Birding at the Breaks

Breaks Interstate Park is a bastion of natural beauty. The deep forests on Pine Mountain, the sheer cliffs of the Breaks Canyon, and the mighty Russel Fork River that flows through it all work together to attract dozens of different species of birds. Large birds like vultures, hawks, and falcons are commonly seen from our overlooks, and if you’re lucky you may catch a glimpse of a Bald Eagle! The updraft created by the topography is perfect for soaring birds that will effortlessly ride the air looking for carrion or a tasty fish to eat.

In 2007, Peregrine Falcons were released into the park. These birds had been wiped out from the Eastern United States due to the use of pesticides and chemicals such as DDT in the 1940’s and 50’s. Until the reintroduction effort, the last documented sighting in the state of Virginia was at The Towers within the park. Flash forward to now, biologists regularly come back every spring to monitor breeding pairs that usually nest in the cliffsides of the gorge.

If you hike on our trails, be sure to keep an eye and an ear open for chickadees, woodpeckers, sparrows, and cardinals, that like to hide in rhododendron thickets. In the spring and summer, the park is flush with a wide variety of breeding warblers like the Hooded Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Northern Parula, Blackburnian Warbler, and the Swainson’s Warbler. You can also find ducks, herons, and other waterfowl at Laurel Lake, Beaver Pond, or in the gorge. Each winter the park participates in the National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. The information collected is reported to the Audubon Society, where it is used to determine increases or declines in area species.

Whether you’re a well-seasoned birder or just enjoy watching robins, you are sure to be blown away by our variety of Mother Nature’s best musicians!