In the wintertime, Common Mergansers are often seen on Willow Lake. Photo: Laura Meyers
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, at 898 acres the fourth largest park in New York City, has seen both better, and much worse, times. Before European settlement, waters from a glacial lake here flowed north via the tidal Flushing River to empty into Flushing Bay. ("Flushing,” a name bestowed by early Dutch settlers, derives from the port town of Vlissingen, in the Netherlands.) In the 1800s, wealthy homes were built here due to the area’s natural beauty, the northern section of the current park becoming a waterfront resort.
In the early 20th Century, however, the wetlands were filled in with ashes and street refuse on a massive scale. By 1925, the area has deteriorated to such a degree that F. Scott Fitzgerald described it as “a valley of ashes” in The Great Gatsby. As part of longtime NYC Parks Commissioner Robert Moses’s plan to reclaim the area, the site then hosted two World’s Fairs (1939-1940 and 1964-1965).
The northern section of the park today owes much of its arrangement to the World’s Fairs, and includes many public attractions including Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets; the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open tennis tournament; the New York Hall of Science; the Queens Museum of Art; and the Queens Zoo.
Despite this long, mixed history of development, the park still retains a good amount of bird habitat—some of it surprisingly wild. eBirders have recorded 188 species here; several species unusual for New York City such as Common Merganser and Bald Eagle are often seen here.
Documented rare bird species at Flushing Meadows Corona Park have included the following:
Greater White-fronted Goose,
Cackling Goose,
Baird’s Sandpiper,
Red Phalarope,
and a recent Yellow-headed Blackbird (possibly an escape, but still much admired!).
For birding purposes, the park may be thought of in four sections from north to south (corresponding to eBird hotspots): the World’s Fair Marina; the “Meridian Road Circle,” Meadow Lake, and Willow Lake. These spots are described below from north to south.
The "Meridian Road Circle" is a good spot to look for unusual sparrows, such as the Lark Sparrow, during migration and over the winter.
A fledgling Red-tailed Hawk peers down from its nest on the Unisphere. Photo: Bruce Yolton
Birding Highlights by the Season for Flushing Meadows Corona Park
(no star = birding is not very productive, ✸ = somewhat productive, ✸✸ = productive, ✸✸✸ = very productive)
Spring Migration ✸
Waterfowl, freshwater shorebirds, and terns; warblers, sparrows, and other land birds
Summer ✸
Foraging Common and Forster's Terns, egrets, and Osprey; Chimney Swift, nesting Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, Barn and Tree Swallows, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird
Fall Migration ✸
Waterfowl, freshwater shorebirds, wading birds; warblers, kinglets, and other songbirds
Winter ✸
Wintering dabbling and diving waterfowl including scaup and Canvasback at World's Fair Marina and Common Merganser on Willow Lake; accipiters, mixed sparrow feeding flocks
Year-Round Highlights
Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, gulls, Killdeer, common dabbling waterfowl
A Lesser Scaup comes in for a landing, showing its typical pattern of a white stripe on the secondaries but darker primaries. Photo: Walker Golder
Birding in Flushing Meadows Corona Park - World’s Fair Marina
Built for the 1939 World’s Fair and expanded for the 1964 event, the World’s Fair Marina is open to Flushing Bay and is a site to find wintering waterfowl. Though common dabbling ducks congregate in good numbers, diving ducks are the bigger draw: Large numbers of Lesser Scaup are observed here, around the marina and further out in the bay—along with Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, and Greater Scaup (thus providing a great opportunity to fine tune your ability to distinguish Lesser from Greater Scaup).
This is also a reliable spot for Canvasback, and smaller numbers of Redhead are sometimes seen. In spring and summer, wading birds such as Great and Snow Egret and Black-crowned Night-heron are also observed here (likely to be birds that nest on nearby South Brother Island). Common and Forster’s Tern are both seen here in summer; the common gull species abound year-round. meridian-road-circle
Common Ravens, which have become a fairly common species in New York City in just the last decade, are often seen around the Unisphere. Photo: Ryan F. Mandelbaum
Birding in Flushing Meadows Corona Park - Meridian Road Circle
“Meridian Road Circle,” the large area of park south of the Citi Field complex, east of Grand Central Parkway, and north of the Long Island Expressway, includes (in addition to many other attractions) a large habitat of lawns with stands of trees and shrubs. It is crisscrossed by a somewhat circular system of pathways, with the 1964 World’s Fair Unisphere sculpture at the center. Segments of Flushing Creek and a large fountain on the eastern side attract waterfowl in the winter, and birders look here in winter for Cackling Goose and interesting goose hybrids.
Unusual sparrows like Lark and Clay-colored have been observed on the lawns here in recent winters, and the large green space attracts some stop-over migrant songbirds in spring and fall. Red-tailed Hawks have nested in the Unisphere sculpture for many years, and Ravens have also possibly used the sculpture as a nesting site recently. Ravens are also seen regularly in the nearby Citifield area. meadow-lake
A Least Sandpiper visits Meadow Lake. Photo: Avi Lewis
Birding in Flushing Meadows Corona Park - Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake is the northernmost of two man-made impoundments bounded by Grand Central Parkway to the West and the Van Wyck Expressway to the East. On the site of what was once tidal marsh, the lakes are protected (mostly) from tidal flooding by a dam on Flushing Creek, where the Long Island Railroad crosses the park, north of the Unisphere.
The more developed of the two lakes, Meadow Lake is a popular recreational spot for the residents of central Queens; it is bordered by a boathouse (headquarters for the annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in summer), baseball and cricket fields, and a drone field. Despite its manicured habitat and hubbub of activity, a number of rarities have shown up at Meadow Lake over the years, including Pink-footed Goose, Cackling Goose, a rare hybrid Brant-Cackling Goose, Tundra Swan, and Wilson’s and Red-necked Phalaropes. "}" data-trix-content-type="undefined" class="attachment attachment--content">
A walking trail skirts the shore of Meadow Lake; one easy access point (with parking) is near the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Boathouse on the eastern shore. From there, you can scope the lake, check out Flushing Creek at the lake’s northeast corner (past the small bridge, the creek runs along the northeast boundary under the highways), and enjoy a walk around the lake. A variety of waterfowl can be found here, including cormorants, diving ducks, and grebes. During migration, check the edges of the lake (as well as puddles in the parking lot) freshwater shorebirds such as Spotted and Least Sandpiper. In the summertime, check both lakes for foraging egrets and terns, and keep an eye overhead for Osprey. willow-lake
Bald Eagles are frequently sighted around Willow Lake. Photo: François Portmann
Birding in Flushing Meadows Corona Park - Willow Lake
Willow Lake, separated from its sister lake by the intersection of two major highways, is a designated freshwater natural area, but was inaccessible for many years. Recent restoration efforts have improved and opened up the area, though much of the lakeside is still difficult to access. The “Pat Dolan Trail,” named after the founder of the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Conservancy, winds through some nicely restored wetland and upland habitat, and provides a surprisingly peaceful communion with nature in the middle of busy Queens neighborhoods.
On the lake’s east side, a turnoff from the main trail leads to a bird blind; look across at low overhanging willows for roosting wading birds such as Black-crowned Night-Heron and Great Blue Heron, which can be found here year-round. The trail can be accessed on the east side via an overpass at Park Drive East and 73rd Terrace. On the west side, access the trail via an overpass at Grand Central Parkway and 72nd Street; keep in mind that the trail here is very muddy, paving stones have been set down to help walkers along. Parking is easiest at the Park Drive East entrance.
Willow Lake hosts a variety of wintering waterfowl, including all three Merganser species—this is one of the most reliable spots to find Common Merganser in New York City—as well as Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, and other diving and dabbling ducks. In recent years, Bald Eagle has become an exciting new regular resident, fall through spring, on Willow Lake—raising hopes that they will nest here one day. During migration, look for freshwater shorebirds including Wilson’s Snipe, which is regularly flushed from the muddy areas of the lake shore.
On your way to and from the lake, take your time: A variety of migratory land birds stop through the natural habitat around Willow Lake—26 warblers species have been recorded there. This habitat is also large enough for some interesting breeding land birds to stay through the summer—Northern Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, and Cedar Waxwing all may breed here, alongside plentiful Red-winged Blackbirds.
When to Go Birding in Flushing Meadows Corona Park
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.
While the World’s Fair Marina, Queens Zoo, Unisphere area, and Meadow Lake are fairly well frequented and generally safe places to bird, Willow Lake and the World’s Fair Marina in winter may be less visited and more remote; birding with a companion is recommended.
The Queens County Bird Club, a nonprofit organization founded in 1932, offers trips, walks, lectures, and presentations focused on birds and other natural history topics, and promoting conservation of wildlife habitat.
View Google maps to the eastern and western access points to Willow Lake.
Subway: The Mets – Willet Point 7 train station is a short walk from the Meridian Road Circle areas. The Forest Hills – 71st Ave. and 75th Ave. E/F stations are each 5-10 minute-walks from the western access to the Willow Lake Preserve Trail.
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