500
From :
$ 500
New Orleans Birding Tour
Join an experienced birder and photographer for a half day guided trip to the Louisiana Marsh and swamp under an hour from downtown New Orleans! A small private guided boat tour through the marsh and swamp ecosystems of Louisiana. Search for birds via boat with an experienced captain to look for some of the many varied species that frequent the expansive wetlands of Louisiana.
What To Expect
Get out of the city and into the wetlands under an hour from New Orleans to search for birds by boat. You will meet your captain at one of our two locations outside of New Orleans to start your birding adventure! Hop on the boat before sunrise or before sunset to start your search for many of the birds that call the Louisiana wetlands home and some of the migratory species that visit the area as well. After making your reservation your captain will contact you to discuss which type of birds and scenery you are most interested in exploring. Meander down slow moving bayous and estuaries in your private boat, spotting birds along the way. Enjoy the sunrise and sunset and some of the many unique Louisiana water scenes along the way. Pick from our cypress swamp location or our coastal brackish marsh location to decide which birds to discover
Two Locations To Choose From:
Cypress Swamp Birding
Birding in the cypress swamp is a wonderful experience. While you search for birds, enjoy the bald cypress trees draped in spanish moss as alligators drift down the bayou. Our swamp location is a great place to spot barred owls, bald eagles, osprey and many egret and herons species. During transition times you can see a variety of migratory warblers like the beautiful prothonotary warbler who’s bright yellow color sticks out in the lush green foliage of spring. If you are lucky you might spot a limpkin or roseatte spoonbill on this tour.
Coastal Marsh Birding
Birding in the coastal marsh of Louisiana is an exciting experience. The brackish marsh of Louisiana is known for its productive and thriving seafood industry and many of the birds that frequent this area feed on the abundant shrimp and bait fish that grow in the marsh. The never ending maze of bayous and sloughs open up to expansive vistas of sky and water. Common sightings on this tour are brown pelicans, a variety of terns, egrets, herons, many bitterns, spoonbills, shore birds, stilts, and frigate birds. While you don’t have the cypress and moss you do have an abundance of bird numbers and varieties to see.
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We do not provide transportation for our New Orleans Birding Tour. You will need to meet your guide at one of our various launches.
Our Cypress Swamp Birding location is about 30 miles from downtown New Orleans.
Our Coastal Marsh Birding Tour is 45 miles from downtown New Orleans.
It is best to have a rental car for this trip. If you have a rental car you can explore other nearby attractions after your trip. Uber or cab is possible as well but expect it to be costly. An Uber will most likely be $70 or more each way. If you decide to use a cab or Uber it is best to have your return trip pre-arranged as phone service near our launches is not consistent.
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We have a variety of boats in our fleet. All of our boats are outfitted with seats for all passengers. None of our vessels have bathroom facilities on board. We can stop in different areas with high ground for you to use the restroom outdoors in a primitive setting.
The boats we use for our cypress swamp locations are small mudboats that seat up to six people. If you have more in your group we can run multiple boats on the same trip.
The boats we use for our coastal marsh locations are larger to handle the open water we traverse in bays and lakes.
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It is recommended to bring the following:
- Binoculars
- Cameras/Long lenses
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Layered clothing
- Bug spray (summertime)
- Water and snacks
- Gratuities for guides
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Your guide will contact you before the trip to discuss what type of birds you are most interested in seeing. They will provide you with launch details and arrival information. Generally the trips start at sunrise and last 4 hours or the 4 hours leading up to sunset.
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We have two locations available for our New Orleans Birding Tours.
Cypress Swamp Location:
This is a great location because it is a swamp tour and a birding tour all in one. If you want to enjoy the scenery of the cypress swamp and bird at the same time this is the location for you!
Coastal Marsh Location:
The coastal marsh at times can have a large number of birds. If you are after shorebirds, terns, pelicans, and other coastal birds while seeing a high volume of numbers this is the location for you!