Birds of Inwood

On Tuesday, September 23, I attended NYC Bird Alliance’s tour of the Green Roof at the Javits Center. I was there to see how the Javits Center, New York City’s main convention venue, transformed its facility into a climate-forward and bird-friendly nexus of urban infrastructure.

The Javits Center sits on land near the Hudson River in the West 30s in Midtown Manhattan, a site within the greater Atlantic Flyway. Many birds along the Eastern coast of North America undertake their epic migratory journeys through here. Ideally, their stopover sites would include favorable natural landscapes such as diverse forests and coastal wetlands. Unfortunately, many collide with the skyscrapers of New York City. 

NYC Bird Alliance, in partnership with the Javits Center, has undertaken initiatives to help provide a safer environment for the migration journey. Beginning in 2014, the Javits Center incorporated bird-friendly glass in its overall renovation. Before the replacement, hundreds of birds a year died in collisions with the windows. 

Since implementing the new measures, the Javits Center has become a colony for Herring Gulls. In addition, over 70 bird species have been identified in the new environment. Black-throated Blue Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, and American Redstarts have found a safe place to land here. Five kinds of bats thrive here, along with a healthy assortment of insects in the pollinating garden. 

The roof also features an orchard, a one-acre farm, and a greenhouse. The infrastructure includes solar panels and shallow beds of sedum that absorb thousands of gallons of rainwater. 

The Green Roof Tour was part of Climate Week NYC (September 21 – 28, 2025). Participants at The Nest Climate Campus at the Javits Center discussed sustainability initiatives and climate action. The gathering is one of the largest in-person events of its kind. 

The Green Roof is generally accessible only through scheduled tours or related convention activities. NYC Bird Alliance will open the spot again for the Christmas Bird Count, scheduled this year for December 14, 2025.

Cover: The Orchard on the Green Roof at the Javits Center. New York, NY. September 23, 2025.

A Yellow Warbler at the Salt Marsh

Speaking of epic migration journeys, I observed one particular Yellow Warbler for several days last week in the bushes next to the Salt Marsh in Inwood Hill Park. I previously saw one during spring migration and noted its long-distance habits then. On their long flights, Yellow Warblers make a one-way flight over the Gulf of Mexico. 

Fall Migration Going Strong

I’ve observed many types of migratory birds over the past week, at the top of the park and near the Salt Marsh. This morning, I observed a Scarlet Tanager at the parapet and Eastern Phoebes at the Salt Marsh. Nearby, I saw a female Black-throated Green Warbler and a Northern Parula get into a tussle while trying to land in the same tree. They fell to the ground but then seemed to sort it all out.

According to BirdCast, NYC should see medium to high migration this week.

See the September 2025 Sightings page for many more birds this month.

Fall Colors

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