Birding Sunset Park
Birding Around Las Vegas, Urban Las Vegas Valley

 

Although birding at Sunset Park can be good, it is an urban experience complete with commercial aircraft zooming by every few minutes (view north).

Description

Sunset Park is a large, noisy, traditional urban park in the heart of the city. The developed portion of the park has ball fields, play grounds, a fishing pond, lawns, big old trees, and lots of other vegetation. In addition, the undeveloped southern part of the park protects remnants of the mesquite-dune system that once covered much of the Las Vegas Valley. This area preserves some nice mesquite and saltbush thickets and other native vegetation.

Despite the urban feeling, Sunset Park has a nice mix of habitats (water, trees, thickets, and dunes) that create a diverse urban oasis, which attracts birds and people from all around.

Location

Sunset Park is located in the south-central part of Las Vegas at the intersection of E. Sunset Road and S. Eastern Avenue, just off the southeastern corner of the airport runway.

From downtown, drive south on Highway I-15 to Highway I-215 East (follow signs to the airport). Follow Highway I-215 east to the airport turnoff, turn towards the airport, and just before going into the airport tunnel (under the runway), exit the highway onto Sunset Road. Drive east on Sunset for about 1 mile to Eastern Avenue. The park is across the intersection. Turn right onto Eastern and then turn left at either of the roads into the park.

Alternatively, drive south on Highway 93 to Sunset Road. Exit the highway, turn right onto Sunset, and drive west to Eastern Avenue. The park is on your left.

Parking lots are located on the north, west, and south sides of the park. Birders probably would prefer to park in the western or southern (Table 1, Site 451) parking lots, both of which are accessible from Eastern Avenue.

Restrooms are located just northeast of the pond, and a few outhouses are scattered around the park.

Large trees in the center of the park, just north of the pond (view east).

Hours

Always open, but consider the birding to be sunrise to sunset.

Fees

None.


Mesquite thicket and sand dunes just southeast of the pond. They don't show in this photo, but there is a covey of Gambel's Quail on the lawn (view east).

Specialties

This is a good place to find resident desert passerine species and migrants, as well as waterfowl during winter. Check the mesquite thickets for desert species such as Phainopepla and Black-tailed Gnatcatchers; check the trees for warblers, orioles, and tanagers; check the sand dunes for desert species; and check the pond for duck, grebes, cormorants, and herons.


Sand dunes south of the main parking area. Much of the Las Vegas valley was originally covered with dunes (view south).
No text.
 
Table 1. Highway Coordinates (NAD27; UTM Zone 11S).
 
Site # Location Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) UTM Easting UTM Northing Elevation (feet) Verified
451 Sunset Park 36.0638 115.1127 669974 3992474 2,020 Yes
 
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© Jim Boone; Last updated 080719
 
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