Pennsylvania's 100 Best Birding Locations    

While a variety of birds may be seen anywhere, birds are attracted to particular habitat conditions. Some places support a greater variety of species because of the richness or diversity of their habitats. So, while you may enjoy birds at a feeder from your window, you can expand your knowledge and enjoyment by visiting a variety of areas and learning a greater number of species. Several sites stand out among Pennsylvania's birding locations for the variety and number of birds they attract. These top hot-spots are: John Heinz Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (site 1); Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (site 17); Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (site 39); Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, (site 83); and Presque Isle State Park (site 85). These sites provide spectacular concentrations of birdlife in certain seasons – such as fall raptor migration at Hawk Mountain, or spring migration at Middle Creek – and have achieved national recognition. A growing list of sites is recognized for recreational birding throughout the state. Each location provides quality birding experiences for at least some part of the year. The top 100 locations are provided below, including sites in every county. Pennsylvania's northcentral counties, identi-fied here by a cluster of locations (notably sites 51-57, 86-88) are dominated by mixed hardwood forests supporting a rich diversity of nesting songbirds. Together, these and much of the public land not specifically identified provide vast areas of wild land rich in summer birding opportunities.