Bird Bingo: A New Self-Guided Resource for Boston Harbor and the Islands
A Great Black-backed Gull, the largest gull species in the world and one of the birds featured in Bird Bingo, flies by Boston Light (National Park Service photo)
While public ferry trips to the Boston Harbor Islands have concluded for the 2025 season, the harbor continues to provide great options for outdoor activities. In particular, wildlife remains active and offers an opportunity for viewing as well as an inspiration for photography or artwork. A great companion for such an opportunity is the brand-new resource, Grab & Go: Boston Harbor Islands – Bird Bingo.
Bird Bingo joins a suite of “self-guided” materials designed to provide harbor visitors (particularly youth and families) with a fun and engaging experience at their own pace. As a part of our Grab & Go series, it features an action-based activity with tips on how to perform this activity safely. In this case, Bird Bingo directs participants to search for birds commonly found within the harbor and islands and record their observations using the game of Bingo.
A Red-Winged Blackbird, one of the species featured in Bird Bingo (National Park Service photo)
Many of the birds found on the islands are also found in the city, and can help us remember that the islands are with us no matter where in Boston we are. Birds don’t need a seasonal ferry to get to the islands, and they spend all winter supporting the harbor ecosystem by spreading seeds, munching on crustaceans and mollusks, and supporting other pollinators such as native bees. Next time you see a bird in Boston, think about where it might have spent its morning. Could it have been on Spectacle or Georges today?
When using this and other self-guided resources, we also encourage taking a look at the great suggestions for how to explore the nature that surrounds us within the harbor and islands. Created in partnership with Conservation Legacy, the National Parks of Boston, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Grab & Go: Boston Harbor Islands – Bird Bingo is currently available to download on the Boston Harbor Islands website under Plan Your Visit → Kids and Families (scroll down to Other Self-Guided Activities).
Another bird species featured in Bird Bingo, the American Robin (National Park Service photo)
Want to learn more about the animals that make Boston Harbor their wintertime home? You can join National Park Rangers and local naturalists on two upcoming Winter Wildlife Cruises. These three-hour cruises around Boston Harbor on a heated, high-speed ferry are perfect for birders. Bring your binoculars and discover just how alive the harbor is in winter! Click the links below for more information: