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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(NUI) - According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nearly one in five Americans, about 46 million people, is a bird watcher.
Now, that doesn't mean stepping outside your house to look at the sparrows on your backyard oak tree. According to the federal government, you must take a trip a mile or more away from home for the primary purpose of observing birds in order to be considered an official bird watcher.
One location for bird watching that has captured national attention is the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail. Audubon magazine listed it among the top 20 birding trails in the United States. It's the place to see Snowy Plovers, of which there are fewer than 25,000 in the country, and Reddish Egrets, a threatened species. Other birds that can be seen along the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail include American White Pelicans, Common or Redthroated Loons, Hawks, Sandhill Cranes, and Herons, among others.
The Alabama Coastal Birding Trail comprises six loops stretching 220 miles through Baldwin and Mobile counties. Each loop could take half a day or more to see by car, kayak or foot.
The trail represents a variety of ecosystems, from the beach and sea-oat habitat of Gulf State Park near Perdido Bay to the largely maritime pine forest of the Dauphin Island Audubon Sanctuary. The trail includes directional and interpretive signs to accommodate expert and novice bird watchers.
All you need for bird watching is a field guide, a pair of binoculars and a camera. Then, plan your trip and enjoy the beauty and relaxation that nature has to offer.
For more information, visit www.800alabama.com or call 1-800-ALABAMA.
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