Let's Go Birding!

It's the Best!

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is one of the best places to see a diverse community of migratory birds east of the Mississippi River!
-NPS State of the Park Report

 

Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis formosa), one of 208 species present at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

NPS

Where Do I Find These Birds?

Birds tend to favor tree lines near open areas, like fields. Check out Activity Area #1, #2, and #3 for prime spots to enjoy our winged friends. (In the link, type the area in the map's search box to get a detailed view of each activity area.)

New to Birding?

We've got you covered! Read through the NPS Birding for Beginners article. Then, explore the NPS Birds subject site. You'll be an expert in no time!

 

What Birds Are in Your Park?

Select "Birds" in the dropdown menu then click one of the blue list buttons. You will see the latest information on the birds (or other species) found at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. See a bird in the park that's not on the list? Let a ranger know and we'll share it with our researchers!

 

 

Male Scarlet Tanager (piranga olivacea) at Kennesaw Mountain NBP.

Credit: Tom Wilson

Bird Research Brief in the State of the Park Report

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains and forest area. This makes it an attractive habitat for birds, especially during spring and fall migrations. As prime natural migration habitat that is critical for neotropical bird migrants (e.g., vireos, warblers), the park was designated a globally Important Bird Area in 2000, the first area designated in the State. An Avian Conservation Implementation Plan (ACIP) was prepared for your national park in 2005 (Watson 2005). The purpose of the ACIP was to help identify and prioritize bird conservation efforts and opportunities, and to guide successful implementation

 

Red-tailed Hawk (buteo jamaicensis) at Kennesaw Mountain NBP.

Credit: Tom Wilson

of conservation activities.

As of 2013, 208 species of birds have been reported from your national park including a large percentage of neotropical migrants. The park has three State-listed species of concern (cerulean warbler, peregrine falcon, and bald eagle), and five non-native species. Audubon WatchList (2002) previously indicated that the cerulean warbler was declining and that during spring migration this species was seen more frequently at Kennesaw than elsewhere in the Southeast. The major threat mentioned for this species is development and urban sprawl.

 

Relative abundance of bird species observed at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park during Vital Signs Monitoring efforts in 2009. Numbers in parentheses indicate the proportion of all observations represented by each species.

NPS State of the Park Report

The NPS Southeast Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network (SECN) conducted a survey of landbirds in the park in 2009 and recorded total of 770 birds representing 60 species (see bar graph). Northern cardinal, Carolina wren, and tufted titmouse were the most widely distributed species at your park, found at 90 – 93% of sampling locations. A total of 25 priority species, as identified by Watson and Malloy (2006), were detected during the sampling effort, including Acadian flycatcher, brown-headed nuthatch, chimney swift, Cooper's hawk, Chuck-will's-widow, Eastern towhee, Eastern wood-pewee, hooded warbler, indigo bunting, mallard, Northern flicker, pine warbler, red-bellied woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker, red-shouldered hawk, summer tanager, white-eyed vireo, wood thrush, worm-eating warbler, yellow-billed cuckoo, and yellow-throated vireo.

Graph text: Northern Cardinal (10.8% with over 80 observations), Tufted Titmouse (10.5% with just over 80 observations), Red-eyed Vireo (7.9% at 60 observations), Carolina Wren (6.8% with over 50 observations), Blue Jay (5.5% at just over 40 observations), Carolina Chickadee and American Crow (4.8% at just under 40 observations), Dark-eyed Junco (4.7% at just over 30 observations), Red-bellied Woodpecker (4.4% at just over 30 observations) and Other (39.9% with no visable bar).

 

Reference

National Park Service. 2013. State of the Park Report for Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. State of the Park Series No. 8. National Park Service, Washington, D.C. pg 11.