In 1840, long before Prospect Park was conceived, Green-Wood Cemetery opened as a nonsectarian burial ground. Over half a million people are memorialized here by extraordinary Victorian mausoleums and monuments, among them De Witt Clinton, Horace Greeley, Reverend Henry Ward Beecher, Samuel F. B. Morse, Peter Cooper, Duncan Phyfe, Boss Tweed, Charles Ebbets (of Ebbets Field fame), and even Whistler’s father. Green-Wood Cemetery, 478 acres of rolling hills and ponds landscaped with exotic trees, shrubs and marine vegetation, lies on the highest point in Brooklyn. It is not surprising that it has become a haven for botanists, historians, art lovers, and, of course, birders, particularly during migration.

Four ponds, Sylvan Lake, and Valley, Crescent, and Dell waters, thrive with wildlife. These ponds attract herons, egrets, geese, and ducks, and the edges of these ponds are especially good places to look for songbird migrants in either spring or fall (These are also reliable locations for either species of waterthrush during their respective migration windows). An American Bittern has been occasionally found among Valley Water’s water lilies in the fall. And there is always the chance of spotting an unusual migrant (some past scarce migrants found around the pools have been Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-throated and Prothonotary Warblers, and even a White Ibisi!).

 

The Cemetery’s avenues are lined with old oaks, and with European Linden, Tulip Poplar, and maples, which attract warblers, tanagers, grosbeaks, and orioles. Fruit trees and berry bushes are magnets for fall migrants. Tombstones and monuments act as perches for late fall Eastern Bluebirds, and cemetery workers keep track of local Red-tailed Hawks and can sometimes point out their whereabouts.

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Among the Cemetery’s unique avian draws is a colony of Monk Parakeets that nest in the landmarked gatehouse’s gothic spires. These bright green parrots, native to the mountainous regions of Argentina, are classified as released exotics. Legend has it that the now-wild birds escaped in the 1960s when a crate of caged Monk Parakeet broke open at JFK airport. Our winters are similar to those in the Andes, so they have thrived, nesting on the lighting fixtures at the Brooklyn College athletic field as well as on the highest spire of the main entrance gatehouse here. The parakeet’s catchy name comes from the patch of gray on its head resembling a monk’s cap.

 

Start your bird walk as you enter through Green-Wood Cemetery’s main gate. (You can’t miss the parakeet nests in the spires.) Follow along Central Avenue, a recognized birding hot spot. Two blocks ahead you will find Pierrepont Hill (the vast acreage was originally the Pierrepont family farm) to your right. Continue on Central Avenue to the Four Corners where big oaks, fruit trees, black birch, and magnolia trees hold birds in every season. Keep on Central Avenue to the giant weeping birches. Look underneath them and around them for a variety of thrushes and warblers.

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Continue for another block that brings you to Peter Cooper’s circle. Bird the trees around the circle and then climb up Ocean Hill, the highest point in Brooklyn. This can be a good site in fall for hawk watching. In spring, go on to Cypress Avenue, lined for half a mile with very old oaks. When the catkins are ripe, the avenue is warbler heaven.

 

Continue on to Crescent and Dell waters, but do not miss the former pond “Dale Water,” which is now a dump for leaves and mulch. Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, and flocks of sparrows (Chipping, Field, and White-throated) are attracted to this area.

 

Other people prefer to bird Green-Wood Cemetery by starting at Valley Water, then on to Sylvan Lake, Dale, Dell and Crescent waters, Cypress Avenue, and return via Ocean Hill and Central Avenue. Either way you are bound to have an exciting birding experience.

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To see birding highlights at Green-Wood Cemetery by the season, see the top of this page. 

To learn about bird migration times and get other timing tips, see the When to Bird in NYC guide on our Birding 101 page. 

For Green-Wood Cemetery operating hours, see the “Directions and Visiting Info” section, below.

View eBird hotspot records for Green-Wood Cemetery to explore recent bird sightings, species bar charts, and more.

 It is safe to bird Green-Wood Cemetery on your own. It is also a wonderful place to explore with other birders.

NYC Bird Alliance leads occasional trips to Green-Wood Cemetery. Visit our Local Trips page for information on upcoming walks led by NYC Bird Alliance.

The Brooklyn Bird Club, a private nonprofit organization founded in 1909, conducts regular walks in Brooklyn and beyond. The club provides a number of other resources for birders as well, including a checklist and map for birdwatchers of Prospect Park, The Clapper Rail newsletter, and an active blog with the latest news and bird reports.

 

Visit Green-Wood Cemetery’s website for operating hours, comprehensive directions, cemetery rules, and additional background information.