Acadia Soars to Glory: Maine Park Named Best Birding Spot in the U.S.

Acadia National Park is one of America's most remarkable natural attractions.

This Maine treasure glistens with beauty, mystique, and wonder. It's everything that's right with the world—naturally compacted into one lovely corner of the coast.

Acadia National Park is One of the True Gems of the American East Coast

Acadia spans over 47,000 acres of stunning East Coast landscape. It offers world-class hikes, the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coast, breathtaking views, countless outdoor recreation opportunities, and much more. That includes some serious wildlife-watching, especially one of America’s favorite pastimes: birding.

Birding is the act of observing birds in their natural habitat. For some, it’s a beloved hobby; for others, a form of citizen science. People from all walks of life are drawn to it—especially those in areas rich with diverse bird species.

Acadia National Park Gets Named the Best Place in America for Birding

The iconic magazine Country Living recently covered birding in an article that featured a list of the top spots in America to enjoy the hobby. And would you believe it? Acadia National Park made the list. Not just as an “also-ran,” but as the number one place in America for birding. That’s pretty incredible.

Here’s a bit of what Country Living had to say about why it chose Acadia as the best place in the U.S. for birding.

more than 300 species of birds call the nearly 50,000 acres of Acadia National Park in Maine home....Popular annual avian events include the Acadia Birding Festival in early summer and autumn's Cadillac Mountain Hawk Watch, a prime time to check out the thousands of raptors that descend on the area as they head south for the winter.

Country Living also highlights one of Acadia’s true gems: the puffin.

Although the nesting grounds are actually located on nearby islands, visitors can catch tour boats from neighboring Bar Harbor to observe the breeding puffin population. Considering Maine is the only state where this occurs, it’s no surprise these tours are in high demand.

Acadia National Park is Home to Hundreds of Bird Species

Country Living also notes the large number of warblers that call Acadia home during the spring and summer. It's yet another example of the diverse bird species that birders love to spot while hiking Acadia’s iconic trails.

While it’s not surprising to see Acadia on a "best of birding" list, it’s still awesome to see it ranked as America’s finest. And as someone who knows a few birders personally, I can tell you—this is a legit ranking. With the hobby growing in popularity, we can expect more articles like this to continue shining a light on Acadia’s unique appeal.

It also helps that the park has a charm that truly screams Maine. It’s the only true northeastern destination that captures all the region’s best features, including mountains that literally touch the sea. It’s the perfect landscape for anyone looking to experience nature at its finest. No wonder so many birds call it home. They're no dummies.

READ MORE: Best Small Town in America to Visit in 2025 is Bar Harbor, Maine

Interested in birding in Acadia? Start by checking out the full list of bird species found in the park. It’s a great way to get familiar with what you might see—and the best times to spot them.

Happy bird watching!