Bird Watching trips along Assateague Island give visitors the chance to experience the islands' wealth of over 300 species of migratory and resident birds (see the Assateague Bird List). You will enjoy birdwatching in Virginia at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. This is one of America's finest places for birdwatching along the East Coast. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge at Assateague (Chincoteague N.W.R.) is one of the richest birding regions in the U.S. with outstanding year-round birding. Assateague Island now has a healthy bald eagle population also.

Spring is a good time to see large numbers of migrating shore birds, warblers, and other birds invade Assateague. During summer, a variety of species are visible along the National Seashore. In the fall, waterfowl arrive in massive numbers. Assateague Island is a vital link in the life cycle of migrating waterfowl in the Atlantic Flyway. Visitors to Assateague are fortunate to experience an island that teems with a large variety of waterfowl and other bird life.

Although an abundance of birds are found at Assateague, bird enthusiasts usually find the best opportunities along the Virginia portion of the island, due to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge's freshwater impoundments combine with marshes all along Assateague's shoreline to host a variety of terns, egrets, sandpipers, waterfowl, and more. Making one's way by boat along Assateague's extensive inland waterway is a thrilling experience for any bird lover. Herons and terns fly out from the edges as you proceed through vast winding narrows that seem full of rails and black ducks which fly out making loud quacking sounds.

Assateague Wildlife Photos

Limited amounts of Assateague are accessible by car, so during recent times, many bird watchers have elected to travel by boat along the inland waters of Assateague. A Birdwatching voyage by boat offers visitors the chance to see more of the refuge and it's wildlife which can be found along over 37 miles of Assateague's pristine waterways. Boat excursions in the areas around Chincoteague and Assateague take you to one of America's most unique ecosystems, with an abundance of wildlife, islands, and water as far as the eye can see.