Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Wildlife Sanctuary · United States

No ratings yet

Photo © Steven Fine

Photo © Steven Fine — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikidata / Wikimedia Commons

Tidal marshes and brackish shallows define this sanctuary on Delaware's Atlantic coast, where the meeting of freshwater and salt creates some of the Mid-Atlantic's most dynamic wetland ecosystems. Bombay Hook encompasses over 16,000 acres of salt marsh, freshwater impoundments, and upland habitat that shift with the seasons and the rhythm of the tides. In summer, the refuge pulses with life: insects swarm above the cordgrass, small mammals find shelter in the higher ground, and waders probe the shallows. Come autumn and spring, the marshes become a vital stopover on one of North America's most important migration corridors, when thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl funnel through Delaware Bay seeking food and rest. The temperate humid climate—warm summers with reliable precipitation year-round and mild winters—sustains this botanical and faunal richness without a dry season to interrupt it. The refuge's mosaic of habitats, interconnected by narrow water channels and boardwalks, creates ideal conditions for raptors hunting over open water and wading birds navigating the tidal flats.

For wildlife photographers and birders, Bombay Hook rewards patience and early mornings in equal measure. The refuge's system of observation towers and walking trails offers unobstructed views across the marsh without disturbing the creatures within, and the quality of light during spring and autumn migration—when the angle of the sun over the bay turns ordinary plumage into liquid gold—is simply exceptional. The spring influx of migratory shorebirds and the autumn gathering of waterfowl create peak seasons when a single morning's visit can yield sightings of dozens of bird families. The relatively low elevation and open landscape mean few obstructed sightlines, making this one of the region's most accessible refuges for spotting birds of prey, dabbling ducks, and colonial waterbirds from considerable distance. Visitor facilities are robust and well-maintained, with parking and amenities at multiple entry points, making Bombay Hook ideal for both day trips and extended stays during migration season.

Website fws.gov/refuge/bombay_hook

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bubo scandiacus

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna autumnalis

Branta bernicla

Branta canadensis

Branta hutchinsii

Anser caerulescens

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Cygnus buccinator

Cygnus columbianus

Blue-winged Teal

Spatula discors

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

American Wigeon

Mareca americana

Anas platyrhynchos

American Black Duck

Northern Pintail

Aythya valisineria

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Melanitta americana

Bucephala albeola

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Oxyura jamaicensis

Northern Bobwhite

Colinus virginianus

Meleagris gallopavo

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus americanus

Black-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus erythropthalmus

Zenaida macroura

Rallus crepitans

Rallus limicola

Porzana carolina

Fulica americana

Antigone canadensis

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Podiceps auritus

Black-necked Stilt

Himantopus mexicanus

American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana

Pluvialis squatarola

Pacific Golden Plover

Pluvialis fulva

American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

Charadrius vociferus

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Numenius hudsonicus

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Hudsonian Godwit

Limosa haemastica

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

American Woodcock

Gallinago delicata

Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Tringa semipalmata

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris canutus

Calidris pugnax

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Calidris acuminata

Stilt Sandpiper

Calidris himantopus

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollis

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Western Sandpiper

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Calidris pusilla

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias niger

Sterna forsteri

Thalasseus maximus

Hydrocoloeus minutus

Bonaparte's Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Leucophaeus atricilla

Franklin's Gull

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus hyperboreus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Double-crested Cormorant

Nannopterum auritum

American White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

Plegadis falcinellus

White-faced Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Little Blue Heron

Egretta caerulea

Tricolored Heron

Egretta tricolor

Egretta garzetta

Butorides virescens

Great Blue Heron

American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Pelecanus occidentalis

Coragyps atratus

Pandion haliaetus

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Northern Harrier

Circus hudsonius

Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Rough-legged Buzzard

American Barn Owl

Short-eared Owl

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Eastern Screech Owl

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Red-headed Woodpecker

Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

Hairy Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus villosus

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Falco columbarius

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Sayornis phoebe

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Contopus cooperi

Eastern Wood Pewee

Contopus virens

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Empidonax flaviventris

Acadian Flycatcher

Empidonax virescens

Least Flycatcher

Empidonax minimus

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Vireo olivaceus

Blue-headed Vireo

Vireo solitarius

White-eyed Vireo

Cyanocitta cristata

Corvus ossifragus

Bombycilla cedrorum

Tufted Titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

Carolina Chickadee

Poecile carolinensis

Eremophila alpestris

Riparia riparia

Tachycineta bicolor

Hirundo rustica

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Regulus satrapa

Cistothorus palustris

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Troglodytes hiemalis

Northern House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

Dumetella carolinensis

Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

Toxostoma rufum

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Eastern Bluebird

Hylocichla mustelina

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Catharus guttatus

Turdus migratorius

Passer domesticus

Anthus rubescens

Haemorhous mexicanus

American Goldfinch

Lapland Longspur

Calcarius lapponicus

Plectrophenax nivalis

Grasshopper Sparrow

Ammodramus savannarum

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Spizella pusilla

Red Fox Sparrow

Passerella iliaca

American Tree Sparrow

Spizelloides arborea

Dark-eyed Junco

White-crowned Sparrow

Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Pooecetes gramineus

Seaside Sparrow

Ammospiza maritima

Saltmarsh Sparrow

Ammospiza caudacuta

Savannah Sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Melospiza melodia

Melospiza georgiana

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Yellow-breasted Chat

Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Eastern Meadowlark

Sturnella magna

Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula

Icterus spurius

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Brown-headed Cowbird

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

Quiscalus quiscula

Boat-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus major

Seiurus aurocapilla

Black-and-white Warbler

Mniotilta varia

Prothonotary Warbler

Protonotaria citrea

Orange-crowned Warbler

Leiothlypis celata

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

American Redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Cape May Warbler

Setophaga tigrina

Northern Parula

Setophaga americana

Magnolia Warbler

Setophaga magnolia

American Yellow Warbler

Setophaga aestiva

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Setophaga pensylvanica

Blackpoll Warbler

Setophaga striata

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Setophaga caerulescens

Setophaga palmarum

Setophaga pinus

Setophaga coronata

Yellow-throated Warbler

Setophaga dominica

Prairie Warbler

Setophaga discolor

Black-throated Green Warbler

Setophaga virens

Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

Western Tanager

Piranga ludoviciana

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Spiza americana

Passerina caerulea

Passerina cyanea

Painted Bunting

Passerina ciris

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Branta leucopsis

Pink-footed Goose

Anser brachyrhynchus

Tadorna ferruginea

Cairina moschata

Spatula cyanoptera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Aythya americana

Melanitta perspicillata

White-winged Scoter

Melanitta deglandi

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Common Nighthawk

Chordeiles minor

Chuck-will's-widow

Antrostomus carolinensis

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Antrostomus vociferus

Chaetura pelagica

Purple Gallinule

Porphyrio martinica

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

American Oystercatcher

Haematopus palliatus

Charadrius melodus

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Upland Sandpiper

Bartramia longicauda

Phalaropus fulicarius

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Sternula antillarum

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Red-throated Loon

Mycteria americana

Northern Gannet

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Neotropic Cormorant

Nannopterum brasilianum

Swallow-tailed Kite

Elanoides forficatus

Aquila chrysaetos

Mississippi Kite

Ictinia mississippiensis

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Athene cunicularia

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Melopsittacus undulatus

Alder Flycatcher

Empidonax alnorum

Western Kingbird

Tyrannus verticalis

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascens

Philadelphia Vireo

Vireo philadelphicus

Eastern Warbling Vireo

Yellow-throated Vireo

Vireo flavifrons

Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

American Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Petrochelidon fulva

Certhia americana

Grey-cheeked Thrush

Catharus minimus

Catharus fuscescens

Evening Grosbeak

Hesperiphona vespertina

Haemorhous purpureus

Loxia curvirostra

Chondestes grammacus

Calamospiza melanocorys

Clay-colored Sparrow

Spizella pallida

LeConte's Sparrow

Ammospiza leconteii

Nelson's Sparrow

Ammospiza nelsoni

Lincoln's Sparrow

Melospiza lincolnii

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Brewer's Blackbird

Euphagus cyanocephalus

Worm-eating Warbler

Helmitheros vermivorum

Louisiana Waterthrush

Parkesia motacilla

Northern Waterthrush

Parkesia noveboracensis

Golden-winged Warbler

Vermivora chrysoptera

Blue-winged Warbler

Vermivora cyanoptera

Swainson's Warbler

Limnothlypis swainsonii

Tennessee Warbler

Leiothlypis peregrina

Nashville Warbler

Leiothlypis ruficapilla

Connecticut Warbler

Oporornis agilis

Kentucky Warbler

Geothlypis formosa

Setophaga citrina

Cerulean Warbler

Setophaga cerulea

Bay-breasted Warbler

Setophaga castanea

Blackburnian Warbler

Setophaga fusca

Cardellina canadensis

Wilson's Warbler

Cardellina pusilla

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Mangrove Warbler

Setophaga petechia

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

North American Beaver

Castor canadensis

Eastern Meadow Vole

Microtus pennsylvanicus

Ondatra zibethicus

Rattus norvegicus

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Scalopus aquaticus

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Northern Raccoon

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

View Complete List (332 more) →

0 Community observations

No community observations yet — be the first to log a sighting here.