Awesome Places for Bird Watching on the Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland
Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula is a treasure trove for birders and nature enthusiasts alike. As someone with a deep love for bird watching, I was thrilled to join the birding tour at the 2024 TMAC conference in St. John’s, where I had the chance to explore some of the region’s most remarkable avian habitats. From the dramatic cliffs of Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, home to one of North America’s largest Northern Gannet colonies, to the scenic trails of Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve, the Avalon Peninsula offers unparalleled opportunities to observe an array of bird species.
But birding in Newfoundland is about more than just the birds. While scanning the islands of Witless Bay for puffins and kittiwakes, you’ll catch humpback whales breach nearby. When hiking the peninsula’s rugged terrain, keep an eye out for moose and caribou. Newfoundland’s unique mix of wildlife and breathtaking scenery makes it a must-visit destination for nature lovers.
For those looking to dive deeper into the birding scene, Bird the Rock, a local tour company specializing in birding adventures, offers both day and multi-day tours to help you explore the Avalon’s best spots. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or a curious traveler, this guide will highlight the best places for bird watching on the Avalon Peninsula and the exciting tour options available with Bird the Rock. Get ready to embark on a birding adventure like no other!
Best Places for Bird Watching on the Avalon Peninsula
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Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
One of the most popular bird watching spots in Newfoundland, Canada is Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Bay Bulls, where many access the reserve from, is conveniently located 30 minutes south of St. John’s. Here you’ll find two Bay Bulls boat tours that offer fun 90 minute tours of the reserve.
Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is made up of four islands and most famous for being home to the official bird of Newfoundland, the puffin! The reserve is home to over 250,000 nesting Atlantic puffins, which is the largest colony in North America.
In addition to puffins, the Witless Bay is home to over 35 million seabirds from 350 species. It’s also where the second-largest colony of Leach’s storm petrels are. During both of my boat tours, I saw common murre, thick-billed murre, razorbill, black guillemot and black-legged kittiwake. Plus, there were a number of gull species like herring and great black-backed.
Hopping aboard one of the two boat tours, Gatherall’s or O’Brien’s, is one of the top things to do in St. John’s! Along with seeing the countless seabirds during the summer season, the chances of spotting whales like humpback and minkes, is high. On both boat tours I did, there were at least 2 different whales nearby. During my first tour it was a humpback whale and her calf!
Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve
Out of all of the places I visited in Newfoundland, Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve blew me away! Cape St. Mary’s is home to the largest colony of nesting gannets in the province. But what makes it one of the coolest bird watching spots in Newfoundland is how close you are to them.
After a 1.3 km trail that leads from the visitor’s centre along coastline, you arrive at a giant sea stack known as Bird Rock. Atop this sea stack, that is nearly on level with the clifftop that you stand on, is thousands of northern gannets. It’s the most accessible colony of northern gannets in North America.
It was one of the coolest wildlife experiences of my life to be so close to thousands of gannets! While there are currently around 8 thousand pairs of northern gannets nesting at Cape St. Mary’s, two years ago there was twice that number. The colony was sadly hit hard by the bird flu.
In addition to the northern gannets, the reserve is home to other seabirds like common murres, razorbill, black guillemot, black-legged kittiwake, as well as double-crested and great cormorants. The Cape is the only place that you can see thick-billed murres from land.
Hiking along the coastline I also spotted strange bent grassy areas. My guide shared that these are the unique nests of savannah sparrows, of which there were plenty. I also saw numerous grey seals sunning themselves on the rocks below.
Cape St. Mary’s is approximately two hours from St. John’s. There is a visitor’s centre that has an interesting museum where you’ll learn more about the reserve and its birdlife.
One thing to note is that the Cape generally experiences 300 days of fog a year. I lucked out and experiences a clear blue day!
Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
One of the best day trips from St. John’s is to Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve. Located roughly 2 hours south of the capital, Mistaken Point is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its UNESCO status is due to the over 10,000 fossil impressions that are found along its rugged coastline.
To see the fossils, you’ll have to reserve a tour in advance. They only take up to 24 people out a day, over the course of two hikes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Once you reach the site of the fossils, you’ll take you shoes off to walk out on the jagged coastline that features the over 550-million-year-old fossil impressions.
In addition to the incredible experience of walking on fossils, the reserve is also part of a Canadian Important Bird Area. It’s home to wintering populations of purple sandpipers and common eiders. Thanks to its location along the coast, you can also see seabirds like black guillemot, razorbill, dovekie, as well as thick-billed and common murres.
While I was hoping to see a horned lark during my visit, I didn’t but I did see a northern harrier hunting the grasslands. I also ticked a species off my birding bucket list, the willow ptarmigan! I learned on the tour that the Avalon Peninsula is home to one of the southernmost sub-arctic habitats in the world, which is the ideal habitat for the willow ptarmigan.
The Wilds Resort
When it comes to finding the perfect place to base yourself for a trip that involves visiting key Newfoundland bird watching locations, I recommend The Wilds Resort. Located at the heart of the Avalon Peninsula, the resort has a variety of accommodations styles the range from cottages to spacious hotel rooms. I loved the vaulted ceiling, desk and seating area in my room. I didn’t want to leave!
The Wilds Resort also features a wealth of amenities that include a heated outdoor pool, restaurant, golf course and a hiking trail. In addition to being within a 2-hour drive of all of the top bird watching locations on the Avalon Peninsula, the resort is a great spot for birding too!
Along the hiking trail, in the early morning I was in awe of all of the bird species we spotted. A few highlights include boreal chickadees, white throated sparrow, ruby crowned kinglet and a yellow bellied flycatcher. As a big fan of warblers, I loved that there were numerous species in the forests along the trail. A few exciting ones that I saw were a blackpole warbler, black and white warbler, and Wilson’s warbler.
The chances of encountering other wildlife are high too! Along the hiking trail we saw moose tracks and scat (poop). Then when we left the resort, a moose crossed the road in front of our van!
Bidgood Park
A hidden gem of a location that’s perfect for those looking to go birding in St. John’s is Bidgood Park. This city park is located 15 minutes from downtown, in the Goulds neighbourhood. Covering 38 acres, the property was donated by the Bidgood family and opened in 2014.
Bidgood Park features roughly 4 km of trails as well as a 200-metre boardwalk. The park has a number of environments that include marshland and boreal forest. So, it’s a great spot to spot a diverse variety of bird species.
I visited early in the morning and was blown away by the all of the birds I saw. In one section of the forested trail there was at least a half a dozen boreal chickadees flittering back and forth across the trail. Just like black capped chickadees, their boreal cousins are curious and will often come close.
Some other highlights of birds I saw in Bidgood Park included; Northern water thrush, black backed woodpeckers, and swamp sparrow.
The Best Bird Watching Tours from St. John’s
The two most popular bird watching tours in St. John’s are Gatherall’s and O’Briens. I’ve done both and each are equally fabulous. Both have 40 years of experience, offer shuttle service from St. John’s, and take you into Witless Bay Ecological Reserve.
On the Gatherall’s boat tour I did we all of the top seabirds in Witless Bay. In addition to all the adorable puffins, there were common murres, razorbills, black-legged kittiwakes and more. Plus, we enjoyed the presence of a humpback whale and her calf. They stuck with our boat for 15 to 20 minutes, which was fantastic!
Both Gatherall’s and O’Briens are located in Bay Bulls, which is roughly 30 minutes from St. John’s, with tours running 90 minutes. On my O’Briens boat tour we had smooth waters and spotted two humpback whales in addition to all of the puffins and other seabirds.
The peak season for spotting puffins on each of these tours is between May and September. Plus, each tour also offers the opportunity to get screeched in, which is one of the most unique activities in Newfoundland!
Bird the Rock
The most unique and extensive birding tours in Newfoundland are with Bird the Rock. The owner and operator, Jared has a passion for birding in Newfoundland. I did one of his multi-day tours and it was honestly the BEST tour I’ve EVER done.
Bird the Rock offers a variety of guided day tours from St. John’s as well as multi-day tours that will take you to some of the best birding locations on the Avalon Peninsula. Along with being a great guide to all things Newfoundland, Jared has an impeccable ear for birds.
I did the Avalon Birding Blitz, which is a multi-day tour that takes you around the Irish Loop with stops at key bird hotspots on the Avalon Peninsula. This tour will take you to all of the locations I’ve shared above as well as other incredible places.
Frequently Asked Questions about Birding in Newfoundland
The best months for bird watching in Newfoundland are during the summer months. This is the ideal season to see everything from seabirds that are returning to the coast to breed as well as songbirds. The best time to see puffins in Newfoundland is between May and September.
The best time of day to go bird watching is early morning when many song birds are most active.
The west coast of the Avalon Peninsula, around Placentia Bay, is the best place to see eagles in Newfoundland. This area is home to one of the largest bald eagle populations in North America. However, there is a nest that I spotted in St. John’s from the Ladies Lookout Trail between Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi. There was one in the nest but I was told it was a breeding pair.
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Whether you’re looking for a unique way to experience The Rock or are an avid birder, a trip to Newfoundland will be one of the most memorable trips you’ll have! Bird watching along the Avalon Peninsula goes beyond seeing incredible avian species, it offers an opportunity to experience awesome places in Canada.
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