The plaintive "PeeWeeee..." of the Eastern Wood-Pewee can be heard during nesting season in Cunnhingham Park. Photo: Kelly Colgan Azar/CC BY-ND 2.0
Birding in Cunningham Park, Queens
Located in eastern Queens, Cunningham Park is one of New York City’s larger and wilder green spaces. This extensive woodland is a hidden gem for bird enthusiasts, offering a diverse array of bird species throughout the year. With over 150 species documented, including 31 warbler species, the park is a prime destination for birding during spring and fall migrations.
Birding Highlights by the Season
(no star = birding is not very productive, ✸ = somewhat productive, ✸✸ = productive, ✸✸✸ = very productive)
Spring Migration ✸✸✸
Flycatchers, thrushes warblers, tanagers, and other land birds; freshwater waterbirds
Summer ✸✸
Nesting woodpeckers including possible Hairy, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, Wood Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, possible Scarlet Tanager
Fall Migration ✸✸✸
Warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and other songbirds
Winter ✸
Songbird feeding flocks, possible Great Horned Owl
Cunningham Park, though not the best known of the City's parks due to its location in far eastern Queens, is among its largest and wildest. The park includes extensive woodland that attracts unusual nesting species and a good variety of land birds during migration.
Over 150 species have been documented by eBirders in the entire park (divided in practice into a northern section and a southern section, "Cunningham Park Southeast Preserve"), including 31 warbler species.
During nesting season, the park's forest hosts several species including:
Hairy Woodpecker,
Eastern Wood-Pewee,
Red-eyed Vireo,
Yellow Warbler,
and American Redstart.
Year-round bird residents in Cunningham Park include:
Black-capped Chickadee,
Tufted Titmouse,
and White-breasted Nuthatch.
The park's glacier-created knob and kettle terrain also includes several vernal pools that attract wetland wildlife including Spring Peepers. Freshwater waterfowl such as Mallards (which nest) and Wood Duck also visit, along with unusual visitors such as American Bittern. The park's woods are also a good spot to look and listen for Great Horned Owl.
An American Bittern visits Cunningham Park. Photo: César A. Castillo
A vernal pool in Cunningham Park. Photo: bunniesrawr/CC
Scarlet Tanagers migrate through our parks and may nest in Cunningham Park. Photo: David Speiser
An American Bittern visits Cunningham Park. Photo: César A. Castillo
A vernal pool in Cunningham Park. Photo: bunniesrawr/CC
Scarlet Tanagers migrate through our parks and may nest in Cunningham Park. Photo: David Speiser
When to Go Birding in Cunningham Park
To see birding highlights by the season at Cunningham Park, see the top of this section.
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 park operating hours, see the “Directions and Visiting Info” section, below.
eBird
View eBird hotspot records for Cunningham Park and Cunningham Park Southeast Preserve to explore recent bird sightings, species bar charts, and more. (Click on “Hotspot Map” at left to see other nearby locations.)
Personal Safety
The woodlands of Cunningham Park are somewhat remote; birding with a companion is recommended.
"}" data-trix-content-type="undefined" class="attachment attachment--content"> 
