These Are the Best Cities in the US for Birdwatching, According to New Data
Get your binoculars out and visit one of these bird-loving cities.
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If you're a bird lover, you're likely content watching the avians soar from the comfort of your backyard. But if you're ready to enhance your vantage point, you may be wondering where some top-tier locations for birdwatching are. To help ornithophiles around the country, Lawn Love, a digital marketplace for lawn care services, just released its list of the best cities for birdwatching.
To obtain the findings, the company compared the 200 biggest cities in the Unites States based on four categories, including access, bird variety, popularity, and conservation. Researchers factored in everything from the number of birdwatching groups and bird species to the number of Audubon chapters and wildlife refuges. In total, the company used 14 total metrics to calculate a score (out of 100) for each major city.
Related: The 12 Best Binoculars for Birdwatching
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At the top of the list is New York, N.Y. With the most Audubon centers and sanctuaries, birding organizations, and bird nests found so far this year, the Empire State ranked top overall in access and conversation. What's more, New York tied with two other cities for the most birdwatching groups.
Coming in second place is San Diego, Calif., which ranked first in popularity. The popularity category includes metrics like number of birdwatching groups and number of birdwatching festivals. San Diego isn't the only city in California that ranked high on the list. In fact, all 43 cities in the state made it into the top 65 with three—San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Fransisco—landing in the top 10. Their ornithophile population may be due to the fact that California has the most national and state parks, as well as the most bird species to watch.
Rounding out the top five is Houston, Texas, Seattle, Wash., and Los Angeles, Calif. On the flip side, drop to the bottom of the list and you'll find Alabama cities Mobile (196) and Montgomery (199), as well as two Kansas cities: Overland Park (196) and Olathe (198). These cities each lack access to conservation programs, green space, and fellow birdwatchers.
The Top 20 Best Cities for Birdwatching
New York, N.Y.
San Diego, Calif.
Houston, Texas
Seattle, Wash.
Los Angeles, Calif.
San Fransisco, Calif.
Philadelphia, Penn.
Phoenix, Ariz.
Austin, Texas
Chicago, Ill.
Tucson, Ariz.
Portland, Ore.
Irvine, Calif.
Long Beach, Calif.
Pasadena, Calif.
Denver, Colo.
Escondido, Calif.
Atlanta, Ga.
Lancaster, Calif.
Oceanside, Calif.
