One of Lafourche Parish’s most remarkable resources is its rich and diverse ecosystems; at least, that’s what the birds seem to think! Birdwatchers shouldn’t sleep on this treasure trove of bird habitat—which hundreds of species call home, while even more visit during spring and fall migration. Here are three destinations to add to your list of birdwatching paradises.
Lockport Elevated Wetlands Boardwalk
One of Lafourche Parish’s best-kept secrets, this boardwalk is one of the ultimate (and most accessible) gateways to the swamp. The walkway, which opened in 2020, takes visitors almost five hundred feet into the wilderness—affording up-close access to three distinct habitats: freshwater marsh, bottomland hardwood, and swamp. Dog friendly and handicapped accessible, the boardwalk makes a great place to spot an enormous diversity of bird species in a hyper-concentrated area. Visitors have recorded sightings of wood ducks, clapper rails, herons (great blue, little blue, and green), egrets (great, snowy, tricolored, and cattle), belted kingfishers, common yellowthroats, and more. During winter, other species including the American kestrel, blue-headed vireo, swamp sparrow, and yellow-rumped warbler also make this part of the swamp their home. People have even sighted bald eagles nesting from the boardwalk! In 2021, the boardwalk made the news when someone recorded an extremely rare sighting of a two-inch hummingbird nest right in the view of the path.
Open seven days a week, from 7 am– 7 pm. Free. 6419 LA 308 Lockport, LA.
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At Coastal Wetlands Park, guests can rent kayaks and paddleboards to paddle along the man-made marsh.
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Photo by Mike Glaspell
Roseate Spoonbills are one of the many bird species in the bayou.
Coastal Wetlands Park
Opened to the public in 2021, the Coastal Wetlands Park offers one-hundred acres of man-made wetlands and marsh in Port Fourchon. As a recreational attraction, the park was conceived as an opportunity for members of the public to experience the results of successful marsh restoration and creation projects up-close, demonstrating the impact such mitigation can have for local wildlife habitats. While future plans for walking trails, observation platforms, and more are in the works—currently visitors can explore the park by setting out along the paddling trail.
Launching from the entrance on Flotation Canal Road, the mile-long loop trail runs through a man-made creek, winding through restored marsh with the natural tidal flow in and out of the marsh, making it an easy and accessible trail for paddlers of all experience levels. Inside the marsh, expect sightings of various waterbirds, seabirds, and marsh dwelling/foraging species.
Kayaks and paddle boards can be rented through Geaux Paddle for $25–$60. Reserve your rental at geaux-paddle.com. Open seven days a week, from sunrise to sunset. Free. 161 Flotation Canal Road, Port Fourchon, LA.
In addition to birds, tour guides on Bayou Lafourche boat tours also educate guests about alligators, nutria, and snapping turtles.
Swamp Tours by Local Guides
One of the best ways to access bird habitats in Lafourche Parish is to get out on the water under the tutelage of someone who knows the area like the back of their hand. Swamp tours are a local tradition designed to demonstrate to non-locals the most fascinating, beautiful, and rare elements of life on the bayou by bringing visitors face to face with nature (“nature” sometimes meaning “alligator”).
In business for almost fifty years, Zam’s Swamp Tours in Thibodaux combines wildlife education at its ecological park—which alligators, snapping turtles, nutria, and other native wildlife call home—with French-accented storytelling and a leisurely adventure on Bayou Lafourche. Tours are offered every day at 1:30 pm; $40 for adults, $20 for children twelve and younger. 141 Kraemer Bayou Rd. Thibodaux, LA. Call (985) 633-7881 to reserve your spot.
Airboat Tours by Arthur gives visitors the chance to experience over three hundred species of birds during its tour, which can be taken in an intimate six-passenger boat airboat or a larger, fifteen-passenger craft. The airboat offers even deeper access to the swamp’s most remote areas, truly immersing guests into the wild. The sunset tour at Arthur’s combines the experience of the regular tour with Louisiana’s signature swamp-silhouetted sunset, and then wraps up with a moonlight cruise. Tours are held every day from 8:30 am–until one hour before sunset. 4262 US-90 Des Allemands, LA. Call (504) 810-4756 to reserve your spot. Visit airboattours.com for details.
