You don’t have to be an expert birder to enjoy bird watching at the beach. Alabama’s coast is the last stop for many fall migrating birds heading south over the Gulf of Mexico. A few species arrive in the fall and stay for the winter.
If you are here during the fall months, be on the lookout for migrating raptors. Cooper’s hawks arrive on the coast in October in large numbers. You can also see sharp-shinned hawks and northern harriers during this time. Smaller birds like warblers, Carolina chickadees and tufted titmice are just a few of the fall visitors you can spot along the coast – especially in the Fort Morgan area. Alabama’s Coastal Birding Trail has 15 stops from Fort Morgan to Orange Beach.
Even if you miss the migration, our feathered year-round residents are just as much fun to watch. Just hang out at the beach for a day and you can spot pelicans, gulls, herons, terns, sanderlings and so many more shore birds. See how many different species you can count as you relax on the beautiful white sand beach.
Wherever your bird-watching excursion takes you, be sure to pack out everything you pack in and leave only footprints.