Things You'll Need:
- Bird watching guide
- A spotting scope or binoculars
- Sunscreen
- Water
- Notebook
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Step 1
Start bird watching in Louisiana on America's Wetland Birding Trail along the Gulf Coast, which passes through 22 southern Louisiana parishes. The Trail gives visitors a look at the incredibly valuable wetland areas which shaped the culture of Louisiana and make it a critical habitat for hundreds of bird species.
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Step 2
Visit Grand Isle, Louisiana and enjoy the large number of species of this birding hot spot. Many of the migratory passerines of the eastern United States can be seen in this area. Birders can expect to see Groove-billed Anis, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and Western Kingbirds.
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Step 3
Travel over to the north side of New Orleans and see a variety of bird species, such as Red-bellied Woodpecker, Barred Owl, Winter Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Wood Duck, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Little Blue Herons. The Northlake Nature Center and White Kitchen Preserve are two of the best bird watching sites.
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Step 4
Travel over to the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge which has a wide variety of habitat zones with a correspondingly large variety of bird life. 15,000 acres of pine flatwoods, oak rides and coastal marsh border Lake Pontchartrain. The Refuge provides habitat for the endangered and threatened Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Bald Eagle and Brown Pelican.
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Step 5
Print out maps, checklists and guides to Louisiana's bird watching hotspots. Visitors to Louisiana should be certain to get detailed directions and clear guides to any areas off the beaten path, as the bayous and marshes are crisscrossed with small back roads.
