Birding in Louisiana, A Bird Watcher's Paradise

The state’s wetlands are an ideal resource for wintering water birds, while other feathered friends use the state as a stopping-off point during migration. Here are suggestions on where to watch birds in Louisiana:

• Lake Fausse Pointe State Park in St. Martinville is a 6,000-acre wildlife wilderness, and the park’s swamp, lake and trees are perfect places for birds to nest and feed. Look for red-shouldered hawks, tanagers, flycatchers and little blue herons, and listen for the sweet call of the prothonotary warbler.
• An amazing number of birds, including red-cockaded woodpeckers, bald eagles, falcons, owls, ruby-throated hummingbirds and brown pelicans populate the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Lacombe. About 35 miles from New Orleans, on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, the refuge offers hiking and biking trails and a nature boardwalk, providing easy access for birders.
• The wading bird rookery at Cypress Island Preserve, halfway between Breaux Bridge and Lafayette, is home to thousands of nesting birds. The preserve’s walking and driving trails and boardwalk are great spots to see snowy egrets, roseate spoonbills, migratory songbirds and the occasional alligator. (The walking trail starting along the levee is closed June through October for alligator nesting season.)
• In the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, check out Indian Bayou National Recreation Area, a 28,000-acre public-access area containing some of the country's most productive wildlife habitat. It's a paradise for hunters, fishermen, boaters, nature photographers, birdwatchers and all outdoor enthusiasts — and is abundant with wading birds like the great blue heron and the great egret, along with mallards and wood ducks.
• Down in Louisiana’s southwest corner, you’ll find Peveto Woods Sanctuary, which for many birds is the final resting stop before they migrate south over the Gulf for the winter. Accordingly, it’s the first stop in the springtime for birds headed north from Central and South America. The sanctuary in Cameron is a stop on the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road.
• In the northern part of the state, Bodcau Bayou Wildlife Management Area northeast of Bossier City has recorded more than 140 species of birds in its swamps, bayous, upland streams, pine hills and grasslands. Look for the wild turkey, barred owls, white-breasted nuthatches and the rare prothonotary warbler.
• Louisiana also boasts birding sites in its wetlands and barrier islands. America’s Wetland Birding Trail honeycombs south Louisiana with 115 birding sites in 22 parishes. Birding doesn’t require much equipment. Grab binoculars, sunscreen and your camera, and you’re ready to go.

Note that you must obtain a free Self-Clearing Permit to participate in all activities in Louisiana’s wildlife management areas and most refuges. This can be done online or in person at a Self-Clearing Permit Station. Complete instructions can be found on the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries website. 

For more information on birdwatching in the state, visit BirdingLouisiana.com.

 Judi Russell is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based freelance writer.