Birding Louisiana
Bird watching in Louisiana is great year ‘round, since it is influenced by both temperate and tropical air masses, attracting a wide assortment of Nearctic, Neotropical, and tropical species. It is one of the wettest states, with lakes, rivers, bayous, swamps, and marshes, which lure shorebirds, waterfowl, and other migrants, many of which overwinter. Louisiana’s ecoregions include more than marsh and swamps; its northwest is dominated by shortleaf pine-oak-hickory forests, and its central region, both east and west of the Mississippi River valley, is longleaf pine forest. Diverse habitats mean diverse birds, and the state boasts more than 470 documented bird species.
