The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an annual volunteer citizen science project that draws hundreds of thousands of birders to observe, record, and compile their data supporting the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, which monitor species health and location.  

This Painted bunting takes a quick break in the sun at Kiptopeke State Park.

This year, from Friday, February 16, through Monday, February 19, 2024, you can join the count!

• Visit the Great Backyard Bird Count to create a free account (it took me 3 minutes)
• Count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the GBBC
• Then submit your observations on the GBBC

Many parks have bird guides and binoculars for you to borrow for your visit free of charge.

Where to Bird Watch?

Our parks are prime habitats for hundreds of species of birds. Many have bird guide brochures to help you get started, so we like to suggest you grab your field guide and get to a Virginia State Park near you, but you can count birds anywhere in the world — even from the comfort of your own backyard!

Kiptopeke State Park is a superhighway for birds. Southbound migratory species get bottlenecked into the Delmarva Peninsula's tip — where Kiptopeke is located — before making the long journey across the Chesapeake Bay. The location is so highly trafficked that the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory built a viewing platform specifically for collecting data on 14 different hawk species. Kiptopeke is also famous for its owl prowl programs, which take guests out past dark and utilize digital owl calls and red lights to observe the birds when they are most active.

Red-tail hawks are common raptors in Virginia. Known for their excellent eyesight, you'll often find them perched over fields or soaring above clearings, looking for their next meal.

Bald Eagles can be seen daily at our Potomac River parks. Mason Neck is home to one of the densest populations of our nation’s bird in the eastern half of the country. Caledon, Leesylvania, and Widewater are also excellent eagle viewing locations as the birds perch along the river banks and fish the shallow waters of the Potomac.

Thanks to conservation efforts by several organizations, bald eagle populations have been on the rebound for years in the Potomac region. Visit any of our parks along the Potomac River for a chance encounter with one of these majestic birds.

Hungry Mother State Park, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains just at the edge of the Jefferson National Forest, is known for its woodpecker populations. On any given day, after a short walk into the woods, more than five different species can be spotted – and often heard. Guests will also enjoy the guided paddling programs that take participants around the scenic 108-acre lake to spot birds from a different perspective. 

Wherever your weekend takes you, take a break to join the count! If you do make it to a Virginia State Park, be sure to check out your park's birding info here and tag us in your best bird photos on Instagram @vastateparks.

A Red-bellied woodpecker on high alert. The red crown and black and white mantle are a dead giveaway for this misleadingly named bird.