A Bird Watcher’s Guide to Lafayette

Southern Louisiana is alive. All the lowlands, swamps, and dirt that flows along the Mississippi River contribute to a dense biomass that includes algae, trees, insects, gators, and birds of all kinds. All of this makes Lafayette a great place for birdwatchers to start from, and if you have any interest in the hobby, there are a few things you should know about the area.

Where to Look

All kinds of birds live in and migrate through Cajun country, and Lafayette is close enough to the Louisiana wetlands that you can go to the east part of town to start birdwatching. Still, if you’re looking for the best birding spots, the state of Louisiana has several trail loops you can drive along to find good spots. Some of these trails pass through Lafayette or travel through the region, including the Atchafalaya Loop that passes up through the Atchafalaya Basin and down to New Iberia and the Vermillion Loop that starts in Lafayette and heads down to Vermillion Bay.

When to Look

Thanks to southern Louisiana’s warm climate, it very rarely freezes during winter. This lets many bird species live in the area year-round, but there’s more to it than that. Between the warm weather and sitting at the southern end of the Mississippi River, Cajun country and the rest of Louisiana is a winter destination for birds that come from all across America. You can spot birds near Lafayette any time of the year, but if you want to make the most of your birdwatching time, then you should definitely head out in late fall or winter.

What to Look For

With so many avian visitors stopping in during the winter, you can find dozens of species in the Lafayette region. Some of these include:

• Great blue heron
• Little blue heron
• Great egret
• Osprey
• Wood duck
• Bald eagle
• Red-bellied woodpecker

Waterfowl are particularly easy to find in the swamps and rivers east of town, but during the winter you can find all kinds of birds keeping warm in the subtropical climate.

How to Prepare

Before you head out to go birding near Lafayette, you should bring along more than just a pair of binoculars and a notepad. A good pair of water-resistant boots is a must because you can’t trust the ground in the wetlands to be perfectly dry. Bug spray is also required; otherwise, the mosquitoes out there will eat you alive. You might also want to join a birding tour or book a private tour for you and your friends because the locals who go out into the Atchafalaya River Basin every year have a good idea of where to look.

Lafayette is a bird watcher’s paradise, and it’s a great place to find many of the birds that live throughout middle America. Birds travel all the way from the headwaters of the Mississippi to winter near Lafayette, so if you like to see some variety when you go birding, you should head out into Cajun country during the winter.
Image via Pixabay / cropped from original

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