Birding in the Pontchartrain Basin

Map undergoing redevelopment. Coming soon!

Project Overview

The Lake Pontchartrain Birding and Outdoor Adventure Guide is an easy to use interactive map that enables residents and visitors to discover, explore and celebrate the ecological wonders of the lower Mississippi River Delta.  With its subtropical orientation, vast and highly productive wetlands and central location on one of the greatest migratory pathways, the Lake Ponchartrain Basin in Southeast Louisiana produces an extraordinary diversity and abundance of birding, wildlife and cultural experiences found nowhere else in the world.

The centerpiece of the guide is a map of the major birding hot spots in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin divided by three sub regions:  (1) the North shore: (2) the South shore; and, (3) the Gulf Coast Region.  For each birding hot spot, a description is provided of habitats, birding specialties, directions, and available public facilities.  The website also provides information on other nature-based tourism activities and attractions in southeast Louisiana.

While the Mississippi Delta remains the most well preserved river delta in the world, it faces enormous challenges of rapid wetlands loss and environmental degradation.  An important coalition of environmental, economic development, government leaders has formed to sponsor this project in order to increase the economic impact of nature- based tourism and educate the world on the ecological and economic importance of coastal Louisiana.

About our partnership

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Birding and Outdoor Adventure Guide is a partnership of environmental, economic development, tourism  and government  organizations including:  Pontchartrain Conservancy; Louisiana Office of Tourism; the National Wildlife Federation- Coastal Louisiana; the Louisiana Audubon Society; the  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service- Southeast Wildlife Refuges;  the Jefferson Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc., the St. Bernard Parish Tourism Department,  Plaquemines Parish Economic Development and Tourism Commission and the  St. Tammany Tourist and Convention Commission.

The Project was guided by a steering committee which included representation from each of the sponsoring organizations.  Technical assistance was also provided by birding experts in the region and state assembled to provide information and feedback on the birding hot spots identified in the guide.