Montgomery County
Montgomery County is one of the seven jurisdictions within the Central Region. Located immediately outside Washington, DC, Montgomery County is considered part of the larger DC metropolitan area. The county seat is Rockville. Major towns include Gaithersburg and Takoma Park.
Montgomery County has 341+ species reported on eBird. The county has a contingent of very active and dedicated birders and consistently hits the #1 spot in Maryland in terms of number of eBird checklists submitted.
For the county eBird checklist, eBird hotspots, and more, click here.
View a comparison of Maryland counties based on total number of species reported on eBird.
All of Montgomery County is located on the Piedmont plateau and has a rolling topography. The highest elevation is 875 feet in the northern part of the county. Being adjacent to Washington, DC, much of Montgomery County is characterized by suburban developments. However, the county has an extensive parks system that has preserved many natural areas, especially in the stream valleys, many of which are forested. The Patuxent River forms the northern border and the southern border is the Potomac River. In between are many tributary streams.
Adjoining counties are Frederick County to the northwest; Carroll County to the north; Howard County to the northeast; and Prince George’s County to the southeast. Washington, DC lies to the south and southeast and parts of Virginia also border Montgomery County. The Potomac River forms the border with Virginia.
A portion of the DC Beltway (I-495) arcs through the southern part of the county, and I-270 heads northwest from the Beltway. Another major corridor is MD Route 200 (The Inter-County Connector), which carries traffic roughly east-west on the eastern side of the county, connecting it to Prince George’s County. Many other state routes criss-cross the county, and many extend out from the DC Beltway, like the spokes of a wheel.
The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Montgomery Bird Club. Nature Forward (formerly known as the Audubon Naturalist Society) also serves the the greater Washington, DC metropolitan region.
Explore birding sites in Montgomery County by choosing from the list below.
