National Go Birding Day: Which states are the best for spotting rare birds?

To celebrate National Go Birding Day (Apr. 26), Lawn Love ranked 2025's Best States for Birdwatching.

We compared all 50 U.S. states across 5 feather-focused categories. We examined the number of Audubon centers and sanctuaries, bird species, endemic bird species, and birdwatching groups, among 21 total metrics.

Top 5 States

California

Florida

Texas

New York

Washington

Bottom 5 States

Iowa

South Dakota

Nevada

Nebraska

Kansas

Don’t see your state below? Check out the full ranking.

Key Insights:

Room to roam: California (No. 1), New York (No. 4), and Washington (No. 5) boast the most state parks, while northern states North Dakota (No. 39) and Minnesota (No. 33) take flight with some of the most wildlife refuges. Connecticut (No. 10) and New York lead in Audubon centers, providing prime perches for birdwatchers.