Birdwatching in Alabama: A Guide by iBestTravel
As the spring heats up, birding season is taking flight. This hot hobby couldn’t be easier: All you need are a pair of comfortable walking shoes, a hat, and maybe a pair of binoculars.
With over 430 bird species and hundreds of designated viewing areas, Alabama is an ideal destination for observing feathered friends in their pristine natural habitats. It’s also a critically important state for vulnerable bird species, including the Whooping Crane, one of the most endangered birds in the United States; the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker; and the Bald Eagle, which has made its way back from the endangered list and can be found thriving along the state’s many waterways.
Visit Alabama: A Birdwatching Paradise
Alabama is showcasing its dazzling avian array with “The Year of Alabama Birding,” a tourism celebration for every level of birding enthusiast — even if you don’t know your Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher from your Swallow-Tailed Kite. The state’s new Vacation Guide is dedicated to birding, including a guide to the top trails, highlighted events, and accessible spots for those with special needs. Each of Alabama’s eight Welcome Centers offers recordings of local bird songs to help you learn to identify various species across the state’s 280 birding sites.
Some of the world’s most arrestingly colorful bird species can be found across 67 counties here, from little jewel-colored Painted and Indigo Buntings to the sunny yellow Orchard Oriole and Prairie Warbler, to scarlet-hued Summer Tanagers and Northern Cardinals.
Discover Birding Trails and Events
The state’s eight trail systems, each within a different geographic region, offer access to a fascinating diversity of avian species. The mountains and gorges of the Appalachian Highlands are where you’ll find a variety of raptors including eagles, hawks, and owls. The shorelines along the Piedmont Plateau are ideal for spotting elegant wading birds like herons, egrets, and osprey. Sandhill Cranes and a variety of woodpeckers are populous in the swamps, forests, and wildflower fields of North Alabama.
Festivals throughout the year offer occasions for birders to connect. Early August’s two-day Black Belt Birding Festival features field trips and special events, while the four-day Alabama Coastal Birdfest in October allows visitors to experience some of the state’s best birding locales, including Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary and the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, in January, the two-day Festival of Cranes at the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge honors the migration of over 14,000 Sandhill Cranes that spend the season here.
Essential Birdwatching Tips
The state has assembled a wealth of recommendations for birdwatching excursions. A field checklist is available to help keep track of every bird you’ve seen. Birding apps are handy on the go for identifying birds: experts recommend utilizing Merlin, a robust database that can assist you in naming a bird via your photograph or by using the sounds around you; eBird Mobile, which allows you to submit lists of birds to the world’s largest birdwatching database; or the Audubon Bird Guide, a handy e-catalog of the over 800 types of birds in North America.
When you’re back from your birding adventures, make sure to share your best photos on social media with #AlabamaBirding.
