Buzzards Bay (bay)
- This article is about the body of water. For other uses, see Buzzards Bay.
Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the state of Massachusetts.
Geography
It is surrounded by the Elizabeth Islands on the south, by Cape Cod on the east, and the southern coasts of Bristol and Plymouth Counties in Massachusetts to the northwest. To the southwest, the bay is connected to Rhode Island Sound. The city of New Bedford, Massachusetts is a historically significant port on Buzzards Bay, known for its role as one of the world's most successful whaling ports in the early- to mid-1800s.
History
The name was given to this bay by colonists who saw a large bird that they called a buzzard near its shores. The bird was actually an osprey, and small numbers of osprey continue to breed along the shores of the bay.
Since 1914, Buzzards Bay has been connected to Cape Cod Bay by the Cape Cod Canal.
In 1998 Buzzards Bay was designated an Estuary of National Significance.
