult for a number of other top international tour companies and the BBC Natural History Unit.

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A Beginner’s Guide to Birding

This pastime is more popular than ever. Here's how to join the flock of brand-new bird-watchers.

Why the increased interest in our feathered friends? “Affordable, high-quality digital cameras to start with,” says Greg Neise of the American Birding Association . “The ability to take great photos and videos of birds with a phone got more people going out and doing it. Then, along came social media, which gave birders more opportunities to share those pictures.” The advent of birding-specific platforms like eBird —which collects sightings, sound recordings, photos, and video from hundreds of thousands of bird-watchers around the world—also offers citizen scientists the chance to contribute to and interact with the global birding community at large.

The pandemic also led to increased participation in backyard birding. “Many people had to get creative with how to spend their leisure time and where to find community,” says Meghadeepa Maity of Feminist Bird Club . The estimated number of participants in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count , during which birders tally and report sightings from home, more than doubled between 2019 and 2023. The 2020 Global Big Day , a yearly event where bird-watchers around the world document as many bird species as possible within 24 hours, broke participation records and has continued to do so: The May 2023 event saw 58,756 eBirders from 199 countries record 7,636 species.

Common Birdsongs for Beginners

Train your ears by listening for these tunes from feathered friends frequently heard in backyards across the country.

The hobby has also been embraced for its health benefits. “Bird-watching is a great way to connect with nature, and studies show that more time in nature is associated with reduced blood pressure and lower cortisol levels,” says Jennifer Tyrrell , Engagement Manager at Audubon South Carolina . “Mental alertness is also a huge benefit of bird-watching. You’ll often pick up on plants, insects, and other neat wildlife you probably wouldn’t have noticed before!”

It can even be personally transformative. “I was in a dark place five years ago, and I promised myself that instead of dreading the dawn when I couldn’t sleep, I’d try to get up and go birding,” Meghadeepa says. “Everything shifted from there. Birding has made me more observant, patient, and thoughtful, and it’s led me to a community where I can be my most authentic self.”

“For me, it’s been centering,” says Greg. “Birding keeps you humble in a good way. Even after 50 years, I’m still learning new things.”

Finally, birding is more accessible than ever, with a host of free resources available via institutions such as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and organizations like National Audubon Society . Groups have also been more intentional about creating space for novice birders, as well as making the pastime more inclusive.

“Feminist Bird Club has been expanding our virtual events, and we find the majority of our attendees have never participated in a birding event before,” says Meghadeepa. “Anyone who's been inspired or delighted by a bird can now find mainstream social media content that reassures them the term ‘birding’ is theirs to claim, too. Many of us, like Wisco Birder , have started creating content that exemplifies how ubiquitous and infectious bird-joy is.”

Ready for your own birding adventures? Here's how to get started, according to the experts.

1. Download Apps and Gear Up

Start identifying species by photo or bird call via free apps like Merlin Bird ID and the Audubon Bird Guide . eBird , also free, allows users to log their sightings. When it comes to mainstream social media, “If you are on Facebook, the group ‘What’s this Bird?’ is fantastic for posting your identification questions and getting nonjudgmental, detailed feedback,” says Meghadeepa.

The Sibley Guide to Birds , National Geographic’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America , and National Audubon Society’s Birds of North America are found on many birders’ bookshelves. “It’s also handy to have a field guide specific to your state or province,” says Greg, who notes the ABA Area Field Guides contain hundreds of species birders will likely encounter in their region. “I suggest leaving it on your nightstand. Pick a family, like warblers or ducks, to casually leaf through and learn about before bed.”

When it comes to gear, “Binoculars aren’t required, but they do help,” says Matt Johnson , Beidler Forest Center Director, Audubon South Carolina. “Birds don't really want us to be super-close to them, so binoculars provide a great way to look ‘closely’ from a respectable distance. Binoculars range in price, but $100-$150 will get you a fantastic pair that can last for a decade.”

“I’d also recommend asking around to see if anyone has a spare pair you can borrow,” says Meghadeepa. “You’ll be surprised how many lay forgotten in many birders’ attics!” Check with your local birding clubs or libraries about borrowing equipment, too. “Many FBC chapters have partnered with local libraries to curate ‘birding backpacks’ that already have the equipment you need to start.”

2. Start Local

You don’t have to travel to bird-watch (though there are many wonderful destinations birders can add to their bucket list ). “Begin by bird-watching in your neighborhood and learn to identify the birds you most commonly see,” says Matt. “It’s much less overwhelming to begin with five to ten species that you’re likely to spot frequently.”

If you want to explore further afield, “Start with habitats where many birds are still and easily visible, like wetlands and water bodies,” says Meghadeepa. “I also like to look for birds in intersections of habitats, like a meadow along a forest edge. Birds are frequently more active in these edge habitats. Most of us find birds by looking for movement and listening for birdsongs. You can also check eBird.org to find out which hot spots local birders go to.”

3. Create a Bird-Friendly Backyard

“If you have access to outdoor space, you can bring birds to you for ID practice with bird feeders,” says Matt. “They stick around longer, and you can observe them more easily. Adding a birdbath, drip line, or other water feature to your outdoor space is a great way to help birds get the daily water they need, and this also may attract new species to your area.” Picking bird-friendly native plants is another way to attract feathered friends. “Natives also make your space beautiful, are easy to care for, and are better for the environment,” Matt adds.

Having a bird-friendly space in your backyard is handy for birding in the early morning, when many species are most active. “The first couple of hours after the sun comes up, when the birds are singing their hearts out, is a magical time,” says Dr. Mike Webster , Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library and Professor of Ornithology, Dept. of Neurobiology & Behavior. “You’re more likely to see and hear birds early in the day, and the dawn chorus is just beautiful.”

4. Find Your People

While birding can be a solitary pursuit, “Most people benefit from going out with a partner,” says Dr. Webster. “It's like tennis. You want to play with somebody who's just a tad bit better than you are, because you're going to learn a lot.” Going out with more experienced birders allows novices to ask questions and gain from others’ expertise. “And it’s just fun to share the experience.”

To find a birding group in your area, look into local Audubon chapters , browse the ABA’s directory of clubs and organizations by state, or check for nearby chapters of national organizations like Feminist Bird Club . “And, if you run into other people on a trail looking at birds who want to stop and talk, ask!” says Meghadeepa. “Birders are generally a friendly bunch eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm.”

Birders of all skill levels can participate in several community science events throughout the year (e.g. Christmas Bird Count , Great Backyard Bird Count , and Global Big Day ). Data collected during these events helps researchers better understand and protect birds. Join activities around nationwide events like Black Birders Week , and check Cornell Lab’s list of birding festivals and events taking place across the country.

Of course, donations help, too. Support organizations like Audubon via the Adoption Center , with gifts providing funding for Audubon’s work across the Americas. Join the ABA , where membership comes with a subscription to Birding , and look into local fundraisers and groups supporting species within your region.

Our Bird-watching Guidebook

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Photo Credits: Getty Images (bird videos, twigs), Kate Dolamore (bird illustrations), Melinda Josie (map illustration, binoculars illustration)

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How to find birds 'slowly' in national parks

Meet ornithologist Daniela Sánchez

Ornithologist and birder Daniela Sánchez stops excitedly in her tracks to observe a Chestnut-backed Chickadee perch on a swaying eucalyptus branch, call its distinctive chick-a-dee, then flit away. “It's a nice clear day with little wind, which helps," she says. "The birds are much more active when there isn't a lot of wind.” Moments before, she’d watched a Red-tailed Hawk disappear into distant trees. She adds: “Except for the raptors. Raptors love wind.” 

Sánchez, who is pursuing a Master’s in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology at San Francisco State University, is a Golden Gate Bird Alliance (GGBA) member. In 2023, she was a GGBA Birding for Everyone Scholar and has returned to the program this year to serve as the fellowship mentor. Today, we're here to bird on one of the many trails of Rancho Corral de Tierra in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Located about 20 miles down the coast from San Francisco, Rancho is a birder’s delight. It includes nearly 4,000 acres of diverse habitat, open coastal scrub and grasslands to riparian woodlands, freshwater wetlands, eucalyptus forests, and manzanita chaparral. 

At least once every few minutes, a bird flies, hops, or cavorts into view. Many of them are common Bay Area backyard birds, like White-capped Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Black Phoebes. In the open grassy areas, the metallic calls of Red-winged Blackbirds ring out as Purple Finches scratch in the dirt.  

Many people flock to birding because they love birds' beautiful plumage, their intricate songs, or their entertaining antics. For Sánchez, it was serendipity. During her bachelor’s degree in biology, she needed one more class to graduate and the only one available was ornithology. “Before that, I wasn't really into birds,” Sánchez reflects. “They were just there and I didn't bat an eye whenever I saw a crow or anything else, a little brown bird beside me outside.” But she needed to graduate, so she enrolled. Learning about bird biology and how to interpret their behavior allowed Sánchez to start seeing birds as unique individuals with rich lives and personalities. “The lab portion of this class was basically field trips to go birding,” she says, “and I fell in love with it.” 

She also fell in love with the inclusive birding community she’s now helping to build through involvement with groups like GGBA and Feminist Bird Club. “As nice as it is to go out on your own birding, sometimes you'd like some company,” she says. “And sometimes you'd like to share with someone who gets it, how cool it is that you saw X bird around.” 

Though keeping a checklist is a valid way of birding for many people, Sanchez prefers to take her time with the birds she sees. Because it’s easy to encounter birds as you explore the trails, Sánchez describes the birding at Rancho as low-key, perfect for slower birding. “And although there's some tricky terrain, you can take it little by little because you don't feel like you have to hurry.” A bench along one of Rancho’s trails offers a vista across grassland to coastal scrub to the glittering Pacific Ocean—it's a great place to slow down and birdwatch. Or bird-listen. “That’s a Bewick’s Wren,” Sánchez says, after hearing the call and confirming it with the birding app Merlin Bird ID. Developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the app uses AI to listen to surrounding birds and shows real-time suggestions for who’s singing. It’s a favorite among birders and especially helpful for learning to bird by ear.  

Continuing on the trail, the landscape soon transitions into a covered woodland. A tap-tap-tapping alerts Sánchez to the Northern Flicker hammering and creeping up a nearby tree, its red cap a splash of brilliant color against the umber bark. Spotting another hawk, Sánchez follows it to what turns out to be the boundary of the park, so she returns back.  

For Sánchez, birding is a way to relax and escape the hustle and stress of daily life. Slowing down to notice birds and getting to know them gives her a new lens through which to see the world. “I'm much more aware of what's around me, which makes me more appreciative,” she says.  

When the woods open back up to the rolling grassland, Montara Mountain to the right and the coastline in front, the view is breathtaking. It is much to appreciate indeed. 

Emily Harwitz

is an independent writer and filmmaker who works at the nexus of science and art to catalyze social and environmental change.

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2023 Year in Review: eBird, Merlin, Macaulay Library, and Birds of the World

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• Macaulay Library

2023 was a big year for eBird, Merlin, the Macaulay Library, and Birds of the World. Together, our team and the global birding community grew in exciting new ways, and you helped to make it possible. 

Your birding helped build groundbreaking conservation tools and transformative birding resources, inspiring millions of people who visit Cornell Lab of Ornithology resources to study, learn, and conserve bird populations. To the more than 137,023 new eBirders and 5.9 million new Merlin users who joined us for the first time in 2023, welcome! We also appreciate and thank eBird Supporters who support our teams and the Cornell Lab by making a monthly contribution.

There’s a lot to celebrate from the past year. Let’s take a moment to recognize the many achievements that you helped build.

Advancing our understanding of bird populations

New and improved tools and resources, webinars and live events, updates to core infrastructure, exciting milestones and growth, building global connections.

Your eBird observations play a central role in scientific discovery and conservation action. Researchers published more than 150 peer-reviewed articles in 2023 incorporating eBird data. This brings the total number of scientific publications using eBird data to over 930!

eBirding also helps to make the groundbreaking eBird Status and Trends a reality. eBird Status and Trends products are updated annually with millions of new eBird observations. This game-changing scientific resource now provides modeled abundance and range maps for 2424 species and population trends for 852 species around the globe.

In addition to updating Status and Trends products with more data, the team released new tools for precision conservation . New functionalities, including custom mapping tools and regional-level Trend summaries, support organizations working to restore declining bird populations and habitats, and also help birders discover where and when species are expected to be more common.

eBird Status and Trends products support the work of federal agencies, international organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and World Wildlife Fund, and several hundred regional conservation groups and universities.

eBirding also supports members of the Cornell Lab’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative . This network of conservation groups utilize eBird to monitor birds, assess land management practices, and prioritize conservation activities across their service areas. Visit Land Trusts Using eBird to see how land trusts have integrated eBird into their work.

The photos and audio recordings you upload to your eBird checklists also play an important role in scientific research. This year, media uploaded to the Macaulay Library were used in studies of duetting rails , migrating Whimbrels , and more than 60 other peer-reviewed scientific publications—even providing insight into how birds evolved to manipulate objects with their feet .

For more than 15 years, the Avian Vocalization Center (AVoCet) , founded by Dr. Pam Rasmussen, has cataloged well-documented bird sounds from around the world to aid in environmental and ornithological research and appreciation of birds and their habitats. In 2023, this important collection of sounds migrated to the Macaulay Library. Project AVoCet’s global sound recording collection includes 15,000 audio recordings from 68 countries and 36 contributors. It adds recordings of 3,896 species, 64 of which previously had 0 audio recordings in the Macaulay Library—as well as an additional 606 species that had fewer than 10 recordings. Explore the AVoCet collection here .

The Macaulay Library is now home to the first-ever photos of Kangean Tit-Babbler . New additions like these each year solidify the Macaulay Library’s role as the world’s leading scientific archive of natural history media.

Birds of the World , the Cornell Lab’s premiere ornithological reference tool, continues to expand the quality and quantity of natural history information it offers on every bird species. Individual contributors, supported by a global team of editors and partners, have been generating and curating new scientific texts, taxonomic relationships, and media for species around the world. This work has resulted in 1,957 species account revisions since project inception, keeping this important resource relevant to readers no matter where they live or what birds they study.

Additional advancements in Birds of the World in 2023 include:

• Expansion to 11,017 species , in accordance with the 2023 eBird/Clements taxonomy revisions.
• Update of 352 distribution (range) maps and incorporation of state-of-the-art eBird Status and Trends maps into 1,100 species accounts, offering deeper insight into how species move across the earth in space and time.
• Expansion of data on subspecies and hybrids with the addition of new text, photos, maps, and sound recordings, offering an unprecedented focus into these taxonomic puzzlers.
• Expansion of our global editorial network to 22 associate editors, 16 conservation partners, 4 volunteer copyeditors, 13 student mentees, and hundreds of expert authors stationed all over the world.

The addition of egg specimen photos to Birds of the World species accounts, in collaboration with the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, adds critical insights to the breeding biology of more than 150 species. As  Birds of the World closes out its fourth year there is much progress to look back on. Visit the Birds of the World blog to read about their exciting milestones and future plans.

Looking back at the new features and developments of the past year, it’s amazing what we accomplished together. We started 2023 with the completion of highly anticipated updates to the display of exotic and introduced species on Life Lists, Top 100, eBird Mobile and more. This work realizes one of eBird’s most-requested features. Exotic species are now reflected more consistently across eBird—personal list totals and Top 100 standings better align with long-established counting standards, with Escapees tallied separately.

Along with these updates, we introduced the ability to explore your personal observations of hybrids, ‘sp.’ (e.g., duck sp .), and ‘slash’ taxa (e.g., Common/Red-breasted Merganser ). Your eBird Life List is now a complete history of your eBird observations. This is especially exciting for annual eBird Taxonomy updates. With these improvements to Life Lists, eBirders can now see which of their records were revised to ​​ Western/Eastern Cattle Egret following the most recent taxonomic update .

With global coverage for bird packs, Merlin Bird ID is now a birding field guide for every region in the world ! The latest release of Sound ID now covers 1,218 species, including the more common and widespread species in the Neotropics (602 species) and India (239 species), plus an improved, more accurate sound identification model for more than 800 covered species in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

eBird Mobile was used to collect 13.3 million birding checklists in 2023—2.2 million more eBird Mobile checklists than last year! If that wasn’t enough reason to celebrate, eBirders also gained the ability to view, edit, and explore all previously submitted personal checklists from any mobile device. With these updates, if you reinstall eBird Mobile or change devices, you will still have access to all of your submitted checklists. Plus, new ways to sort and filter submitted checklists and access Trip Reports from your mobile device.

Anyone who uploads sounds and photos to their checklists will appreciate the incorporation of ‘ Change Species ’ to the Manage Media tool . It’s now easier than ever to move observation details and media from one species to another. Simply tap ‘Change Species’ within Manage Media to move all media files between species (perfect for when you accidentally upload your files to the wrong species) OR to change the species identification of the entire observation–including counts, notes, and other details (for when you upload photos and then realize you reported the wrong species).

Exploring the vast collection of bird photos and sound recordings in the Macaulay Library also became easier with the addition of Major Regions to the Location filter in the Search bar . Discover all birding media from the South Pole or this year’s photos from the Eastern Hemisphere .

The popular “Birds of the World Discovery Series” returned for its second season of free educational webinars on topics ranging from the Search for Lost Birds to Annual Taxonomy Updates . Watch for additional webinars in 2024 , starting in January with Life History of the Black Falcon with Dr. Steve Debus. Past webinar recordings are available on the Birds of the World YouTube channel .

2023 included Merlin’s first ever trivia game shows, with two interactive webinars and a live show at Global BirdFair in the UK. More trivia webinars are coming in early 2024 in preparation for the Great Backyard Bird Count ; stay tuned for more information.

The Macaulay Library is celebrating 2 million sound recordings with “ A Celebration of Sound ” , a live virtual event on Tuesday, 16 January at 8pm Eastern. We’ll recognize the contributions of the global sound recording community and explore the diverse applications of these recordings in research, conservation, and public engagement. ( Webinar information and registration ).

Some of the most exciting developments of the year happened behind the scenes, including regional boundary updates and refinements for more than a dozen countries, and the activation of district-level boundaries in France and Nepal .

Maintaining an up-to-date taxonomy is essential to keep the Lab’s content relevant and accessible. The 2023 Taxonomy Update resulted in a net gain of 111 species, bringing the total number of species in the taxonomy used across Cornell Lab projects to 11,017.

Several technical improvements were made at Birds of the World last year, including the expansion of data-entry tools that support contributors as they add new information. Birds of the World is currently integrating a tool called DeepL , a deep language translation tool that will allow readers to instantly translate Birds of the World into any language. Look for this feature on Birds of the World sometime in spring 2024.

Since the launch of eBird in 2002, there has been just one data quality filter for all of the world’s oceans. This meant that checklists from the Drake Passage , Tasman Sea , and crossing from Iceland to Greenland used the same list of expected species and counts. If you’re fortunate enough to have sailed that far offshore, you may have noticed that the expected birds and flagged rarities didn’t make sense for your location. But not any more!

Thanks to coordinated efforts by eBird staff and volunteers, discrete data quality regions are now established for all oceans and nearshore waters . While these changes may not be outwardly apparent, they allow for individual nearshore and offshore areas to have their own custom data quality filters and data entry checklists, distinct from each other and adjacent land masses. As a result, eBird will be able to better gather and curate more accurate birding data from critically important marine habitats around the world.

May 2023 marked an important milestone for eBird: the first time 2 million checklists were submitted in a single month . 930,000 eBirders from every country in the world have together contributed more than 1.6 billion bird observations to eBird , including more than 247 million observations submitted this year alone. At this rate, we are on track to reach a staggering TWO BILLION observations in the eBird database by the year 2025!

On Global Big Day , a record-breaking 58,700 birders contributed over 150,000 eBird checklists and reported more than three-quarters of the world’s bird species. Never before has this much information about birds been gathered on a single day. The accomplishments continued on October Big Day , where 36,000 people—including 2000 new contributors—together reported more than 7,500 species on 83,700 checklists.

Mark your calendar for the next Global Big Day—11 May 2024, and October Big Day—12 Oct 2024 . 

Over 15 million people have discovered the magic of Merlin Bird ID. In the past year, 772,000 people added 12 million identifications to their life lists and 4.5 million people identified half a billion birds from their songs or calls with Merlin Sound ID. This is nearly twice as many users as last year, including more than 3x as many users in Europe!

The Macaulay Library also reached significant milestones in 2023 including the 50 millionth photo and 2 millionth sound recording . More recordists and photographers archived their media in the Macaulay Library in the past year than ever before. In 2023:

• 19,700 recordists contributed more than 454,000 recordings .
• 77,300 photographers added more than 12 million photos .

Thank you for helping the Macaulay Library continue to be a leading resource of media for education and ornithological research! Take a look at the top photos and top recordings of 2023, or take a trip down memory lane with the Macaulay Library’s Best Bird Photos of 2024

eBird, Merlin, Macaulay Library, and Birds of the World were excited to welcome 8 new team members this year to support community outreach, project management, software development, and more. Several positions remain open or are coming soon, visit the eBird Jobs page for details!

The exciting advances made by eBird, Merlin, the Macaulay Library, and Birds of the World over the past year are only possible thanks to the efforts of thousands of contributors, volunteers, partners, and collaborators around the world.

The 14th annual Young Birders Event welcomed 16 high school-aged students from around the world for four fun-filled days of lectures, hands-on workshops, and, of course, lots of birding! Students met with more than 20 Cornell Lab staff members and researchers to learn about career paths in ornithology.

More than 2,100 eBirders contributed 115,000 checklists between mid-May and September as part of the New York Times Summer Birding Project . The project aimed to help people of every birding experience level build a deeper connection with birds and each other.

Highlights from the New York Times Summer Birding Project include:

• Tips on how to start birding ;
• Work by Cornell Lab scientists and Partners in Flight to illustrate migratory connections ;
• Opportunities to share birding stories and even try field sketching ;
• Joy of Birding virtual event featuring Christian Cooper and Amy Tan, plus an interview with eBird staff and project participants.

Watch a video celebrating results from the project below:

Birds of the World continues to forge meaningful partnerships with ornithological organizations. To date, Birds of the World has built a global network of 16 content partners who benefit by expanding their networks, sharing local knowledge, and receiving free access to Birds of the World. The Birds of the World team also includes more than a dozen student mentees who provide essential support by updating maps, copyediting accounts, and curating new media assets from the Macaulay Library.

eBird, Merlin, Birds of the World, and Macaulay Library staff members hosted meetings, workshops, presentations in collaboration with local partners at multiple international events including Global Birdfair in England, Ornithological Congress of the Americas in Brazil, International Bird Observatory Conference in Mexico, Thai Bird Fair, and the Australasian Ornithological Conference in Australia. Look for our teams at more conferences and gatherings in 2024!

Additional regional collaborations

• Inaugural eBird Sound Recording Challenge for Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Team members at eBird and the Macaulay Library sat on the American Ornithological Society (AOC) Ad Hoc English Bird Names Committee. (Read the committee’s recommendation and what this means for eBird and Merlin .)
• As part of the ongoing Working Group Avian Checklists (WGAC) , staff from eBird and Birds of the World continued working towards a single consensus taxonomy for all the world’s birds.
• Launching in 2024, the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas—in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary; and Taiwan Bird Atlas—in collaboration with Taiwan Wild Bird Federation. Learn more about eBird’s regional portals and atlases .

Thanks to the efforts of our volunteer translators, eBird, Merlin, the Macaulay Library, and Birds of the World currently support bird common names in 96 languages and regional dialects . eBird supports 17 languages throughout eBird.org and 36 languages in eBird Mobile. Merlin released a fully translated pack for Thailand in collaboration with Bird Conservation Society of Thailand, bringing the total number of languages available in Merlin to 18.

More than 2,700 volunteer reviewers and Hotspot editors oversee eBird data quality in 253 countries, territories, or dependencies. These indispensable volunteers reviewed 5,440,720 eBird observations in 2023—a critical piece of the Data Quality process that makes eBird run smoothly. Thank you for your hard work!

Thanks to the generosity of Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, we awarded more than 14 eBirders free Zeiss binoculars in 2023, including a pair of the new ZEISS SFL 30 —the lightest and most compact binoculars to the ZEISS SF family. We are excited to continue working with Zeiss on eBirder of the Month awards in 2024 to thank the eBird community.

eBird partners with the Cornell Lab’s Bird Academy to offer you exciting educational resources in thanks for your eBirding. More than 115 eBirders won access to free Bird Academy courses this year, including two new courses— The Wonderful World of Hummingbirds and How to Paint Birds with Jane Kim .

Thank you for making this possible

We can’t wait to see what we can do together in 2024. Please stay in touch! Subscribe to our eNews or follow us on social media:

• eBird: Facebook , Twitter , Instagram
• Merlin Bird ID: Facebook , Instagram , TikTok
• Birds of the World: Twitter

Indiana Dunes is hot spot for birding this weekend with fest. Including a new 'Bird Town.'

Pollywog Pond is wrongly named, though it often does have water there nestled between stands of jack pines. Never mind. The town of Ogden Dunes knows what it has — a haven where 170 species of birds have been identified, including the rare sighting this February of the migrating Townsend’s Solitaire.  

But it’s never enough to just know what you have. Ogden Dunes will celebrate May 18 how it has taken steps to preserve bird habitat, claiming the title of Bird Town from Indiana Audubon .

Part of this effort is making a bird sanctuary out of Pollywog Pond, which actually is a panne, which experts describe as a relatively rare interdunal wetland that forms in wind-blow depressions in the sand, thus exposing the water table. Since the panne goes dry at times, it supports a rare selection of plants that can’t be found elsewhere in Indiana or even the dunes. 

The celebration comes in the midst of the popular Indiana Dunes Birding Festival from May 16 to 19 that attracts bird-seeking enthusiasts from across the Midwest each May in the height of bird migration. Colorful warblers, waterfowl and other birds pause by Lake Michigan’s southern shores or keep cruising by because it serves as a critical oasis on their migration highway. 

Most of the festival’s more than 180 events, workshops and guided tours are booked, but there are still some last-minute sign-ups, along with free, walk-in events. More on that in a bit. 

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Ogden Dunes, a town of 1,219, will hail its Bird Town status at 11 a.m. CDT May 18 near Pollywog Pond with local and Indiana Audubon officials as they talk about their conservation efforts, including the removal of invasive plants. The event will be in the small parking lot at the west end of Shore Drive , which runs along homes by the Lake Michigan shore. You can see the panne from there. Find a link to more parking options in this column online. Access the town via Hillcrest Road, off of U.S. 12 west of Burns Harbor. 

Granted, this may not be a long-distance destination, but it's part of something larger. The town, nestled in the middle of the Indiana Dunes National Park, just west of the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk, has counted the late Dorothy Buell among its residents. She led the fight to save the Indiana Dunes from industry.

Today, it wins the Bird Town status partly because town officials voted in 2023 to name Pollywog Pond a sanctuary. It’s owned by the local home association and the national park. 

But the town also wins because of its efforts to use its website and other means to educate the public about removing invasive species, keeping all cats indoors so they don’t hunt (rather than supported, free-roaming cats), avoiding bird collisions on buildings and other bird-friendly measures. 

A handful of other Indiana communities have gained Bird Town certification, too, including nearby Beverly Shores in 2019 and Chesterton in 2013, along with Bloomington and Fort Wayne. The certification is partly an effort of the advocacy groups American Bird Conservancy and Environment for the Americas . 

Indiana Dunes Birding Festival 

While the festival's full schedule is at indunesbirdingfestival.com , here's a breakdown on what you can access.

∎ Art and film: The Indiana Dunes Birding Festival launches with a free event from 6 to 9 p.m. CDT May 15 at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center that features the opening of the "Dune Birds in Art" exhibition by more than a dozen regional artists, the unveiling of this year’s art print by artist Kristina Knowski (prints available for purchase) and the showing of PBS's "Flyways" at 6:30 p.m. CDT, a nearly hourlong documentary that tells the migration stories of shorebirds like godwits, curlews and red knots across the globe. The Visitor Center is at 1215 N. Indiana 49, Porter. 

∎ All ages: "Youth and Family Day” is a series of free activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT May 18 at the nature center of the Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton, just down the road and bike path from the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center. There will be birding walks, birdhouse building, field sketching and live bird demonstrations. 

∎ Gear and info: Another free event is the “Migration Marketplace” at the Visitor Center that offers vendors with bird-watching gear, feeders, optics, travel information and advocacy. This will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16-18 and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 19. 

∎ Native plant sale: The Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society will host a native plant sale during the “Migration Marketplace” on May 18 and 19. Club members will be there to offer advice on what the plants are and how best to plant them. The plants may include milkweed, wild columbine and black-eyed Susan.  

∎ Registration: While the festival’s online registration deadline has passed, there will be walk-in registration for whatever tours and events are still available (there are fees for each one) at the Indiana Dunes Visitors Center. You can register there from 4 to 8 p.m. CDT May 15, 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT May 16-18 and 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. CDT May 19. 

Tips for birds and wildflowers 

You can check on the daily forecast of how intense bird migrations will be, depending on factors like storms and winds, at the cool, radar-fed map at https://birdcast.info . 

Get some help with identifying birds — including by the sounds they make — at the rightly popular Merlin Bird ID app , which is free. After all, you’ll hear a lot of birds before you can ever see them. 

Outdoor Adventures: Goshen College grad tends globally popular Merlin app: Try it at big Christmas Bird Count.

If you’re going to Indiana Dunes State Park, it’s worth visiting the "Longshore Platform,” a bluff-top platform that you can climb by steps or ramp. Experts will be counting impressive numbers of birds in the mornings. It also affords a cool overview of the beach and lake. Also, watch for spring wildflowers that are still blooming, including lupines on the dunes. Or stroll the flat, dirt trail No. 2 for three miles through the woods and its wetland boardwalk. 

In Elkhart, local naturalist Jan McGowan will lead a birding hike and explore “The How and Why of Migration” from 8 to 10 a.m. May 18 at the Elkhart Environmental Center, 1717 E. Lusher Ave. Cost is $1 per person. Register by May 15 in a link in this column online . 

Bike to Work breakfast delayed

The rainy forecast has led Michiana Bike to Work Wee k organizers to delay the free blueberry pancake breakfast by one day and move it to a new downtown South Bend location. Originally set for Tuesday morning, May 14 at the Jon R. Hunt Memorial Plaza, it will instead be from 7 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 15 at the Gridiron by the former College Football Hall of Fame. 

Read more about the full Bike to Work Week schedule in our story online.

2024 in Michiana: Bike to Work Week returns with pancakes, food, drink, fun rides and insight for cyclists

Wander more

∎ Winery trail walk: The Harbor Country Hikers will walk more than two hilly miles at 10 a.m. May 18 on the Mt. Tabor Trails in Baroda. You’ll hear about the area’s glacial history and perhaps see flowering grapes. Meet at the trailhead at the Round Barn Winery, 10983 Hills Road. From Shawnee Road, west of the bypass, drive south on Hills Road for 1.7 miles. Gather in the furthest parking lot. 

∎ Free park admission: All Indiana State Parks will offer free admission on May 19. 

Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at  SBTOutdoorAdventures  or 574-235-6158 or  [email protected] .

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Watery, Peaceful, Wild: The Call of the Mangroves

On Curaçao, visitors can explore the trees’ habitat, where colorful birds roost on tangled branches and trunks, and small paths through the greenery beckon.

The Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park offers guided tours, elevated boardwalks, programs for local schoolchildren and a tiered entrance-fee system for residents and overseas visitors. Credit... Frank Meyer for The New York Times

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By Elisabeth Goodridge

Elisabeth Goodridge is the deputy editor for travel at The New York Times.

• May 8, 2024

It was a sunny afternoon in February at the height of the high season on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, but my partner, Aaren, and I were far from lounging on a white-sand beach, snorkeling over a coral reef or strolling among the Easter-egg-colored buildings of Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site — typical activities for travelers to this former Dutch colony.

Instead, on a kayak tour with Serlon St Jago, a guide from the Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park , we were learning about the country’s mangrove restoration, and the vital role mangrove habitats play in coastal resilience, protection for marine and bird species, and fighting the effects of climate change.

No poisonous snakes, alligators or large predators live on Curaçao, Mr. St Jago said, reassuring information as we paddled toward a forbidding wall of mangroves lining Piscadera Bay. Up close, the trees were magnificent and cheerful. Colorful birds roosted on tangled branches and trunks, and small paths under the green and occasionally yellow leaves beckoned us to explore. With our kayaks beached, Mr. St Jago pointed out fiddler crabs and mussels, and described differences of the local mangrove species — the red, white and black — and how they adapted to live and propagate where water meets land.

“There’s so much life here,” he said with infectious enthusiasm.

We were the only tourists on the water, but getting more visitors like us interested in mangroves, perhaps even persuading them to replant some of the vital trees themselves, has been a priority of scientists, activists, park rangers and tourism operators on Curaçao in recent years.

The island isn’t alone in its efforts: Similar mangrove-focused work has started around the world, in places like Indonesia , Australia , Belize and Florida , as fragile destinations balance tourism’s growth with the conservation — and restoration — of the natural resources that captivate visitors.

“Coral reefs get all the attention. But mangroves are probably a lot more important,” said Gabby Ahmadia , a vice president with the oceans program at the World Wildlife Fund who oversees the organization’s mangrove science and restoration programs. “My favorite analogy about mangroves is that they are Swiss Army knives, because they do provide so many different benefits and they can do so many different things.”

Though these forests are one degree of separation from the sights and the activities that traditionally draw visitors to the ocean, changing perceptions might be hard. To protect the environment, mangrove kayak tours can be — as are most snorkel, fishing and bird-watching tours offered in other destinations — limited by number, and visitors must be interested in the first place. With their summer reads and beach toys, family traditions and limited vacation days, most tourists might simply agree with the old saying “Life is better at the beach.”

A foundation of life

The twisty branches, trunks and distinctive aboveground roots of mangroves are a stark, complex repudiation of how a child’s drawing portrays a common tree. The roots can arch up, pop up spikelike from the water or form stilts above and under the surface. Adapted to oxygen-poor soil, high salinity and the ebb and flow of an intertidal zone, coastal mangroves thrive where other trees and shrubs would perish. Unless they are yellow, the leaves are green, and some, if you lick them, taste salty.

Mangrove forests can appear impenetrable, muddy, smelly and swampy. For centuries, they have been cleared for firewood, farmland, urban development, aquaculture and, yes, tourism. On Curaçao, mangroves are now found on only 0.012 percent of the island. Globally, more than half of the mangrove forests have been cut down or otherwise destroyed in the past 50 years. Deforestation has slowed — but not stopped — in recent years, and rising sea levels and increased storm activity have done further damage.

But coastal mangroves — there are some 60 species worldwide — are the foundation of life above and below the water. With intricate root systems, they act as nurseries for juvenile fish and other marine life. Mangrove branches and trunks make safe feeding and nesting sites for yellow warblers , tricolored herons and other bird species, reptiles like iguanas, and insects aplenty.

Those strongly anchored roots also protect from flooding, erosion and tidal surges by slowing down seawater and trapping dirt and debris. More crucially, mangrove forests are extraordinary for decreasing the effects of global warming, by absorbing and storing carbon annually at a rate 10 times as great as tropical rainforests. Mangroves, along with other coastal wetlands, “sequester enough carbon each year to offset the burning of over one billion barrels of oil,” according to the Nature Conservancy .

Surreptitious beginnings

Ryan de Jongh, a 53-year-old Curaçao native, activist and tour guide, is the living embodiment of regenerative tourism. He’s an important reason we encountered a lush, thriving ecosystem in Piscadera Bay, and demonstrates how one person can make a difference.

Mr. de Jongh grew up swimming in the bay and watched the area’s mangroves being cleared for fuel and construction. In 2006, he surreptitiously planted the first mangrove tree — a single seedling can mature in around 15 years and lead to an entire thicket — and now, he said, more than 100,000 trees are growing. He made similarly stealthy plantings at other inlets and bays, making himself a local hero in the process.

Mr. de Jongh, who gives kayak tours himself , now works on widespread government-sanctioned restoration projects.

His aim is to eventually plant 1.3 million trees on the island. “I have to transform literally a desert back to green,” he said.

The interior of Curaçao certainly looks like a desert, with a dry, dusty landscape of cactus and other succulents. Along with its closest island neighbors, Aruba and Bonaire, Curaçao is outside the Caribbean’s hurricane belt and receives minimal rainfall. People on the island drink desalinated seawater.

The trade winds bring cooler temperatures. In the 16th century, they also brought Europeans who enslaved and deported the Indigenous population and turned Curaçao into a slaving port. The colonists also planted oranges, sugar cane and other nonnative species, with varying degrees of success, and developed giant salt pans for export, but it was the construction of an oil refinery in 1918 and growing tourism that finally brought widespread jobs. The refinery shut down in 2019 — nine years after Curaçao voted to become a semiautonomous nation from the Netherlands — an event that only emphasized tourism’s importance for Curaçao’s economy. Last year, the island, only 40 miles long, welcomed 1.3 million visitors .

Aaren and I gladly did our part to support the economy: In Willemstad, that meant eating at Plasa Bieu , the Old Market, where individual vendors cook and sell local cuisine. We fought with each other over the fried wahoo and an arepa di pampuna — pumpkin pancake — but we were warned off the cactus soup. “I live here,” said another diner, “and I don’t even eat that.” We also snapped photos, like so many other visitors, while crossing the floating Queen Emma Bridge , and watched it open and close for marine traffic.

We waited in an hourlong, locals-heavy line at De Visserij Piscadera Seafood restaurant (“slaying and filleting” since 2017), where diners choose and purchase their fish fillets before sitting down; we drank oregano punch for the first time (think mint ice tea, but oregano and oh so refreshingly delicious); and we inhaled grilled shrimp and raw fresh tuna.

Further north, we ate “williburgers” — goat burgers — at Marfa’s GoodHangout in Sint Willibrordus, which overlooks an old salt pan that, sadly, the resident flamingoes absented that day, and delighted upon coming across a coral nursery while scuba diving right off the jam-packed Kokomo Beach.

Coral reefs are crucial to Curaçao’s tourism and fishing industries and valued at more than $445 million annually, according to a 2016 economic assessment published by the nonprofit Waitt Institute. And coral reefs, which support roughly 25 percent of all marine life, are enduring cataclysmic bleaching and disease brought on or compounded by climate change.

In the last 10 years, scientists have better understood the symbiosis between coral reefs and mangroves: They don’t need each other to exist, but proximity brings benefits to both ecosystems.

“Working in this field of conservation, you might come in from one entry point and then you realize everything is connected,” said Dr. Ahmadia of the W.W.F. “We can work on coral reefs, but we should be thinking about sea grass beds and mangroves, because they are all really connected. And then of course, they are connected to the human environment.”

One morning, Aaren and I walked through the 30-acre Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park , a short stroll from the center of Willemstad and a shorter one from the island’s cruise ship terminal. Open since 2022, the park offers guided and audio tours, elevated boardwalks, programs for local schoolchildren and a tiered entrance-fee system (guilders and U.S. dollars accepted) for residents and overseas visitors. Some 17,766 people came in 2023, an increase of 14,687 from 2022.

Manfred van Veghel is the new director of the Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Foundation, which oversees the mangrove park and five other national parks. Working with the government of Curaçao, local travel operators and activists like Mr. de Jongh, Dr. van Veghel aims to expand park access, construct an elevated bridge and add a visitor center, among other goals. The efforts are part of his desire to transform Curaçao into more of a nature-based tourist destination.

“We had a record last year and they are pushing to get more,” Dr. van Veghel said of Curaçao’s number of annual visitors. Yet, he said, the beaches are getting full. “So we need to get activities other than going to the beach — and the mangrove park is an excellent activity.”

Mark Spalding is a senior marine scientist with the Nature Conservancy and lead scientist of the Mapping Ocean Wealth initiative , an online tool that applies economic value to coastal ecosystems.

Dr. Spalding said a draw of mangrove activities, like boating and hiking, is that “without having to trek through the Amazon for hours and hours, you can get that sense of wilderness and experience, and also the peace and tranquillity very quickly and very easily.”

“It might only be two hours of your entire holiday,” he said, “but it’s the thing you take home with you — the story you tell.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

An earlier version of this story misidentified an nongovernmental organization. It is the World Wildlife Fund, not World Wildlife Federation.

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Elisabeth is the deputy editor for the Travel Desk at The New York Times. More about Elisabeth Goodridge

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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