Pictures of Black Birds at Rockefeller State Park Preserve

This gallery features pictures of red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, starlings, eastern towhees, orchard orioles, and rose-breasted grosbeaks. These are all migratory birds; while some stay through the summer season, all are only temporarily in the park.

Red-winged blackbirds are the most common black bird I’ve found in the park. Once they arrive in the late winter, their cries can be heard throughout the park. Check the open areas and fields you walk through, and you’ll probably see them. Common grackles are also common in the spring, and a number of them call the area around Swan Lake their home. Starlings are also relatively easy to find, with some living near the Farm Meadow Trail and the Barnyard Hill Trail intersection.

Eastern towhees, orchard orioles, and rose-breasted grosbeaks are more challenging to locate and have more limited stays in the park during their migrations. I’ve taken pictures of eastern towhees in the wooded areas on the Ash Tree Loop. Orchard orioles can be located in the field adjacent to Canter Alley and the fields surrounding the Rock Wall Loop. I’ve had the most difficulty finding rose-breasted grosbeaks, locating them along the Farm Meadow Trail near the Ash Tree Loop and at the top of the Ridge Trail. Of course, your mileage may vary with these locations, so keep an eye out as you hike in the park. 

You can find more information about the trails mentioned above here if you’d like.

Click on a picture below to open the full-size gallery. Controls at the bottom center of the photos let you navigate through the gallery, start a slide show, or close the gallery. Enjoy the pictures!