Alabama is truly a birding paradise. With forests, mountains, meadows, swamps and beaches dotting the landscape, there is a plethora of avian habitats. From the majestic bald eagle, symbol of our nation's heritage, to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, to the crowd-pleasing painted bunting, over 400 species of birds grace the blue skies above Alabama.

Now, with marked trails in the northern and southern parts of the state, the experience is even more enjoyable. The Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, arranged as a series of loops, combines the birding spots most frequented by Alabama birders in the Gulf Coast region. Meanwhile, the North Alabama Birding Trail includes 50 sites and spans 11 counties North of the state. Species seen at these sites include bald eagles, sandhill cranes, hummingbirds and large concentrations of migratory waterfowl.

Alabama Coastal Birding Trail
Sail across Mobile Bay at sunset to see pelicans flying in perfect formation over the Gulf of Mexico. This trail includes six loops and 50 sites.
www.alabamacoastalbirdingtrail.com or 877-226-9089.

Upper Cahaba River Birding Trail – Hoover/Birmingham
See Alabama's state bird, the Yellowhammer, and other birds along the Upper Cahaba River Birding Trail.
Hoover Chamber of Commerce www.hooverchamber.org or 205-988-5672.
Greater Birmingham CVB www.birminghamal.org or 800-458-8085.

North Alabama Birding Trail
Explore this 50-site trail that focuses on the north and south banks of the Tennessee River. All of the sites can be accessed from a vehicle and many also have traditional walking trails.
www.northalabamabirdingtrail.com or 256-760-8233.

Dauphin Island
See the 800-year-old moss-draped live oaks on the northern shore at Indian Shell Mound Park and the 164-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary on the island's eastern side.
www.outdooralabama.com or 251-861-2882.
Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries www.coastalbirding.org.
Dauphin Island Park Board www.dauphinisland.org or 251-861-3607.

Bird Banding at Fort Morgan
Visit historic Fort Morgan and watch the capture and release of migratory birds during the seasonal bird-banding weeks held twice a year.
Alabama Gulf Coast Area CVB www.gulfshores.com or 800-745-7263.

Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge
Get close to nature in the Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge, home to the American Bald Eagle, alligators and other creatures.
Eufaula/Barbour County Chamber of Commerce www.eufaulabarbourchamber.com or 334-687-6664.

Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge
One of the nation's newest national wildlife refuges is in West Blocton. The refuge attracts many migratory birds, including Kentucky, hooded, and prairie warblers in the uplands adjacent to the Cahaba River and prothonotary and yellow-throated warblers in the hardwood forests. The largest known stand of the Imperiled Shoals Lily – known locally as the Cahaba Lily – is also here. Visit during the summer months for a spectacular display. Public use is still limited, but you can access the refuge to watch and photograph wildlife from the land as well as the river.
www.fws.gov/southeast/ or 256-848-7085.

Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge – Fort McClellan
Once part of the Fort McClellan military base, this is now the first mountain national wildlife refuge in the southeastern United States. Its 9,016 acres contain the state's third-highest mountain ridge as well as stands of old-growth mountain longleaf pine forests. While the refuge seeks to preserve native flora and fauna, it emphasizes providing a haven for the red-cockaded woodpecker and other endangered species. The refuge takes its care and protection of wildlife seriously, so all recreational uses must be compatible with wildlife conservation. Photography, bird watching and other forms of nature study are good ways to appreciate the beauty of the area. Mountain Longleaf is open to the public during daylight hours only. An information kiosk is at the junction of Bain's Gap Road and Ridge Road South.

Getting there: The refuge is at 291 Jimmy Parks Boulevard at Fort McClellan.
www.fws.gov/southeast/ or 256-848-6833.

Birding Canopy Tower – Perry County Lakes
You can visit with the birds at their own level here on a birding tower that reaches above the tree canopy. The converted fire tower, 100 feet tall, was moved to Ridge Trail and is now the nation's tallest birding tower.

Pileated woodpeckers, osprey, egrets, cranes and wading birds are frequently seen in and around the park's oxbow lakes. And there's an enormous egret rookery in the trees around Round Lake.

Visit www.perrylakes.org for an interpretive trail map.

Getting there: About 10 miles north of Marion, if you're going south on AL 5, you'll see a sign for Perry Lakes Park. Turn left on AL 175, and the park is about 4 miles away.
Perry County Chamber of Commerce 334-683-9622.

The Wildlife Center – Oak Mountain State Park
Peer through the one-way mirror to see the animal patients at the Alabama Wildlife Center, the state's largest and oldest wildlife rehabilitation center. Located at Oak Mountain State Park, it includes an elevated Treetop Nature Trail for viewing barred owls, black vultures, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, and a rare white turkey vulture. The birds live in naturally furnished enclosures in the treetops.

Getting there: To visit the center, take Exit 246 off I-65 and follow the signs to Oak Mountain State Park. From the park's front gate, follow the main road (John Findlay Drive) for 2.1 miles. Take the first paved road on the right (Terrace Drive) and go .7 mile to the first left turn. The Center is at the top of the hill.

Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge – Bessemer area
The small but colorful watercress darter is a rare fish and is known to exist only in seven spots in the upper Black Warrior River near Birmingham. This wildlife refuge aims to protect the elusive darter. While only 23 acres in size, the small (but open to the public) refuge has plenty of opportunities to observe wildlife, including the darter – which is only 2 inches long.

Getting there: Watercress Darter NWR is located near Bessemer. From I-65, take I-59 South/20 West. Follow I-59 South/20 West for about 11 miles and take Exit 112. Turn left at the second light on the exit ramp. Follow to the next traffic light and turn right onto US 11. Follow US 11 for about 1 mile and turn left onto Westlake Road. Follow Westlake Road for about .5 mile and turn left on Lakeridge Road. Follow Lakeridge Road to the first traffic light and turn right on to 4th Avenue. Follow 4th Avenue to the second traffic light and take a left on Division Street. Follow Division Street for about 1 mile and turn left on Eastern Valley Road. The Refuge and residence are immediately on your left.
Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge 256-353-7243.

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge – Gulf Shores
Take your camera and binoculars as you walk along the trails of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge looking for sea turtles, migratory birds, plant life and other species protected in this part of the Gulf Coast.
www.fws.gov or 251-540-7720.
Alabama Gulf Coast CVB www.gulfshores.com or 800-745-7263.

Bat Watching – Sauta Cave
At Sauta Cave, 200,000 gray bats emerge prior to dusk during the peak summer-viewing season.
Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge, 256-353-7243.
Jackson County Tourism www.jacksoncountychamber.com or 256-259-5500.

Huntsville Botanical Garden Butterfly House
Become enveloped in a world of butterflies at the nation's largest open-air butterfly house (open on a seasonal basis), located at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.
www.hsvbg.org or 256-830-4447.

Swamp Tours – Mobile
Search for more than 250 species of birds, plus 230 species of fish and alligators, on the wetland tours in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Swamp tour options range from those on large pontoon boats, to airboats, to small motor-powered pirogues.
Mobile Bay CVB www.mobilebay.org or 251-208-2000.

Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Preserve – Fairhope
See hummingbirds, butterflies and endangered pitcher plants that live in the coastal bogs and swamps at Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Preserve – all from the comfort of elevated boardwalks. Primitive ground trails as well as a hummingbird and butterfly garden are also featured.
www.weeksbay.org or 251-928-9792.

Harmony Park Safari – Huntsville
Drive through Harmony Park Safari, a federally licensed nature preserve, to see free-ranging exotic animals such as zebras, buffaloes, camels and emus. (Seasonal, open March–November.)
For more information call 877-7-Animal.

The Year Of Outdoor Alabama
©2006 Alabama Bureau of Tourism & Travel - Official Web Site
©2006 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Official Web Site