Tijuana River Estuary (Tijuana Slough NWR)
Imperial Beach · near Imperial Beach · San Diego
Wildlife Watching
At a glance
- Best season
- October-April peak (wintering shorebirds & waterfowl); year-round
- Open year round
- Yes
What is here
- Wildlife
- birds
- Species
- Light-footed Ridgway's rail (endangered), western snowy plover, California least tern, Belding's savannah sparrow, huge shorebird & waterfowl flocks, northern harrier & peregrine falcon
- Amenities
- Visitor center (Wed-Sun 10-5) · Flat boardwalk & salt-marsh trails · Free access · World-class birding
- Best for
- The single richest birding site in San Diego County
- Features
- 370+ bird species recorded · Endangered Ridgway's rail & least tern · Flat, easy, family-friendly trails · Free visitor center
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- TRANSBOUNDARY SEWAGE CRISIS: do NOT enter the river channel, standing water, or the ocean - south beach & river-mouth areas are frequently posted/closed · Wash hands after; heed all posted signs · Navy helicopter noise on weekdays
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Wildlife Watching detail
- Nickname
- The County's Birding Crown Jewel
- Viewing
- trail
- Effort
- easy
- Habitat
- bay-estuary
- Sighting
- 5
- Viewing notes
- The southernmost estuary in California and its richest birding site - a vast tidal salt marsh where endangered rails skulk the cordgrass and thousands of shorebirds work the mudflats; 370+ species recorded
- Intl tip
- Start at the visitor center for a current trail map and to confirm which trails are open that day. Time a falling tide for the biggest shorebird numbers - and stay well away from the water (sewage contamination).
The guide
The Tijuana River Estuary is the southernmost estuary in California and its birding crown jewel - a vast tidal salt marsh where…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Tijuana River Estuary (Tijuana Slough NWR) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 32.573, -117.129