Cape Codspring migration
Seashore· National SeashoreAt Cape Cod National Seashore, migrating birds stop to rest and feed at the seashore in spring (and again in fall), per the National Park Service: a season, not a peak. Its usual window for this year has passed.
Updated
Sources for this timing ↓About Cape Cod
- What it is
- A National Seashore in Massachusetts
- A little history
- The park names Fort Hill, Nauset Marsh, Pilgrim Heights, Beech Forest and Hatches Harbor; checklists and field guides are at the Salt Pond Visitor Center bookstore. Parts of Hatches Harbor are closed until October 15 (see the notice).
- What you'll see
- Migrating birds resting and feeding · spring
Right now at Cape Cod
Right now in Cape Cod · October
- Migrating birds stop over again · fall
Your guide to the area
- Cape CodLocal timing: springThis page
Where to watch
- Fort HillOne of the park's named birding spots
- Beech ForestAnother of the park's named birding spots
Worth the drive
- AcadiaNational park198 mithe end of April to the beginning of JuneSatSunny
- Forsythe RefugeWildlife refuge286 miEarly MaySatSlight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
- Prime Hook RefugeWildlife refuge347 miMarchSatRain Showers Likely
- Montezuma RefugeWildlife refuge354 mimid-MaySatPatchy Fog then Sunny
- Erie RefugeWildlife refuge516 mifrom March to early AprilSatSunny
- Cuyahoga ValleyNational park600 miby mid-MaySatSunny
The year at Cape Cod
- Migrating birds rest and feed on the seashorespring
- About 80 kinds of birds nest and raise their youngspring and summer
- Migrating birds stop over againNowfall
- Non-breeding birds spend the winteroverwinter
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see spring migration at Cape Cod National Seashore?
Migrating birds stop to rest and feed at the seashore in spring (and again in fall), per the National Park Service: a season, not a peak: spring. That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.
Is spring migration under way at Cape Cod National Seashore right now?
Not now: its usual spring migration window for this year has passed. Next time: spring, local timing.
Where are good places to watch birds?
The park names Fort Hill, Nauset Marsh, Pilgrim Heights, Beech Forest and Hatches Harbor; checklists and field guides are at the Salt Pond Visitor Center bookstore. Parts of Hatches Harbor are closed until October 15 (see the notice).Source: National Park Service, Birds - Cape Cod National Seashore ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How many kinds of birds are there?
Roughly 370 species use the seashore's 46,000 acres of fresh water, marine and upland habitat.Source: National Park Service, Birds - Cape Cod National Seashore ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can beach areas close for birds?
Yes: more areas may close to people, pets and boats when shorebirds are there, and the dates shift with the birds' arrival and departure each year.Source: National Park Service, Birds - Cape Cod National Seashore ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Why are piping plovers protected?
By the 1940s, habitat loss and more beach recreation had made them decline sharply; they were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1986.Source: National Park Service, Birds - Cape Cod National Seashore ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Cape Cod National Seashore?
Fort Hill: one of the park's named birding spots; Beech Forest: another of the park's named birding spots.
What is Cape Cod National Seashore like through the year?
Migrating birds rest and feed on the seashore (Mar–May), About 80 kinds of birds nest and raise their young (Apr–Aug), Migrating birds stop over again (Sep–Nov) and Non-breeding birds spend the winter (Dec–Feb).
How we know · Sources (1)
How we know
National Park Service, Birds - Cape Cod National Seashore (opens in a new tab) (Oct 2) National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.