Anne Arundel County
Special Note: Traffic patterns in and around the City of Baltimore have been severely disrupted by the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, when it was struck by a cargo ship. Along with all of Maryland, MOS mourns with the families and friends of the six bridge workers killed in the disaster. The Key Bridge was an essential component of the Baltimore Beltway/I-695 and was heavily used by commercial traffic and private cars. It will be several years before the bridge can be re-built. Meanwhile, for up-to-date directions to birding sites throughout the Baltimore area, including adjoining counties such as Anne Arundel, consult an interactive navigational aid such as Google Maps, Waze, or MapQuest. The Maryland Transportation Authority website has a helpful map showing alternate routes.
———-
Anne Arundel County is one of the five counties within Maryland’s Southern Region, and occupies the northeast quadrant of that region. The county seat is the city of Annapolis, located on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern side of the county. Annapolis is also the state capital and is the home of the US Naval Academy. The northern part of Anne Arundel is primarily urban and suburban, while the south retains its rural character, containing farm fields and wooded areas.
Anne Arundel County has 354+ species reported on eBird. 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.
Anne Arundel County is adjacent to Baltimore County and Baltimore City to the north; Howard County to the northwest; Prince George’s County to the west, across the Patuxent River; Calvert County to the south; and three counties on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay: Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot. The border between Anne Arundel and the three Eastern Shore counties is in the middle of the Bay.
Numerous tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay indent Ann Arundel’s shoreline. The various rivers, creeks, streams, and inlets divide the land into prominent peninsulas, also known as “necks.” These tributaries include (from north to south) the Magothy River, Severn River, South River, and the West River. With so many rivers and with outstanding access to the Bay, boating is an extremely popular pastime throughout Anne Arundel County.
US Route 50 is the main east-west corridor, connecting Annapolis to Washington, DC. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge carries Route 50 to the Eastern Shore. I-97 runs north-south, connecting Annapolis to Baltimore. Other major north-south routes include MD Routes 2, 3, and 4. Anne Arundel County is served by Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport, a major hub for many airlines.
The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Anne Arundel Bird Club.
Explore birding sites in Anne Arundel County by choosing from the list below.
