Some of New York's most fascinating residents have fur, fins or feathers. You can see them in their homes: millions of acres of wildlife preserves,
state and national parks with thousands of miles of trails, and other (naturally) splendid sites all over the state. Watch for hundreds of species, from hummingbirds to river otters and red foxes. The state's wildlife diversity includes 92 mammals, 376 birds, and 71 amphibians and reptiles.
Wildlife is truly everywhere in New York. Take the subway to New York City's
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, head out to the vast
Adirondack and
Catskill forest preserves, or visit the
Audubon Nature Center out west in
Jamestown.
Look for the delicate Karner blue butterfly on trails at the
Wilton Wildlife Preserve. Near
Buffalo, the
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, one of New York's largest, is teeming with wildlife. Sightings at the year-round preserve at
Wellesley Island State Park include owls, hawks, and even eagles.
Along with world-class
wineries, abundant
Finger Lakes bike and hiking trails lead to close encounters with nature. The 8,000-acre
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge attracts thousands of water birds, including blue herons and egrets. On a
scenic drive at
Finger Lakes National Forest, you can see free-ranging cattle as well as deer and turkey. Stay a while to go
camping beneath the stars, and pick blueberries at the Blueberry Patch recreation site.
New York also has many tours and
nature centers where you can get a close-up look and learn a little
science behind nature.