Grab your binoculars and your most comfortable shoes for a rewarding avian experience on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Spot the elusive snowy plover, a species on the Watch List, along the first line of dunes by Perdido Pass at Alabama Point, part of Gulf State Park.

Winter brings the loons to the area, and an occasional red-throated loon may make an appearance.

Boggy Point offers a perfect view of Robinson Island, home to roosting herons and egrets. You can spy the sandhill crane and brown pelican along the shores, and an occasional osprey may wing by on her way to a nest of hungry hatchlings.

From Orange Beach to Dauphin Island, the Alabama Gulf Coast is a great place to watch for gulls, terns, egrets and other waterfowl because of its variety of bird habitats and refuge areas. Along our coastline and within the interior terrain, Alabama’s Gulf Coast is the perfect place to watch for boobies and cranes to sparrows and warblers. Visit the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail website for maps and trail information or for a copy of The Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, download a PDF file, request one online or call 800-745-SAND.

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