Celebrate Black Birders Week 2026 (May 24-May 30) with NYC Bird Alliance! Black Birders Week was created in 2020 by the BlackAFinSTEM Collective to celebrate and empower Black individuals in nature, promoting a more inclusive, diverse, and welcoming space.  This year's theme is "Flyways & Freedom: Advocacy, Action, and the Future". Learn more at BAFiS website.

Join us for a guided birding session where we’ll teach you everything you need to get started! We will focus on tips for beginner birding! Come birdwatching with us, park educators, and other bird enthusiasts to discover the incredible birds at Shirley Chisholm State Park. The largest state park in New York City, it is named after the trailblazing Shirley Chisholm—Brooklyn native, first African American Congresswoman, and the first woman and African American to run for President. Built on what was once a landfill, the park is now a thriving spot full of wildlife, including hawks, waterfowl, wetlands, and native plants. 

Register with our partners - here!  Free. Binoculars and ID guides will be provided to borrow for the duration of the hike

Accessibility: This park contains mostly gravel trails of different lengths and inclinations. Restrooms, parking, and a water-filling station can be found near the meeting location.

Directions: The BM2, BM5, B82, B82-SBS, and B83 buses all stop near the Pennsylvania Entrance. For more details about Shirley Chisholm State Park's facilities and how to get there, please visit the New York State Parks website.

Photo: Shirley Chisholm State Park offers the opportunity to see birds like this Osprey. Credit: LeRoy VanHee.