Birding spots

Best Birding Spots in Louisiana

By species reported, the top birding spots in Louisiana are Red River National Wildlife Refuge, Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge (2), and Irish Bayou Lagoon. Red River National Wildlife Refuge has the longest list (223 species), and its best season is spring.

Species counts are birds reported at least three times in that season at that spot, 2016–2025. Busy spots list more species simply because more people look, so compare the checklist counts. Spot names come from public map data and hotspot listings.

Spot	County	Species	Checklists	Winter	Spring	Summer	Fall
Red River National Wildlife Refuge	Bossier Parish	223	1,681	124	184	100	168
Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge (2)	Orleans Parish	220	697	147	162	79	169
Irish Bayou Lagoon	Orleans Parish	217	365	90	129	78	195
New Orleans City Park	Orleans Parish	215	4,934	113	183	103	177
City-Brooks Community Park	East Baton Rouge Parish	211	1,603	123	128	105	173
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (Bayou Cochon)	St. Tammany Parish	209	1,384	133	151	100	157
Grand Isle	Jefferson Parish	206	1,519	73	182	17	130
Grand Isle State Park	Jefferson Parish	203	944	98	175	79	114
Red River National Wildlife Refuge (southeast)	Red River Parish	201	657	103	159	83	146
Irish Bayou Lagoon (Little Irish Bayou)	Orleans Parish	201	233	96	110	55	173
Grand Isle (northeast)	Jefferson Parish	196	1,232	69	173	31	135
Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge	Orleans Parish	194	1,184	118	137	72	131
Fontainebleau State Park District I	St. Tammany Parish	194	1,161	126	151	85	155
Sabine National Wildlife Refuge	Cameron Parish	192	800	62	162	45	109
Sherburne Wildlife Management Area/atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge/bayou Des Ourses Area (usacoe)	Iberville Parish	190	374	100	145	115	125
Black Bayou Lake	Ouachita Parish	189	1,281	100	156	104	142
Savanne Neuville Island	Cameron Parish	188	1,491	132	154	59	130
Lake la Pointe	St. Martin Parish	188	1,443	115	152	81	136
C. Bickham Dickson Park - in Bossier Ph.	Caddo Parish	188	581	98	147	74	124
Audubon Park	Orleans Parish	184	1,757	117	146	68	136
Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge (Stump Bayou)	Orleans Parish	184	352	116	136	66	133
Capitol Lake	East Baton Rouge Parish	181	1,223	124	124	53	138
New Orleans City Park (southeast)	Orleans Parish	181	605	108	148	65	124
White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area	Vermilion Parish	180	367	119	119	54	119
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge	St. Tammany Parish	179	1,492	106	136	91	121
Grand Lagoon	St. Tammany Parish	179	901	131	138	73	129
Tchefuncte River and Its Tributaries	St. Tammany Parish	178	1,001	111	123	81	131
New Orleans City Park (Demourelles Island)	Orleans Parish	176	1,449	105	135	66	149
New Orleans City Park (Scout Island)	Orleans Parish	175	1,216	91	140	63	148
Shell Canal	Cameron Parish	170	588	66	141	50	106

By county