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Birding around Lake Charles

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The Creole Nature Trail is annually home to more than 400 bird species, making it one of the Top 10 Birding Destinations in the country. Year-round you will be treated to a seemingly endless array of raptors, waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds residing in this lush environment. To experience our exotic birds and waterfowl up close, try Grosse Savanne Eco-Tours.

Area Birding Guides for the Advanced and Beginners
 

 True Birding Guide and Checklist to Calcasieu and Cameron Parish

New to birding? Check out our visual guide to commonly sited birds along the Creole Nature Trail.

Beginner's Birding Guide and Checklist

Birding List Search

During the fall, winter, and spring, the Creole Nature Trail bird population soars as hundreds of thousands of migrating birds make their annual migration following the Central and the Mississippi Flyways. Use the helpful interactive search and table below to find specific species and view their abundance during certain seasons. You can also download the bird list at the link below.

 Complete List of Birds by Season and Classification by Rarity

Chart Key:

  • a = abundant (almost certainly will be found in proper habitat and season, often in large numbers)
  • c = common (normally present; should be found in proper habitat and season; numbers vary)
  • u = uncommon (might be found; usually present in proper habitat and season, but may be overlooked; typically in small numbers)
  • o = occasional (infrequently encountered; may occur during relatively narrow timeframe or in very specialized habitat)
  • r = rare (seldom observed; may not be of annual occurrence during season indicated)
  • x = accidental (five or fewer total accepted records for season indicated)
  • NR = no accepted records for season indicated
  • I = established "introduced" species
  • em = early migrant, e.g., early spring migrants may actually begin arriving during late winter
  • lm = late migrant, e.g., late spring migrants can occur into early June of the summer season
  • / = status complex; e.g., late spring migrants, summering individuals, and/or early fall migrants may occur during summer
     

 Swipe Left for More Seasons
 
Species Winter
(Dec-Feb)		 Spring
(Mar-May)		 Summer
(Jun-Aug)		 Fall
(Sept-Nov)
Acadian Flycatcher   NR c c u
Alder Flycatcher   NR r u-em u
American Avocet  a a o a
American Bittern u u x-em u
American Black Duck x NR NR NR
American Coot  a a o a
American Crow   c u u u
American Golden-Plover  x-lm/o-em c x r
American Goldfinch   c u x u
American Kestrel  a c NR a
American Oystercatcher  x o x o
American Pipit   c u NR c
American Redstart   r c r-lm/o-em c
American Robin   a u u c
American White Pelican c u o c
American Wigeon  c o x u
American Woodcock  u NR x-em u
Anhinga o u u u
Anna's Hummingbird   x NR NR x
Arctic Tern   NR x x-lm NR
Ash-throated Flycatcher   r r NR r
Audubon's Shearwater NR NR NR x
Bachman's Sparrow   o o o o
Baird's Sandpiper  NR o o-em o
Bald Eagle  r NR NR r
Baltimore Oriole   r c o c
Bank Swallow   x u o-em u
Barn Owl   u u u u
Barn Swallow   r a a a
Barred Owl   u u u u
Bay-breasted Warbler   x c NR u
Bell's Vireo*   r x NR r
Belted Kingfisher   a a o a
Bewick's Wren   r x NR r
Black Rail  x x a NR
Black Scoter  o r r x
Black Skimmer   c c u c
Black Tern   r c a c
Black Vulture  c c c c
Black-and-white Warbler   r c r-lm/c-em c
Black-bellied Plover  a a u a
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  u c c u
Black-billed Cuckoo   NR u a u
Blackburnian Warbler   NR c NR u
Black-chinned Hummingbird   r NR NR x
Black-crowned Night-Heron u c c c
Black-headed Grosbeak   x x NR r
Black-legged Kittiwake   r r x x
Black-necked Stilt  a a a a
Blackpoll Warbler   NR c x-lm x
Black-throated Blue Warbler  NR r NR r
Black-throated Gray Warbler  r NR NR r
Black-throated Green Warbler  r c x-lm/r-em c
Black-whiskered Vireo   NR x x NR
Blue Bunting   x NR NR NR
Blue Grosbeak   r c o c
Blue Jay   a a a a
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   c c u a
Blue-headed Vireo   u o NR u
Blue-winged Teal  a a o c
Blue-winged Warbler   NR c o-em u
Boat-tailed Grackle   a a a a
Bobolink    NR u NR r
Bonaparte's Gull  c u x u
Brant   x NR NR x
Brewer's Blackbird   u o NR o
Brewer's Sparrow   x NR NR NR
Bridled Tern   NR x NR x
Broad-tailed Hummingbird   NR NR NR x
Broad-winged Hawk  r o o c
Bronzed Cowbird   o u o u
Brown Creeper   o NR NR o
Brown Noddy   NR NR x x
Brown Pelican a u u a
Brown Thrasher   c c u a
Brown-crested Flycatcher   x x NR x
Brown-headed Cowbird   a a a a
Brown-headed Nuthatch   u u u u
Buff-bellied Hummingbird   r x-lm NR r
Buff-breasted Sandpiper  NR u o-em u
Bufflehead   c x NR x
Bullock's Oriole   r r NR r
Burrowing Owl   r x NR r
California Gull  x x x r
Calliope Hummingbird   x NR NR NR
Canada Goose  u u u u
Canada Warbler   NR o u-em c
Canvasback   o r x o
Cape May Warbler  NR o x-lm r
Carolina Chickadee   a a a a
Carolina Wren   a a a a
Caspian Tern   u a u a
Cassin's Kingbird   NR NR NR x
Cassin's Vireo   NR NR NR x
Cattle Egret u a a a
Cave Swallow   x o o NR
Cedar Waxwing   c u o-lm o
Cerulean Warbler   NR u r-em r
Chestnut-collared Longspur   NR x x x
Chestnut-sided Warbler   x c NR u
Chimney Swift   NR a a c
Chipping Sparrow   c u r u
Chuck-will's-widow    o o r u
Cinnamon Teal  o x NR x
Clapper Rail  c c c c
Clay-colored Sparrow   x r NR o
Cliff Swallow   NR c u c
Common Goldeneye  r x NR x
Common Grackle   a a a a
Common Ground-Dove   r r r r
Common Loon o o x o
Common Merganser * x NR NR NR
Common Moorhen  a a a a
Common Nighthawk   NR c c u
Common Snipe  c u o-em c
Common Tern   o c u c
Common Yellowthroat   a a u a
Connecticut Warbler   NR x NR NR
Cooper's Hawk  u r x-em u
Cordilleran Flycatcher   NR NR NR x
Cory's Shearwater NR x NR NR
Couch's Kingbird   x x x x
Crested Caracara  o o o o
Curlew Sandpiper  NR NR NR x
Curve-billed Thrasher   x NR NR NR
Dark-eyed Junco   u NR NR u
Dickcissel    x c u u
Double-crested Cormorant a c o a
Downy Woodpecker   c c c c
Dunlin   c c u-lm/r c
Eared Grebe r r x r
Eastern Bluebird   c c u c
Eastern Kingbird   NR a a a
Eastern Meadowlark   a a a a
Eastern Phoebe   a c NR a
Eastern Screech-Owl   u u u u
Eastern Towhee   u u u u
Eastern Wood-Pewee   NR c o-lm/u-em c
Eurasian Collared Dove (I) c c c c
European Starling (I)  a a a a
Evening Grosbeak   x x NR NR
Ferruginous Hawk  x NR NR x
Field Sparrow   u o r u
Fish Crow   a a a a
Forster's Tern   a a a a
Fox Sparrow   o NR NR o
Franklin's Gull  r o r u
Fulvous Whistling-Duck  r c c u
Gadwall   a c r c
Glaucous Gull   r r x x
Glossy Ibis o o o o
Golden Eagle  x NR NR r
Golden-crowned Kinglet   u o NR u
Golden-crowned Sparrow   x x NR NR
Golden-winged Warbler   NR o NR o
Grasshopper Sparrow   o r NR o
Gray Catbird   u a r c
Gray Kingbird   NR x NR NR
Gray-cheeked Thrush   NR c x-lm o
Great Black-backed Gull  r r NR x
Great Blue Heron a a a a
Great Crested Flycatcher  NR c c c
Great Egret a a a a
Great Horned Owl  c c c c
Great Kiskadee   x x x x
Greater Roadrunner   o o o o
Greater Scaup  o r x x
Greater White-fronted Goose c u u u
Greater Yellowlegs  c c o/u-em c
Great-tailed Grackle   a a a a
Green Heron o c c c
Green-tailed Towhee   x x NR x
Green-winged Teal  a c x c
Groove-billed Ani   o r NR o
Gull-billed Tern   u u u c
Hairy Woodpecker   u u u u
Hammond's Flycatcher   NR NR NR x
Harris's Sparrow   r x NR r
Henslow's Sparrow   x NR NR NR
Hepatic Tanager   NR x NR NR
Hermit Thrush   c u NR c
Hermit Warbler   NR x NR NR
Herring Gull  a a o a
Hooded Merganser  u o NR x
Hooded Oriole   NR x NR NR
Hooded Warbler   x c u c
Horned Grebe r x NR x
Horned Lark   r x NR x
House Finch (I)  u u u u
House Sparrow (I)  a a a a
House Wren   a c NR c
Hudsonian Godwit  NR u x-lm x
Inca Dove   u u c u
Indigo Bunting   r a o a
Kentucky Warbler   NR c u u
Killdeer   a a a a
King Rail  c c c c
Lapland Longspur   x NR NR x
Lark Bunting   NR x NR x
Lark Sparrow   o o r o
Laughing Gull  a a a a
Lazuli Bunting   NR x NR x
Le Conte's Sparrow  u o NR u
Least Bittern r c c u
Least Flycatcher   r r u-em c
Least Sandpiper  c c o-lm/r/u-em c
Least Tern   x a a u
Lesser Black-backed Gull  r r r o
Lesser Goldfinch   NR x NR NR
Lesser Nighthawk   NR r NR x
Lesser Scaup  c u r u
Lesser Yellowlegs  c c o/u-em c
Lincoln's Sparrow   u u NR u
Little Blue Heron u a a a
Little Gull  x x NR NR
Loggerhead Shrike   a a a a
Long-billed Curlew  u o r/o-em u
Long-billed Dowitcher  c c x-lm/r c
Long-eared Owl   x NR NR NR
Long-tailed Duck (Oldsquaw) r o NR x
Long-tailed Jaeger  NR x NR NR
Louisiana Waterthrush   NR u o-em r
Lucy's Warbler   x NR NR x
MacGillivray's Warbler   NR r NR x
Magnificent Frigatebird NR o o r
Magnolia Warbler   r c r-lm c
Mallard   a c u c
Marbled Godwit  u u o u
Marsh Wren   c c u c
Masked Booby NR x NR x
Masked Duck  x x NR NR
Merlin   u u o-em u
Mississippi Kite  NR o o u
Mongolian Plover  NR NR NR x
Mottled Duck  a a a a
Mountain Bluebird   NR NR NR x
Mourning Dove   a a a a
Mourning Warbler   NR r u-em u
Nashville Warbler   r o o-em u
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow  u u NR u
Neotropic Cormorant a a a a
Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker  a c u c
Northern Bobwhite  r u u u
Northern Cardinal   a a a a
Northern Gannet o o r r
Northern Harrier  c u r-em c
Northern Mockingbird   a a a a
Northern Parula   r c u u
Northern Pintail  a c r c
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  r c o-em c
Northern Saw-whet Owl  x NR NR NR
Northern Shoveler  a c r c
Northern Waterthrush   r c r-lm/u-em c
Northern Wheatear   NR NR NR x
Olive-sided Flycatcher   NR r o-em o
Orange-crowned Warbler   c u NR u
Orchard Oriole   x a c u
Osprey   u u o u
Ovenbird    r c r-lm/o-em c
Pacific-slope Flycatcher   NR x NR NR
Painted Bunting   r c c c
Painted Redstart   x x NR NR
Palm Warbler   u u NR u
Parasitic Jaeger  r NR NR x
Pectoral Sandpiper  o-em c o-lm/u-em c
Peregrine Falcon  u u x-em u
Philadelphia Vireo   x u NR c
Pied-billed Grebe c c c c
Pileated Woodpecker   u u u u
Pine Siskin   r x NR r
Pine Warbler   c c c c
Piping Plover  u u x-lm/o-em u
Plumbeous Vireo   NR NR NR x
Pomarine Jaeger  o r r x
Prairie Warbler   r o u-em u
Prothonotary Warbler   x c u c
Purple Finch   r NR NR r
Purple Gallinule  r c c o
Purple Martin   o-em a a r
Purple Sandpiper  x x NR NR
Red Knot  r u o o
Red Phalarope  NR NR NR x
Red-bellied Woodpecker   a a a a
Red-breasted Merganser  c o x o
Red-breasted Nuthatch   r x NR r
Reddish Egret o r u u
Red-eyed Vireo   x a u c
Red-faced Warbler   NR x NR NR
Redhead   o r NR o
Red-headed Woodpecker   u u u u
Red-necked Phalarope  x x NR x
Red-shouldered Hawk  c c c c
Red-tailed Hawk  a a u a
Red-winged Blackbird   a a a a
Ring-billed Gull  a a o a
Ring-necked Duck  c r x u
Rock Dove (I)  u u u u
Rock Wren   x NR NR x
Roseate Spoonbill a a a a
Rose-breasted Grosbeak   r c NR c
Ross's Goose  u r NR r
Royal Tern   c a a a
Ruby-crowned Kinglet   a c NR a
Ruby-throated Hummingbird   u o o r
Ruddy Duck  c o r o
Ruddy Turnstone  u c u c
Ruff   NR x NR NR
Rufous Hummingbird   o NR x-em r
Rusty Blackbird   u r NR o
Sabine's Gull   NR x NR x
Sage Thrasher   x NR NR x
Sanderling   a a u a
Sandhill Crane  c x-lm NR r
Sandwich Tern   r a c c
Savannah Sparrow   a a NR a
Say's Phoebe   NR NR NR x
Scarlet Tanager   NR c r-lm o
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher   r u u c
Scott's Oriole   x NR NR x
Seaside Sparrow   u u u u
Sedge Wren   c c NR c
Semipalmated Plover  c c o/u-em c
Semipalmated Sandpiper  NR c u-lm/o/c-em c
Sharp-shinned Hawk  u o NR c
Shiny Cowbird   NR x x NR
Short-billed Dowitcher  c c u-lm/r/u-em c
Short-eared Owl   o NR NR x
Snow Goose  a o NR u
Snowy Egret a a a a
Snowy Plover  u u o-em u
Solitary Sandpiper  r u u-em u
Song Sparrow   a u NR c
Sooty Tern   NR x x x
Sora   c c NR c
Spotted Sandpiper  u c o-lm/u-em c
Spotted Towhee   r x NR r
Sprague's Pipit   o x NR o
Stilt Sandpiper  o c o-lm/u-em c
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher   NR x NR x
Summer Tanager   r c u c
Surf Scoter  o o x r
Swainson's Hawk  r o r o
Swainson's Thrush   x c x-lm u
Swainson's Warbler   NR o o r
Swallow-tailed Kite  NR r x lm-x
Swamp Sparrow   a a NR a
Tennessee Warbler   r a NR c
Thayer's Gull  NR x NR NR
Townsend's Solitaire   x NR NR x
Townsend's Warbler   x NR NR x
Tree Swallow   c a NR c
Tricolored Heron u a a a
Tropical Parula   x NR NR x
Tufted Titmouse   a a a a
Turkey Vulture  c c u c
Upland Sandpiper  NR u o o
Varied Bunting   NR x NR NR
Varied Thrush   x x NR NR
Veery    x c x-lm o
Vermilion Flycatcher   o r NR o
Vesper Sparrow   o r NR o
Virginia Rail  u u NR u
Virginia's Warbler   x NR NR NR
Warbling Vireo   x o NR o
Western Grebe r NR NR NR
Western Kingbird   r r r-em o
Western Meadowlark   x x NR x
Western Sandpiper  c c o-lm/r/c-em c
Western Tanager   r r NR r
Western Wood-Pewee   NR NR NR r
Whimbrel   o c o o
Whip-poor-will    r x x-lm/r-em o
White Ibis c c c a
White Wagtail   NR NR NR x
White-crowned Sparrow   u u NR u
White-eyed Vireo   o a a c
White-faced Ibis c c c c
White-rumped Sandpiper  NR c o-lm/x x
White-tailed Kite  u o o u
White-throated Sparrow   a a NR a
White-winged Dove   c c c c
White-winged Scoter  r r NR r
Willet   a a a a
Williamson's Sapsucker   NR NR NR x
Willow Flycatcher   NR x NR NR
Wilson's Phalarope  x u x-lm/o-em u
Wilson's Plover  r u u u
Wilson's Warbler   o o u-em u
Winter Wren   u NR NR o
Wood Duck  u u u o
Wood Stork x x o o
Wood Thrush   r c u c
Worm-eating Warbler   NR u o-em u
Yellow Rail  x x NR x
Yellow Warbler   r c r-lm/c-em u
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher   NR o x-lm/o-em u
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   c u NR c
Yellow-billed Cuckoo   x a a c
Yellow-breasted Chat   r u u u
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron r c c o
Yellow-green Vireo   NR x x NR
Yellow-headed Blackbird   r o NR r
Yellow-nosed Albatross NR x NR NR
Yellow-rumped Warbler   a c NR c
Yellow-throated Vireo   NR u o u
Yellow-throated Warbler   r u o o

 

Recent Bird Sightings

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