Birding Bearolina
Important Birding Area and a birds favorite spot on the Atlantic Flyway.
It’s not a secret to the birds - a wintertime visit to Bearolina is a magical experience.
At the Pungo-Pocosin Lakes Important Bird Area (IBA), you can explore vast open natural spaces filled with birds and wildlife. This is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports 80,000 to 110,000 waterfowl during an average winter. It includes two large natural lakes, Phelps and Pungo, and extensive agricultural lands and forests, which provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
Expect To See
The top four wintering birds in Washington County, Bearolina.
#1
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescens
ORDER: Anseriformes
FAMILY: Anatidae
Hard to miss with a cacophony of honks accompanying large flocks, either on the ground, in the air, or on lakes.
#2
Tundra Swans
Cygnus columbianus
ORDER: Anseriformes
FAMILY: Anatidae
Large bodies of water, particularly estuaries and protected coastal waters. You may also see flocks of these large white birds in agricultural fields where they are feeding on spilled or unharvested grains. Look for their distinctive straight-necked posture, as well as their characteristic large flocks, to separate them from Mute Swans.
#3
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
ORDER: Anseriformes
FAMILY: Anatidae
Look for the sharp dark-and-white contrast of the snazzy males and the crisply defined, rusty heads of females.
#4
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
ORDER: Strigiformes
FAMILY: Strigidae
Look for in open fields, grasslands, or airports and visit near dawn or dusk for your best chance of finding them. They may be sitting directly on the ground or flying low and erratically as they hunt.
During the spring and summer the pocosin habitat is home to species such as Worm-eating Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, and other landbirds. The IBA site has one of the state’s highest counts for Northern Harrier during Christmas Bird Counts. Bald Eagles are also seen here during all seasons.
This IBA is also home to large mammals that need plenty of room to roam, including red wolves, black bears, and bobcats.
