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Bird City: Adventures in New York's Urban Wilds
Journalist and birder Ryan Goldberg’s infectiously impassioned tour of the five New York City boroughs offers city dwellers and bird lovers everywhere a surprising, delightful new view of the concrete jungle—through its abundant and diverse bird population
Goldberg came to birding unexpectedly, but as many first timers do after seeing their “spark” bird, he fell hard. Enamored by the incredible variety of species that pass through his hometown of New York City, and with the other passionate birders he meets, he embarks on a year of reporting on the natural wonders hiding amidst the skyscrapers. He learns that millions of birds migrate through the five boroughs each year—at least 400 different species, way more than can be found in Yellowstone National Park.
Through the four seasons, Goldberg takes readers to all five boroughs, through the city's most famous parks and landmarks. He pursues rare and common species alike, increasing his count and deepening his understanding of how and why birds make their home in this smoggy, noisy, concrete-coated environment. Along the way, he meets many fascinating and idiosyncratic characters, both human and feathered.
Richly textured, informative, and uplifting, Bird City will inspire fast-walking New Yorkers, the ever-growing birding community, and listeners everywhere who think of “nature” as just a place visit on Saturdays, to slow down and look around them. There’s a lot more than pigeons in our city skies.
Goldberg came to birding unexpectedly, but as many first timers do after seeing their “spark” bird, he fell hard. Enamored by the incredible variety of species that pass through his hometown of New York City, and with the other passionate birders he meets, he embarks on a year of reporting on the natural wonders hiding amidst the skyscrapers. He learns that millions of birds migrate through the five boroughs each year—at least 400 different species, way more than can be found in Yellowstone National Park.
Through the four seasons, Goldberg takes readers to all five boroughs, through the city's most famous parks and landmarks. He pursues rare and common species alike, increasing his count and deepening his understanding of how and why birds make their home in this smoggy, noisy, concrete-coated environment. Along the way, he meets many fascinating and idiosyncratic characters, both human and feathered.
Richly textured, informative, and uplifting, Bird City will inspire fast-walking New Yorkers, the ever-growing birding community, and listeners everywhere who think of “nature” as just a place visit on Saturdays, to slow down and look around them. There’s a lot more than pigeons in our city skies.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published November 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 27, 2025
I’ve lived in NYC for over 20 years, and loved learning so many new things about a city I know well. Goldberg’s love of New York and birding is evident and it’s an enjoyable read even if you’re not a birder.
November 22, 2025
I really like this book and getting to know about what birds exists in NY City and which ones fly through the area as they migrate to there different locations.
It was fun to follow the author and his birder friends, as they wander through the five Burroughs, finding the natural wonders which are scattered throughout the city and it's skyscrapers.
He learns that millions of birds fly through the city yearly, with at least 400 different species.
This book has fascinating stories of the birds, but also the people who devote their time trying to track them and to try and help them from the many dangers of having to navigate a city with all of it's reflective windows, and the people who have not learned about the birds and get upset, when sometimes areas are closed off to them, particularly in the mating season.
I love birds, and read stories about birders, but I am not one. I am just a person interested in seeing and hearing them in Nature.
I would like to thank NetGalley, and Algonquin Books, for a copy of this book.
It was fun to follow the author and his birder friends, as they wander through the five Burroughs, finding the natural wonders which are scattered throughout the city and it's skyscrapers.
He learns that millions of birds fly through the city yearly, with at least 400 different species.
This book has fascinating stories of the birds, but also the people who devote their time trying to track them and to try and help them from the many dangers of having to navigate a city with all of it's reflective windows, and the people who have not learned about the birds and get upset, when sometimes areas are closed off to them, particularly in the mating season.
I love birds, and read stories about birders, but I am not one. I am just a person interested in seeing and hearing them in Nature.
I would like to thank NetGalley, and Algonquin Books, for a copy of this book.
January 26, 2026
I gave this book to my 13 year old granddaughter to read because she is really into birds! (She loves playing bird bingo). Though she lives in Boston she has been to New York city many times. I told her that if she read the book it would really be nice if she wrote her opinion about it. Below is what she wrote:
Reading Bird City was kinda like watching a documentary but in words. Bird City gives a beautiful look into the large world of birding. I didn't know how many ways there were to be a birder before I read it! I really enjoyed all the neat perspectives and people that this book showcases. This book made me look at New York differently. It illustrates the state through birds and focuses mainly on that. I love getting to learn so many things about so many birds. This book also helps raise awareness about the harm the humans are causing to birds. Overall I'd say this book is really good for anyone who LOVES birds or really wants to help protect them.
Reading Bird City was kinda like watching a documentary but in words. Bird City gives a beautiful look into the large world of birding. I didn't know how many ways there were to be a birder before I read it! I really enjoyed all the neat perspectives and people that this book showcases. This book made me look at New York differently. It illustrates the state through birds and focuses mainly on that. I love getting to learn so many things about so many birds. This book also helps raise awareness about the harm the humans are causing to birds. Overall I'd say this book is really good for anyone who LOVES birds or really wants to help protect them.
February 22, 2026
finally got to book 4 for the year (first physical book). it would have helped for me to know more about birds, but I appreciated Ryan's descriptions and enthusiasm for birding enough that it didn't hurt my read at all. I hope to pay attention to the wildlife around me more now that he's provided this perspective of his NYC dwelling.
January 14, 2026
I failed to connect to this book in the ways I assumed I would. perhaps it's just because I have no stake in NYC. There were many interesting stories and anecdotes but I failed to glean anything significant beyond a nice story about a topic I enjoy.
February 17, 2026
This book dealt more with migration than I would have liked. But, I haven't read a ton about migration, so that's okay!
I did have a difficult time reading about birds who lost their lives running into lit-up glass buildings. Dead birds is a trigger for me. I did cry some.
Almost a four star read. Rounded up.
I did have a difficult time reading about birds who lost their lives running into lit-up glass buildings. Dead birds is a trigger for me. I did cry some.
Almost a four star read. Rounded up.
April 26, 2026
I really liked this book about bird watching in NYC, though I am not a birder myself. (I think I've been on exactly one bird-watching walk in my life, in Prospect Park circa 2005 or 2006—and while I remember that we definitely saw a golden-crowned kinglet, I don't remember anything else we saw. I don't dislike birds, I just don't know that much about them: my bird observations are pretty much limited to "look, a cardinal" or "look, a blue jay" or "look, a hawk.") But my lack of bird knowledge wasn't a barrier to my enjoyment of this book, which contains lots of interesting stuff.
The book is organized by season and talks about the author's personal experiences in various NYC locations, but also incorporates stories from and interactions with others in the birding community, facts about bird migration and various kinds of birds, and larger questions about tensions between humans and the natural world. I liked reading in more detail about things I knew only very vaguely. Like: I knew that night-time light and reflective glass are very bad for migrating birds, but I was shocked by the numbers of dead birds that volunteers with Project Safe Flight find every spring and fall. (On one September day in 2021, one volunteer found 29 injured birds and 229 dead ones.) Or: I knew that the beaches in the Rockaways are an important nesting area for piping plovers, but I didn't know anything about the migratory journeys that bring them there. I liked reading about the different birds that can be found in different areas of the city, like the grasshopper sparrows in the prairie landscapes of Freshkills Park or the wading birds of Jamaica Bay and the Bronx River. And I like Goldberg's point that "we imagine hard edges between cities and the wild, but they're softer than they seem": cities aren't just places for people, but are also habitats and stopovers for many other creatures.
The book is organized by season and talks about the author's personal experiences in various NYC locations, but also incorporates stories from and interactions with others in the birding community, facts about bird migration and various kinds of birds, and larger questions about tensions between humans and the natural world. I liked reading in more detail about things I knew only very vaguely. Like: I knew that night-time light and reflective glass are very bad for migrating birds, but I was shocked by the numbers of dead birds that volunteers with Project Safe Flight find every spring and fall. (On one September day in 2021, one volunteer found 29 injured birds and 229 dead ones.) Or: I knew that the beaches in the Rockaways are an important nesting area for piping plovers, but I didn't know anything about the migratory journeys that bring them there. I liked reading about the different birds that can be found in different areas of the city, like the grasshopper sparrows in the prairie landscapes of Freshkills Park or the wading birds of Jamaica Bay and the Bronx River. And I like Goldberg's point that "we imagine hard edges between cities and the wild, but they're softer than they seem": cities aren't just places for people, but are also habitats and stopovers for many other creatures.
August 20, 2025
Was fortunate enough to read a galley copy of Bird City. Really enjoyed this - and I am neither a birder nor a big reader of non-fiction. Going in, I assumed there would be sections that piqued my interest, and sections that I could take or leave. In the end, though, I enjoyed the read from cover to cover. What really lured me in here was Goldberg's enthusiasm for the subject matter. He's reporting and researching, but he's a character in his own story, and the way he personalized these various adventures around NYC is what really gave me "buy in" to come along on the journey.
I wish each chapter had started with a one page illustration of the bird featured in that section; I'm a visual person and I was always scrambling for my phone to do image searches. This book also confirms a thought I've had about birding for a while, which for me is another reason NOT to get into it. If you aspire to go beyond being a very casual birder, you need to know more than just bird species, you need to understand the flora they inhabit as well. Too much work! I have been paying more attention to our avian friends the past few weeks, though. Love the idea that they're inhabiting a different world, side by side with ours, have never really thought about it that way. Five stars.
I wish each chapter had started with a one page illustration of the bird featured in that section; I'm a visual person and I was always scrambling for my phone to do image searches. This book also confirms a thought I've had about birding for a while, which for me is another reason NOT to get into it. If you aspire to go beyond being a very casual birder, you need to know more than just bird species, you need to understand the flora they inhabit as well. Too much work! I have been paying more attention to our avian friends the past few weeks, though. Love the idea that they're inhabiting a different world, side by side with ours, have never really thought about it that way. Five stars.
May 7, 2026
What a book! Whether you have ever been to New York City and whether you are a veteran birder, a curious new birder, or someone who has yet to look up, there is something in this book for you. It’s an homage to the history, topography, and weather of the area. It’s a lament for the lights and buildings that cause migrating birds to crash to their deaths. It’s an exhilarating tale of meeting fascinating people, forming communities, and seeing a bird species for the first time. It’s a celebration of the victories of new building codes and policies to protect birds that migrate through the area in spring and fall.
Ryan paints beautiful portraits of the people that he meets, makes weather patterns and geography’s impact on bird migration accessible, and shares the joy, the pain, and the persistence that are all part of observing the natural world wherever you are but made potentially more challenging by being in such a densely populated metropolis.
If you have interest in observing nature, love or are curious about birds, and enjoy great descriptive story telling, you will enjoy this book and maybe even be inspired by it.
Ryan paints beautiful portraits of the people that he meets, makes weather patterns and geography’s impact on bird migration accessible, and shares the joy, the pain, and the persistence that are all part of observing the natural world wherever you are but made potentially more challenging by being in such a densely populated metropolis.
If you have interest in observing nature, love or are curious about birds, and enjoy great descriptive story telling, you will enjoy this book and maybe even be inspired by it.
March 4, 2026
The author provides a detailed description of many of the prime spots in New York City to go birding. He also mentions many species, giving descriptions and habits. But much of the book is about birders, naturalists, researchers, city/state/federal agencies, and the politics and disputes between them. If you're a birder you'll probably love this book, and maybe if you're a New Yorker, too. But I found that latter part boring and it took up too much of the book. The title is misleading. It should be birder city. I was put off at first by the lack of photos or other illustrations of the birds, but I realized that everybody today has a phone or computer and can look up beautiful photos of any of the species mentioned. Photos are really expensive to print in a book, so I'll give him a pass on that one. I did spend a lot of time on my phone looking and pictures and maps. I lived in New York years ago, but I never lived or worked in Brooklyn, where most of the action is in this book. All in all it was okay, but not a book I can recommend to anyone other than a birder.
January 30, 2026
This book is an engaging read that describes the richness of New York City’s avian life, and the community of people who are engaged in observing, supporting and celebrating wildlife in the city. I feel anyone who is interested in birds and nature, and how both persist in urban environments would love this book. Goldberg skillfully interweaves compelling descriptions of the city’s birds and habitats, the history of birds and birding, the vibrant community of urban birders, and natural history of various birds. The book also feels warm and charming as well as informative - he shares personal stories and writes vivid portraits of various personalities. I think Bird City would be enjoyed by anyone interested in birds, nature, or urban wildlife—and it might change how you see and feel about the city around you.
April 2, 2026
This book was so incredibly good. It's one of those books where you learn about so much more than just the book's stated focus. You also meet so many wonderful people who are trying to help their communities (and the birds) in whatever small ways they can. Avid birders just seem like truly decent human beings: observational, empathetic, and slower-paced. They literally spend their free time communing with a world that I've ignored for nearly my whole life, even though it was just above me the whole time.
Also, the chapter about the havoc (from the birds' perspective) caused by the 9/11 memorial lights every year is one of the best chapters I've read in a very long time. It's a beautiful symbol on the surface, but any symbol that causes that much death needs to be shut down and locked away.
Also, the chapter about the havoc (from the birds' perspective) caused by the 9/11 memorial lights every year is one of the best chapters I've read in a very long time. It's a beautiful symbol on the surface, but any symbol that causes that much death needs to be shut down and locked away.
January 11, 2026
My son is a birder and I found this book a great introduction into his world. While in high school, his older brother gave him a camera and took him to a nearby park on the bay to learn how to use it. He photographed a bird and once home went to look up what kind of bird it was. He’s about to graduate with degrees in Biology and Environmental Science having fallen in love with birds. He’s birded in 8 countries across 3 continents since that first photo and we have been a part of several of these trips. This book provides the history and insight into the world of birding and I enjoyed it very much!
May 17, 2026
There were a lot of great stories and a lot of good information about geography, politics, history, science, etc., packed into this book. As someone who has visited (and enjoyed) NYC several times, I liked reading about places I had been to AND places I had not. I spent a lot of time looking at maps of the various places the author mentions and where they are in relation to landmarks I am familiar with, and that in itself was fun. I also looked at dozens (and dozens and dozens) of pictures of birds, which was also fun and very rewarding.
My only real complaint was that he talked about SO MANY people that I could not keep them all straight and forgot who was who from chapter to chapter.
My only real complaint was that he talked about SO MANY people that I could not keep them all straight and forgot who was who from chapter to chapter.
November 11, 2025
From concrete jungle to Urban wilds, even New York City can be a birder's paradise! Through four seasons and five boroughs, Ryan Goldberg takes us on a delightful journey. From excitement, to hope, to heartbreak, and back to excitement once again. Goldberg is so knowledgeable, the book is written so well and really tells a story well also being so informational and interesting. This would be a thoughtful gift for any birder in your life!
March 26, 2026
I saw this book in Strands while in NYC. My good friend is a birder and I have gone with her a few times. I learned a lot from this book, not just about the bird population in the area but about the landscape, groups that help the birds, migration, and problems that are caused both by people and birds.
As Ryan tells his story, I could feel his knowledge and passion grow for his new hobby.
It's a great book for bird lovers!
As Ryan tells his story, I could feel his knowledge and passion grow for his new hobby.
It's a great book for bird lovers!
April 13, 2026
Goldberg documents the birds that fly through and those that live in New York City as he spends time all around the city.
Why I started this book: Grabbed this book for my sister who loves New York City and my mom who loves birds.
Why I finished it: Great book but slightly panicky as Goldberg walks the reader through all the birds that are killed each year as they migrate. It's a dangerous city and not just for its human inhabitants.
Why I started this book: Grabbed this book for my sister who loves New York City and my mom who loves birds.
Why I finished it: Great book but slightly panicky as Goldberg walks the reader through all the birds that are killed each year as they migrate. It's a dangerous city and not just for its human inhabitants.
April 13, 2026
As advertised, it's a book about birding in New York City. I certainly enjoyed reading about places that I know well. He's obviously enthusiastic about birding and introduces us to a community of like-minded enthusiasts. But if you go into this expecting to care about the difference between a warbler and a thrush, or whatever ... well, I still don't. A lot of hanging around in familiar locations, getting excited about identifying this or that bird. Well written but not my cup of tea.
May 10, 2026
New York is a remarkable city—culturally, historically, geologically, geographically. This book gets to another remarkable aspect of the city, namely its amazing richness of avian life. Its limited green spaces serve as migrant traps in spring and fall, providing the main thrust of the story. The book is also the compelling tale of how a non-birder, city boy became obsessed with birds and birding.
November 21, 2025
The author's passion for birds and his birding community comes through in each chapter. Well researched and I was impressed with Goldberg's breadth of knowledge. You don't have to be a diehard birder or a New Yorker to enjoy this delightful trip through a "wild" urban landscape. Definitely recommend
February 13, 2026
I learned a lot from this book, but the overwhelming hardships these birds endure broke my heart. New York birders are rising to the challenges of bird window strikes (think of the ACRES of reflective glass), busy beaches unsupportive of Plovers, cats and raccoons…so many challenges. Being a birder means supporting birds, and in this sense it is a hopeful book.
Well worth the read.
Well worth the read.
February 22, 2026
I had no idea about the amount of diversity of birds and birding hot spots within NYC. CBCs hold a special spot within my heart and him going back to them really resonates with the amount of data that can be gleamed from them. Additionally, I adored the plovers and oystercatchers... That's part of the reason I miss the Jersey Shore..
January 17, 2026
I loved this book. the best to me are the accessible adventures close to home and this book does a great job at not just talking about urban birding but inspiring you to find those spots in your own city too
May 1, 2026
This makes me want to spend a year in New York City and visit all the places. This is a perfect non-fiction book, whose author manages to write awesome characters, dramatic moments, and moments of pure joy and heartbreak.
May 15, 2026
A tad disjointed but charming and enjoyable. And, it was endearing that this non-fiction book about NYC bird lovers included enthusiasts named Winger, Fowls, Partridge and Junko (close enough to Junco that it made me smile). A good read.
Did Not Finish
November 27, 2025Had to return to the library before I could finish it. Might pick it up again at a later date.
Read
December 13, 2025Really good!
February 4, 2026
I expected to like this book more. I think I just didn't really connect with the author.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews