Coastal
Louisiana plays host to a major portion of North America's
waterfowl population during the winter. But that is just part
of the picture. There are literally millions of other feathered
friends that live or visit Louisiana during the year. Louisiana
ranks in the top 10 states for bird species richness with
over 400 different species on record. These include many residents
which spend their entire life cycle here and a larger number
of migrants that pass through only at certain times.
The coastal
region of the Pelican State offers some of the best bird watching
opportunities anywhere. With the diversity, quality and expanse
of different habitats the challenge exists to find as many
species as possible. Beaches at Grand Isle and along Cameron
Parish offer the chance to see many kinds of gulls, terms,
sea birds and shore birds. Waterfowl of every kind can be
seen in the marshes from St. Bernard to Terrebonne to Cameron.
The cheniers or "islands in the marsh" in southwestern
Louisiana afford a resting stop for migrants heading to or
from their wintering homes across the Gulf. The swamps around
Lake Maurepas and the Atchafalyaya Basin attract many other
bird species as do the rice fields to the south of Lafayette.
Bird watching
or "Birding" is fast becoming one of the most popular
wildlife related pastimes. What starts as casual observations
of pigeons in Jackson Square, seagulls over Barataria Bay
or Snowy Egrets at Avery Island, soon leads to greater awareness
of the many kinds of birds. Curiosity is arroused by the aerial
acrobatics of Purple Martins, the dive bombing feeding behavior
of the Belted Kingfisher or the broken wing act of a Killdeer.
Birding
can be enjoyed by anyone, anytime and anywhere. A pair of
binoculars and a pictorial field guide are helpful during
birding expeditions. Time of day, season of the year, weather
and habitat type will influence the kinds of birds out and
about. But whether you spend the whole weekend, a Saturday
morning or just happen to notice an unusual bird in your backyard,
birding can be a lot of fun.
RECOMMENDED REFERENCE BOOKS
There
are a number of field guides available which can help you
identify the birds you see. Some of the favorite birding books
include: “Audubon Society Field Guide To North American
Birds," "National Geographic Society Field Guide
To The Birds of North America," and "A Field Guide
To The Birds Of Eastern and Central America" by Roger
Troy Peterson. These references provide color pictures and
indicate distinguishing characteristics of any kind of bird
you would possibly see in Louisiana. A brief text on each
bird gives a further description as well as habitat, breeding
and other interesting facts. These references are available
at most local bookstores.
Another
noteworthy book is "Louisiana Birds" by the renowned
Louisiana ornithologist George Lowery, Jr. Though not meant
as a field identification guide, it does provide excellent
pictures and descriptions. What is most interesting are the
stories and accounts of each species as studied and experienced
by the late Dr. Lowery during his lifetime of research and
field work.
