Birds of Virginia Beach

The coastal habitat of Virginia Beach is home to more than 300 species of birds, which affords some of the best bird-watching opportunities on the East Coast. While this is especially true during the fall and winter months, when thousands of birds, such as snow and Canadian geese, tundra swans and a variety of duck species flock to the area to rest and feed before their long journey south, many species can be spotted year-round. Sandpipers, sanderlings and willets feed in the intertidal moist sand, while osprey, gannets, gulls and terns can be seen fishing offshore. With the abundance of waterfowl, as well as a host of other avian species, there is no shortage of birding opportunities in Virginia Beach.

Here are some of the birds you can spot in area in the fall and winter months.