If you thought NYC's flying fauna was limited strictly to pigeons, it's time to get your head in the clouds.
The Big Apple is secretly a hotbed of bird activity, for native species and also migratory birds traveling north or south. Prospect Park, alone, is home to more than 200 different species.
How does one begin bird-watching? For starters, simply be more attentive.
"Look at the birds you see daily in front of your home, and become familiar with their behaviors," recommends Michele Dreger, a longtime birding enthusiast who now leads bird-watching tours in Prospect Park.
Once you've familiarized yourself with the basics, put your burgeoning skills to the test at one of the city's several bird-watching clinics. Most are free — but don't forget your binoculars.
Early birds
Bird-watchers can flock to Prospect Park to see such beauties as the red-tailed hawk.Photo: Christian Johnston
With 270 species on record, Prospect Park is ground zero for bird watching in the Big Apple — for novices and experts alike.
"If you'd asked me the number of bird species in NYC, I would've said 10 to 15 at the time," says Neal Frumpkin, 67, who got hooked on bird-watching in 2002 and is now a regular face at the advanced group that meets the first Sunday of the month.
Newly minted bird-watchers can opt for the Saturday morning classes, which cover basic topics such as where to find birds, what to look for when you spot one and even how to use binoculars.
"Since I started leading the tour, the popularity has grown," notes Dreger, 58, who has volunteered as a guide with the Brooklyn Bird Club since 2002.
The likely culprits? Eco-conscious hipsters hoping to get back in touch with nature — not that Dreger minds.
Next event: Saturday, noon. Audubon Center at the Prospect Park Boathouse. Free.
Owl prowl
A snowy owlPhoto: AP Photo/Erie Times-News, Christopher Millette
Ever since Hedwig (Harry Potter's owl, not the Broadway show) became a pop-culture phenomenon, New Yorkers have been making their way north for a chance to catch a glimpse of the mysterious creature in The Bronx.
A cardinal photographed at Prospect Park.Photo: Christian Johnston
"Finding the owls is a chore," notes naturalist and photographer Debbie Turner, who lives in Midtown and offers owl-themed nature walks in the New York Botanical Garden and Pelham Bay Park, which serve as homes to barn, snowy, long ear and barred owls — not to mention cardinals and other winged creatures. "They hide in secluded, gnarly areas, including low brush covers and small trees."
Turner, who's been leading tours for more than 20 years, notes that right now there are upward of 20 barred owls in The Bronx alone — but don't go looking for any in Central Park, which hasn't had a resident owl in years.
On an average tour, her group will spot two or three owls — her last tour at the Botanical Garden drew a crowd of 75.
Next event: Sunday, 1 p.m. Orchard Beach Nature Center in Pelham Bay Park. Free.
Eagle eye
The city's abuzz with recent news of a bald eagle nesting near Staten Island, the first in NYC in nearly a hundred years.
Bald eaglePhoto: Getty Creative
It's a promising sign for the local eagle population, which has been steadily increasing since conservation efforts began in 2006 — and now is the time of year to catch a glimpse of our national bird.
"Most people who grew up in New York City have never seen an eagle in the wild, and it blows their minds that it can happen so close," says Rob Mastrianni, a ranger with the Department of Parks and Recreation, who leads a weekly clinic in Inwood Hill Park.
Upper Manhattan is the perfect place to keep watch, as many of the eagles nest upstate but venture into the city when the lakes and rivers up north freeze over.
Last weekend's group braved the below-freezing temps for more than three hours before finally spotting one of the white-headed birds in flight shortly after noon.
"It's exciting to see people's reactions when they spot an eagle for the first time," notes Mastrianni. "Hopefully, the eagles will start nesting in Inwood soon."
Next event: Feb. 21, 9 a.m. Payson Park House in Inwood Hill Park. Free.
For a complete guide to birding events in NYC, visit nycgovparks.org.
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