St. Tammany is for the Birders

EXPERT BIRDWATCHERS AND NOVICES alike travel from all corners of the U.S. and from other countries to St. Tammany Parish for prime bird watching. On some days in spring, more than one million birds reach Louisiana’s coast, migrating through south Louisiana from Mexico and South America on their way to their summer territories. As many as 150 different species have been seen during the spring migration.

The Louisiana Northshore has more than 80,000 acres of wildlife preserve, much of it in the Mississippi flyway, making it a particularly good migratory route because birds tend to follow these north/south running rivers as they migrate to their summer homes. Refuges include the Pearl River Wildlife Management Area, Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Lacombe, the Nature Conservancy’s Abita Flatwoods Preserve near Abita Springs and the Northlake Nature Center just outside Mandeville. Each area has its own character of black water swamp and marsh, longleaf pine mixes and bottomland hardwood habitats and can be explored on foot or by pontoon boat, or paddled canoes and kayaks.

Great Egret at Big Branch Marsh

The Louisiana Birding Trails are continuously updated and in 2022, St. Tammany had eight spots chosen based on habitat, bird species, access and amenities. In addition to the spots listed above, birders can also visit Fairview-Riverside State Park, Fontainebleau State Park, Lake Ramsay Savannah Wildlife Management Area and the Mandeville lakefront.

Find more information about St. Tammany’s premier birding locations with the East Florida Parish Loop of America’s Wetland Birding trail, part of the Great American Trails Network. Visit louisianatravel. com for current updates.