Birding in Alabama
From the Gulf Coast shores to the Appalachian foothills, Alabama offers surprisingly diverse birding across every season.
Overview
Alabama sits at a crossroads of eastern and Gulf Coast flyways, giving birders access to an impressive range of habitats -- coastal marshes, longleaf pine savannas, Appalachian hardwood forests, and the fertile Black Belt prairie. The state's Gulf Shores area is a major stopover for neotropical migrants each spring, while Wheeler and Wheeler NWR host thousands of wintering waterfowl. TrailBird is expanding to cover Alabama's birding hotspots with live eBird data, trail maps, and seasonal guides.
Seasonal Birding Guide
Trans-Gulf migrants flood the coast in April. Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan are legendary fallout spots for warblers and tanagers.
Breeding Painted Buntings, Swainson's Warblers, and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are highlights in southern pine forests.
Shorebird migration peaks along the coast in August and September. Raptors move through the ridges in October.
Wheeler NWR hosts tens of thousands of ducks and Sandhill Cranes. Bald Eagles are common along major rivers.
Quick Facts
🚨 Recent Rare Bird Alerts in Alabama
Notable sightings in the last 14 days
No rare alerts in the last 14 days.
🔥 Top Birding Hotspots in Alabama
Ranked by total species recorded
🪶 What's Being Seen in Alabama
Species spotted in the last 14 days
No recent species data available yet.
📍 Most Active Hotspots This Week
Where birders are reporting right now
🥾 Trails Near the Action
Hiking trails near recent rare sightings
No featured trail data available yet.