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Bird Watching Is Easy on the Alabama Gulf Coast

Whether you have been into serious bird watching for years, or you are more casual in your love for viewing birds in their natural habitat, you'll find that the Alabama Gulf Coast is one place that you will have to visit.

One of the things that makes this area so very attractive to birders is the fact that it is an excellent location from which to watch the migratory flights. Given that the Alabama Gulf Coast is one of the most important stopping points for migratory birds, you will find that the area can give you variety that can be matched in few other places.

Essentially, every autumn millions of birds will head to South and Central America from North America, crossing the Gulf of Mexico. When spring comes around these migratory birds will return north to spend the summer and the early part of fall. On either trip, they will often stop on Alabama's Gulf Coast, where they will rest before beginning the second part of their journey. For songbirds especially, the stop is quite important as they will badly need the nutrition offered by insects and fruits.

What birds might you see if you were planning on a visit to the Alabama Gulf Coast? Along the water, you will see large birds like seagulls, brown pelicans, great blue herons and egrets. Though they show up in more photos, remember that there is more than just large birds in this area. You will also find smaller birds that are much more common up north, sparing you a longer trip to see them. Cardinals, blue jays, robins and hummingbirds can all be found here, and late in the winter, ospreys and hawks can also be seen.
If you are considering visiting the Alabama Gulf Coast with bird watching in mind, you'll discover that the best time to go is during the peak of the migration season. There is the opportunity to site more than 300 birds, and in addition to that, there are also several endangered species that can be seen as well. The snowy plover is one such bird, but you will also find that it is not necessarily uncommon to catch site of birds like the endangered wood stork, the threatened piping plover and even bald eagles.

Take some time to consider a trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast. Even during the non-migratory season, you will still be able to see some real finds. While summer is mostly only for breeding birds and fledglings, come in winter and check out jaegers, gannets, scissortail flycatchers and western kingbirds.

Consider what stopping on the Alabama Gulf Coast can do for you and your life list, and make sure that you pay special attention to the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail.

Hummingbird Migration

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