Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary

The Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary covers 164 acres on the east end of the island and is the finest birding spot on Alabama's Gulf Coast. The mix of maritime pine forest, freshwater lake, bayou, and ancient oak grove creates habitat for an extraordinary range of species, and over 345 have been recorded here.

The sanctuary has a network of boardwalks and trails that allow close access without disturbing nesting birds. The Shell Mound area — dominated by ancient live oaks trailing Spanish moss — is the most popular spot, especially during spring migration. Bring binoculars, download a checklist before you arrive, and plan to spend at least a couple of hours. The best birding is in the early morning. Peak spring migration runs from late March through early May.

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Dauphin Island sits directly on the Gulf Coast migration corridor. Every spring, millions of songbirds cross 600 miles of open Gulf from the Yucatan Peninsula — a non-stop flight that can take 18 to 24 hours. When a cold front or headwind hits them mid-crossing, exhausted birds fall in huge numbers onto the first land they see. Birdwatchers call this a "fallout," and witnessing one — hundreds of tanagers, warblers, and buntings literally dropping from the sky into the trees — is one of the most dramatic wildlife spectacles in North America.

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