Birds of Inwood

A quarrel of sparrows has descended on my fire escape each morning this January, asking for some seeds. A year or so ago, I tossed a handful of seeds out my kitchen window. They never forgot.

Recently, as the snows and cold weather have descended on the city and on much of the rest of the country, for that matter, I have taken to feeding them again.

On Tuesday morning, my kitchen window froze completely shut, causing frustration all around. It was just around the freezing mark, and I surmise that the snow melted and refroze into ice overnight.

Northern Manhattan received more snow than the southern parts of the borough on Sunday, the day of the big snowstorm. We’re in an elevated area of the city up here, and Inwood Hill Park looks particularly scenic in the winter landscape.

I’ve hesitated a few times this snowy and cold month to wander down the street and up into the forest. Yet, I have sufficient outdoor clothing gear and stamina to withstand a few forays into the places where hawks hunt and the tree burrows where the owls live. I have spotted the hawks and at least one Bald Eagle. The woodpeckers have been efficient in retrieving food sources in the trees.

I have not seen too many birds at the Salt Marsh, now covered in floating ice like the adjacent Hudson River. NYC Ferry operations have been suspended during this cold snap.

The cold has deepened during these final days of January, again limiting my ability to explore the adjacent wild landscape and the birds that live there. We know birds have all sorts of ways to stay warm, including their natural insulation. As humans, we wear down jackets, just like them. Many birds also huddle together in dense wood piles and cooperate in food foraging and stashing. The winter birds such as Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, Tufted Titmice, and White-throated Sparrows are particularly good at mutual aid.

Big birds can get by fairly well in these frosty conditions. Pigeons are ubiquitous, as usual. I hear and see many crows. Here in Inwood and down in Morningside Heights, pairs of Common Ravens have been loud and boisterous, making plans for nesting in February and March.

I did manage to eventually open the kitchen window and toss out more wild bird feed. A couple of Northern Cardinals have joined the flock on the fire escape, picking out the big sunflower seeds for themselves and leaving the rest for the house regulars.

Cover: Red-bellied Woodpecker. Inwood Hill Park, NYC. January 26, 2026.

See more photos on the January 2026 Sightings page.

Recent posts

• The Snows of January and the Birds of Inwood
• The Slow, Cold Start of Birdwatching in 2026
• Observing Birds Outside the Window: The Comforts and Surprises of Birdwatching During a Winter Storm
• A Thanksgiving with Hawks and All the Birds of Inwood
• Easy Fall Birding with White-throated Sparrows

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