| Virginia is among the premier bird watching spots | | | | spring. Other hawks such as sparrow hawks may |
| in the mid-Atlantic region of the USA. Virginia has | | | | be found year round. |
| a wide variety of environments and is visited by | | | | Waterfowl |
| many species of birds. | | | | Ducks, geese, brant and swans all make stops in |
| Song birds | | | | Virginia. In the refuge, geese and swans take up |
| Virginia is home to large numbers of song birds. | | | | residence year round. Other full time residents |
| Along the coast, marshes, wildflowers, fields and | | | | include black ducks, wood ducks and mallards |
| areas of brush provide ideal nesting and feeding | | | | which raise their young on the marshes of |
| habitat. Other songbirds inhabit the tall pine forests | | | | Chincoteague Island, Wallops Island and much of |
| there. Warblers, nut hatches, sparrows, red wing | | | | the Chesapeake. As autumn arrives, ducks and |
| blackbirds and others nest near the Chesapeake | | | | geese migrate into the refuges and surrounding |
| Bay and Atlantic coast in the summer, while | | | | areas of Virginia. Shoveler ducks, pintails, mallards, |
| cardinals, jays, woodpeckers and finches reside | | | | widgeons, teal, rudy ducks, canvasbacks, |
| there during the winter months. | | | | redheads, ring necked ducks, bluebills, and others |
| Shore Birds | | | | fly in. Mergansers, buffleheads, goldeneyes and |
| Herons, egrets, ibises, oyster crackers, march | | | | other diving ducks show up in the bay waters as |
| hens and other shorebirds are frequently spotted | | | | cold weather sets in. Off the coast, rafts of sea |
| along the marshes in places like Chincoteague, | | | | ducks and small groups of oldsquaw ducks forage |
| Assateague and the other barrier islands. On the | | | | along the shoals over the winter. |
| beaches, dozens of species of sandpipers, plovers, | | | | Pelagic Birds |
| gulls and terns feed, nest and raise chicks. | | | | The waters off the coast are visited by up to 30 |
| Birds of Prey | | | | species of pelagic birds including albatrosses, |
| A number of birds of prey visit Virginia. Ospreys | | | | petrels, shearwaters, storm-petrels, phalaropes, |
| arrive in the spring to raise young and feed on | | | | skuas, jaegers, gulls, terns and alcids. These birds |
| the abundant fish stocks. As seasons change, | | | | migrate along the offshore waters far from land. |
| some ospreys migrate south while other birds of | | | | Many pass off the coast and never see Virginia's |
| prey arrive. American eagles, red tailed hawks and | | | | beaches. |
| other large hunters are present in the fall thru | | | | |