A great place to start is by checking out the Malden Recreation Department for seasonal bird watching programs.

The Malden Public Library also has a Great Malden Outdoors reading list to help you learn about birding and inspire people to get outside!

For both beginners and pros, smartphone apps like: eBird, Merlin Bird ID, and Raptor ID are great to use. These apps will help you identify birds in a variety of ways, learn what else other bird watchers are seeing near you, help scientists by tracking user reports, and adding to your “life list.”

There are several great social media accounts to help you learn like: local professional birding guide and photographer Nature Man Mike’s YouTube and Instagram accounts or Lyco Birds YouTube channel.

You can bird watch in your backyard, or you can take a look at our Great Malden Outdoors map to see specific birding areas highlighted.

For example, hot spots in the city include: the Middlesex Fells Reservoir for migrating songbirds, Pinnacle Rock in the Middlesex Fells is an official Hawk Watch site to spot birds of prey like hawks and vultures during Fall migration, and the Rumney Marsh Reservation is a great shorebirds watching site you can access by the Northern Strand Community Bike Trail.

Use The Great Malden Outdoors Map and filter by Bird Watching to see these locations.

Birding is possible all around Malden!

For people who’ve been recreating outside for years, this can be a common feeling. The desire to keep “your special place” a secret can be a strong one, but let’s change that perspective.

Instead of thinking about one more person in your way, think about one more person to help: maintain a trail, pick up trash, advocate for a new bill that increases funding to protect that place, and one more steward for The Great Outdoors. To help limit the impact on these precious natural spaces, we ask that everyone — from first-timers to lifers —follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles so that we can all get outside.

For identifying birds by sight you can invest in a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope for the more advanced to make it easier to identify birds from further away.

If you’d like to try out a pair of binoculars before buying and are a resident of Malden, The Malden Public Library has binoculars available in their Library of Things.

With a membership, residents of Malden have access to The Malden Public Library’s Library of Things which offers the ability to borrow outdoor equipment at no cost. Filter by “Outdoors” to see what they have.

While Malden doesn’t have a formal birding group, resident birder Craig Jackson circulates an emailed newsletter on the best times to go out in the city. Email crleja1949@gmail.com to get on the list and join him and others out there.

The Great Malden Outdoors will be hosting future local meetups to bring together the city’s birding community, so please sign up for the email list for an invitation.

For birding organizations in Massachusetts, check out Mass Audubon or the Brookline Bird Club.

Yes, the city has also partnered with Nature Man Mike, who is running several birding events through The Malden Recreation Department.

You can also hire him or join in the bird watching classes he runs.

Yes, check out Mass Audubon’s job board and please sign up for The Great Malden Outdoors email list for future job openings.

Yes! Please consider joining the Mass Audubon and signing up for The Great Malden Outdoors email list for local opportunities.

Sign up for the Great Malden Outdoors emails in the form below to get updates about upcoming events.