United States bird sanctuary
Fort Wool
221 bird species recorded; the most from April to May.
Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0
This month here
122 species in January.121 species in February.137 species in March.152 species in April.157 species in May.99 species in June.98 species in July.102 species in August.117 species in September.116 species in October.118 species in November.123 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
NT
VU
NT
VU
NT
NT
NT
VU
NT
VU
VU
NT
VUVUNT
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
221 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 221Speciesrecorded more than once
- 134Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 10ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 85,080Recordsopen records within 4 km
- 11Raptors
- 3Owls
- 24Waders
- 24Gulls & seabirds
- 34Ducks & geese
- 19Herons, ibises & grebes
- 90Songbirds
- 16Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 221 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors11 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
- MerlinFalco columbarius
- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Black VultureCoragyps atratus
- Falco sparveriusFalco sparverius
- Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
- Accipiter striatusAccipiter striatus
- Hen HarrierCircus cyaneus
Owls3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Snowy OwlBubo scandiacusVU
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
Waders24 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferusNT
- American OystercatcherHaematopus palliatus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
- Least SandpiperCalidris minutillaNT
- Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus
- Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaNT
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- WilletTringa semipalmata
- Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaNT
- Lesser yellowlegsTringa flavipesVU
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseusVU
- Western SandpiperCalidris mauri
- Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Solitary SandpiperTringa solitaria
- Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima
- Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoaVU
- White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollisVU
- Piping PloverCharadrius melodusNT
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Wilson's SnipeGallinago delicata
Gulls & seabirds24 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
- American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus
- Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
- Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricilla
- Royal TernThalasseus maximus
- Common LoonGavia immer
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Black SkimmerRynchops niger
- Northern gannetMorus bassanus
- Forster's TernSterna forsteri
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Least TernSternula antillarum
- RazorbillAlca torda
- Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
- Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- European Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Sooty TernOnychoprion fuscatus
- Sooty shearwaterPuffinus griseus
Ducks & geese34 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- BuffleheadBucephala albeola
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata
- Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis
- Brent GooseBranta bernicla
- American ScoterMelanitta americanaNT
- Greater ScaupAythya marila
- American Black DuckAnas rubripes
- Common EiderSomateria mollissimaNT
- Lesser ScaupAythya affinis
- American WigeonMareca americana
- GadwallMareca strepera
- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus
- Long-tailed duckClangula hyemalisVU
- White-winged ScoterMelanitta deglandi
- Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
- RedheadAythya americana
- CanvasbackAythya valisineria
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Bewick's SwanCygnus columbianus
- Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- Eurasian TealAnas crecca
- Harlequin DuckHistrionicus histrionicus
- Snow gooseAnser caerulescens
- Wood DuckAix sponsa
- Cairina moschataCairina moschata
- Mandarin DuckAix galericulata
- Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
- Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
- GoosanderMergus merganser
- Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
Herons, ibises & grebes19 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus
- Brown PelicanPelecanus occidentalis
- Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
- Horned GrebePodiceps auritusVU
- Yellow-crowned Night-HeronNyctanassa violacea
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Snowy EgretEgretta thula
- Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podiceps
- Green HeronButorides virescens
- Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Tricolored HeronEgretta tricolor
- Little Blue HeronEgretta caerulea
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos
- White IbisEudocimus albus
Songbirds90 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Common StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos
- Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- House finchHaemorhous mexicanus
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
- Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus
- Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
- Common GrackleQuiscalus quisculaNT
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Purple MartinProgne subis
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Carolina ChickadeePoecile carolinensis
- Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
- Myrtle WarblerSetophaga coronata
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- American GoldfinchSpinus tristis
- Carolina WrenThryothorus ludovicianus
- Boat-tailed GrackleQuiscalus major
- Agelaius phoeniceusAgelaius phoeniceus
- Toxostoma rufumToxostoma rufum
- White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis
- Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus
- Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor
- Eastern MeadowlarkSturnella magnaNT
- Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus
- Northern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx serripennis
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
- Grey CatbirdDumetella carolinensis
- Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitus
- Northern House WrenTroglodytes aedon
- Junco hyemalisJunco hyemalis
- Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
- Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolor
- Pine WarblerSetophaga pinus
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
- Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendula
- Eastern phoebeSayornis phoebe
- Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
- Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarum
- Field SparrowSpizella pusilla
- Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caerulea
- Mangrove WarblerSetophaga petechia
- Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa
- Seaside SparrowAmmospiza maritima
- White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis
- Black-and-white WarblerMniotilta varia
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Brown CreeperCerthia americana
- Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgiana
- Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataNT
- Northern ParulaSetophaga americana
- Red-eyed VireoVireo olivaceus
- Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
- Blue GrosbeakPasserina caerulea
- Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus
- Orchard orioleIcterus spurius
- Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea
- Red Fox SparrowPasserella iliaca
- Eastern Wood-PeweeContopus virens
- Buff-bellied PipitAnthus rubescens
- Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celata
- American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla
- Prairie WarblerSetophaga discolor
- Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus
- Shore LarkEremophila alpestris
- Summer TanagerPiranga rubra
- Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescens
- White-eyed VireoVireo griseus
- Grass WrenCistothorus platensis
- Pine SiskinSpinus pinus
- White-crowned sparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
- Winter WrenTroglodytes hiemalis
- Rusty BlackbirdEuphagus carolinusVU
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelina
- Saltmarsh SparrowAmmospiza caudacuta
- Yellow-throated WarblerSetophaga dominica
- Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbula
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Yellow-breasted ChatIcteria virens
- BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusNT
- Yellow-throated VireoVireo flavifrons
- Grey-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimus
- Marsh WrenCistothorus palustris
- Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrina
Other birds16 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagicaVU
- Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon
- Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens
- Tsįįłkaałii bitłʼaaʼ halchíʼígííMelanerpes carolinus
- Yellow-shafted FlickerColaptes auratus
- Clapper RailRallus crepitans
- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
- American CootFulica americana
- Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubris
- Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalus
- Yellow-billed CuckooCoccyzus americanus
- Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus
- Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus
- Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from April to May.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan8°/1°74 mm
- Feb9°/2°72 mm
- Mar12°/5°85 mm
- Apr18°/10°88 mm
- May23°/15°98 mm
- Jun28°/21°113 mm
- Jul30°/23°131 mm
- Aug29°/23°138 mm
- Sep26°/20°130 mm
- Oct21°/14°104 mm
- Nov15°/8°82 mm
- Dec10°/4°92 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Fort Wool.
Historic island fortification in Virginia, US
Fort Wool is a bird sanctuary in United States.
221 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 85,080 open records.
The most recorded are the Double-crested Cormorant, the Ring-billed Gull and the American Herring Gull.
58 species come for the summer, 70 for the winter and 6 only pass through.
10 are threatened worldwide, including Horned Grebe, Chimney Swift and Long-tailed duck.
The most species are recorded from April to May.
Get there and watch
- Colonies Recreational Vehicle and Travel Parkcampsite · 3.9 km · 2 within 10 km
- The Landing at Hampton Marina, Tapestry Collection by Hiltonplace to stay · 5.6 km · 32 within 10 km
- East Hamptonnearest town · 6.3 km in a straight line
- Norfolk International Airport (ORF)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 13 km in a straight lineCar hire at ORF airport (Norfolk)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 2observation towers within 6 kmWildlife Observation Platform
- 104car parks within 3 km
- 3restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 2campsites within 10 kmColonies Recreational Vehicle and Travel Park, Bayside Mobile Home Village
- 32places to stay within 10 kmThe Landing at Hampton Marina, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Navy Gateway Inn and Suites, Super 8 and 29 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- visitor centres within 6 km
- viewpoints within 5 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Fort Wool.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Coastya1 beaches within 10 kmWilloughby Beach · 2.8 km
Lakeyas1 lakes within 15 kmLittle Creek Reservoir0.6 km² · 15 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Fort Wool
United States
- 86Birdyas Score
- 221Species
- 134Migrants
- 10Threatened
Cape May National Wildlife Refuge
United States · 274 km
- 90Birdyas Score
- 326Species
- 219Migrants
- 13Threatened
Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge
United States · 338 km
- 88Birdyas Score
- 271Species
- 173Migrants
- 12Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q5472371) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 85,080 open bird records within 4 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Coastya, Lakeyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
Same idea, other landscapes: field atlases built on open data, in seven languages.
beaches
Find your beach: sea temperature, sun and swimming month by month.Visit lakes
Every lake on Earth: water temperature, ice, depth and the shore.Visit 
mountains
Every summit in 3D: summit weather, the 0 °C line, huts and trails.Visit 
waterfalls
Every waterfall: height, flow month by month and when it roars.Visit 
islands
Every island from the sea up: size, sea temperature, ferries and 3D.Visit 
rivers
Every river from source to sea: the journey, the flow and the basin in numbers.Visit 
canyons
Every canyon cut to scale: depth to the floor, rim and floor temperatures, trails and viewpoints.Visit 
caves
Every cave with its real depth and length: the rock above, the temperature inside all year, and how to visit.Visit 
dark skies
Where the night is still dark: the sky of every place, the Milky Way month by month, the Moon, eclipses and auroras.Visit 
viewpoints
Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
Every bird sanctuary and wetland with the species recorded month by month: who is resident, who comes for the summer, who only passes through.You are here
forests
Every forest with its land-cover rings, what grows and lives in it, and the best months to walk it.Coming soonVisit