Prince George’s County

Prince George’s is one of the five counties within Maryland’s Southern Region, and occupies the northwest quadrant of that region. The western border of the county wraps around the east-facing point of the outline of Washington, DC. The county seat is Upper Marlboro, located in the southeastern part of the county. College Park, in the north, is home to the University of Maryland. With its proximity to Washington, DC, the county houses numerous federal facilities. The southern part of the county remains predominantly agricultural, with landscapes are characterized by deciduous forests, pine woods, and both tidal and non-tidal wetlands. Even in the urban/suburban northern end of the county, numerous parks and trails make it easy to find good birding spots.

Prince George’s County has 337+ 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.

The county’s eastern border is formed by the Patuxent River, Maryland’s longest river. Part of the western border is formed by the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Adjoining counties are Howard and Montgomery to the north; Anne Arundel and Calvert to the east; Charles to the south; and Washington, DC and parts of Virginia to the west.

US Route 50 is a major east-west corridor, and the DC Beltway (I-495) arcs through the west-central part of the county. I-95 and US Route 1 run northeast-southwest through the northern tip of Prince George’s. MD Route 3 and US Route 301 form the major north-south route. There are also a number of arteries that carry traffic into and out of DC, including MD Route 4 (Pennsylvania Avenue), MD Route 214 (Central Avenue), and MD Route 5 (Branch Avenue).

To view the State Highway Administration’s printable road map of Prince George’s County (PDF format), please click here.

The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Patuxent Bird Club.

Explore birding sites in Prince George’s County by choosing from the list below.