Birding in Butler County

Explore a bird watcher's paradise through birding hotspots, shops, and more!

From songbirds to soaring Osprey, over 270 species of birds call Butler County home! Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or new to the nest, we have the resources for you to plan the perfect outing just north of Pittsburgh.

Your Field Guide To The Best Birding in Butler County, PA

Butler County is accessible by I-79, I-80, and the PA Turnpike. You might spot Osprey, Bald Eagles, or a Cerulean Warbler.

Begin your day in Slippery Rock where you can gather your gear to watch birds soar and sing. In addition to selections of bird seed, nature gifts, and birding necessities, The Birdwatcher’s Store has a huge back window overlooking a four-acre sanctuary, and they provide binoculars for visitors to borrow. Be on the look out for collaborations with Wildbird Recovery and Butler Birder's Club!

Pictured The Birdwatcher's Store

Credit Layla Joseph

Butler Birder’s Club

Butler Birder's Club is your local club for birding and community.

With a goal to provide an inclusive community where birders of all backgrounds and abilities can enjoy birding together.

Whether you are a master birder or just getting started, the Butler Birders welcome you to their flock!

Learn More

Credit Jeanette Green

Wildbird Recovery

Stormy Oaks Nature Conservancy is located on 14 acres of farmland in Butler County of Western Pennsylvania. The conservancy is the home of Wildbird Recovery, Inc. a dedicated nonprofit to the conservation of wildlife and natural resources.

Experience on-site and off-site educational programs in addition to providing rehabilitation efforts for songbirds, swifts, swallows and raptors.

Don't miss the annual Fall Migration Festival every September!

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Watch osprey nest at moraine!

Moraine State Park’s favorite birds are packing their feathers and catching a flight back home!

The Osprey are expected to return to the North Shore in late March.

Keep your eyes peeled for Osprey landing at Moraine State Park, and be sure to check in with Moraine Preservation Fund’s Osprey Cam to check for live updates!

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Credit Kris Shuler

Ready to take flight?

Butler County is a bird watcher's delight! Use the map to explore or scroll to read more.

Moraine State Park

Spanning nearly 16,000 acres with 42 miles of shoreline around Lake Arthur, feathered wonders await at Moraine State Park.

Osprey: Once endangered in Western PA, these “fish hawks” were successfully reintroduced at Moraine in 1993.

Bald Eagle: Nesting pairs are often spotted throughout the park.

Great Blue Heron, Green Heron & Belted Kingfisher: Common sights near the water’s edge.

Common Loon & Tundra Swan: Seasonal migrants that visit in early spring and fall.

Credit Patrick Mark LeFebvre

Visit the waterfowl observation deck off old Route 422 (via Route 528) or board the Preston’s Pearl to become an official Moraine State Birder!

Jennings Environmental Education Center

Known for its rare prairie ecosystem, Jennings is a blend of open grasslands and dense forests. Home to a wide diversity of birds, the center’s 300 acres host the Commonwealth’s only protected prairie.

American Woodcock: Watch their enchanting spring mating dance.

Cerulean Warbler: A rare breeding species that finds sanctuary here.

Goldfinch, Sparrow, Flycatcher, Bluebird & Swallow: Frequently seen along trails.

Credit Kris S

As a certified Bartramian Audubon Society wildlife sanctuary, Jennings is committed to conservation and native habitat restoration.

The Macoskey Center at Slippery Rock University

College students aren’t the only species that flock to Slippery Rock!

Upland Sandpiper: A historically breeding Neotropical species linked to the site’s agricultural past.

Mimic Thrushes, including Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, and Northern Mockingbird.

Colorful Songbirds: Spot Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Raptors: Red-tailed Hawks and Great Horned Owls are long-term residents.

SRU’s main campus holds 150+ acres of natural habitats including forests, wetlands, fields, and myriads of wildlife.

State Game Lands 95 “The Glades”

“The Glades” are part of State Game Lands 95, owned and managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

American Bittern & Least Bittern: Rare wetland nesters.

Sedge Wren & Upland Sandpiper: Grassland birds still found here.

Sandhill Crane: Occasionally observed in spring migration.

American Pipit & Northern Shrike: Unique seasonal visitors.

Rusty Blackbird & Brewer’s Blackbird: Rare migrants.

Credit Marianne Hill

Designated Important Bird Area #11 by the National Audubon Society, this region is monitored by volunteers from the Bartramian Audubon Society and remains one of Butler County’s richest birding sites.
Note: Some roads in SGL 95 are unpaved and not regularly maintained.

Todd Nature Reserve

Todd Nature Reserve is part of the Buffalo Creek Valley Important Bird Area and includes five miles of scenic hiking trails through forests and streams.

Magnolia Warbler, Purple Finch, Brown Creeper: Northern species that nest in hemlock and mixed deciduous forest.

Cerulean Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo: Southern breeders at the northern edge of their range.

Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Acadian Flycatcher: Regular summer residents of the forest canopy.

Barred Owl & Pileated Woodpecker: Year-round residents of mature woodland.

Credit @kelseycooksveg

Owned by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, the land’s ornithological legacy dates back to the 1880s with the discovery of a nesting Magnolia Warbler by W.E. Clyde Todd, a pioneering figure in Pennsylvania birding. Free, guided “Birds and More” walks are held every Friday and offer a great introduction to the rich biodiversity of the reserve.