shorebirds

 

A complex network of open water, rivers, creeks, streams, swamps, tidal marshes, mud flats, and small islands, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is an important area for aquatic birds, including herons, egrets, ibises, gulls, terns, oystercatchers, sandpipers, plovers, rails, fishing birds, and others.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed supports year-round residents as well as providing important resting areas for birds that migrate along the Atlantic Flyway.

Species Overviews

Great Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron

Great Egret

Snowy Egret

American Bittern

White Ibis

Sandhill Crane

Dunlin

Sanderling

Killdeer

Ruddy Turnstone

Lesser Yellowlegs

Willet

American Oystercatcher

Great Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Laughing Gull

Common Tern

Royal Tern

Least Tern

Black Skimmer

Belted Kingfisher

Horned Grebe

Common Loon

Northern Gannet

 

Related Information

Birdwatching

Waterfowl

Birds of Prey