Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Introduction
Alabama and Mississippi represent the heart of what some call the Deep South, and many
people think that these two states are uniform, flat stretches of pine forest and cotton fields
sweltering under the heat and humidity of an endless summer. However, these states have a
large variety of landfoms and ecosystems that provide habitats for a wide range of plants, an-
imals, fish, and birds. For instance, Alabama has more listed endangered and threatened spe-
cies under the Endangered Species Act than any other state except for Florida and California.
The area is a major portion of the migration routes for many species of birds that summer in
the northern portion of the United States and winter in the tropics. While you can find cotton
fields and pine plantations baking in the summer heat, there is much more to these two states.
This topic is written as a useful guide to birders, helping people to see that Alabama and
Mississippi are not just places to drive through when going to Texas or Florida. Alabama and
Mississippi are excellent final destinations for bird-watching trips and can also make great ad-
ditions to a tour of Texas or Florida. This topic includes all the national forests and national
wildlife refuges, many of the state parks, several city parks, and some private lands that are
open to the public for birding. While this topic is meant to provide a variety of good birding
locations to visit throughout these two states, it is by no means a complete guide to the bird-
watching spots available in Alabama and Mississippi. This topic is not an attempt to compile
all of the birding locations in these states, nor should the locations profiled here be considered
as the only good places to bird in Alabama and Mississippi. For the traveler, this topic should
give guidance to some of the best, most accessible, and most representative of the birding loc-
ations here. For those who move to or live in Alabama and Mississippi, this topic should be
considered as a beginning guide to the places to go. For someone who lives here or who spends
a great deal of time here, there is no substitute for getting involved in local birding clubs and
groups; the experience of those familiar with an area can guide one to the many, many birding
spots that just cannot be covered by a topic of this scope.
While the spots covered in this topic provide excellent birding opportunities, a sad fact
about these two states is that much of the habitat for birds is not publicly owned; Mississippi
