Birds at Cape Cod

Cape Cod is the barrier island that shields the Massachusetts coastline in the easternmost part of the state. Because of its shoreline and extension to the Atlantic Ocean, this location attracts various species of birds from all over the world. The geography of Cape Cod also makes it suitable for rare and hybrid bird species to adapt well. So, the unique birds at Cape Cod is something you should be on the look at for while you’re in the area.

Cape Cod Bird Club is an organization that schedules different bird sightings, and also organizes a number of events every year. One of the most popular events of the Cape Cod Bird Club is the Cape Cod Bird Festival which is organized annually in order to promote the area as a birding destination. The festival is also extremely informative and interesting, especially for bird lovers.

The most famous sighting locations are Bell’s Neck Conservation Area, Race Point Beach, West Harwich Conservation Area and Herring Cove Beach. Rare species of birds like Brown Pelicans, Little Stints, Rufous Hummingbird etc. have been seen at Cape Cod in the past decade. Many gull, tern, alcid and shorebird hybrids have also been observed in various areas.

Sorted by location, sightings have most frequently observed the following species of birds:

Bell’s Neck Conservation Area

• Least Bittern
• Black-necked Stilt
• Tri-colored Heron

Race Point Beach

• Cory’s Shearwater and Great Shearwater
• Little Gull
• Royal Tern and Caspian Tern
• Long-tailed Jaeger and Pomarine Jaeger

West Harwich Conservation Area

• Black-necked Stilt
• Least Bittern

Herring Cove Beach

• Common Murre
• Little Gull
• Long-tailed Jaeger

While at Cape Cod, make sure you take part in at least one bird sighting to experience the beautiful native and migratory birds. Or you could just get Birding Cape Cod, a birding book which gives better detailed information about sighting areas, different species of birds in different areas along with the rarities and oddities found on Cape Cod.