It is widely known that Toledo Bend is a prime fishing and recreational destination, but it is a sanctuary for feathered friends, as well. Many rare, threatened and endangered species are found in Toledo Bend Lake Country, including Bald Eagle, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Waterbird Nesting Colonies and a variety of coastal shorebirds and migrating birds.
Toledo Bend offers a variety of habitats to a variety of different birds. American White Pelican, Belted Kingfisher, Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, and Black Surf Scoters are just a few of the water birds that can be seen on the lake.
Birding Trails in Sabine Parish-
The Toledo Bend Forest Scenic Byway: Toledo Bend Loop, includes:
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Cypress Bend Resort
This 600-acre private resort is open to birders and day visitors by appointment only at the Toledo Bend Reservoir. Birders will enjoy the privacy and the spectrum of bird species on site.
With a pre-scheduled appointment, birders are allowed access to the entire resort, including golf course, ponds, and a nature trail through beautiful mixed-pine hardwood forest habitat, terminating at an observation deck overlooking the reservoir.
The paved trail begins near the conference center parking lot. As the topography is hilly, the grade can be very steep. Other unpaved trails break off, some leading down to the lake lined by cypress and willows. Expect to see forest bird species, including Red-headed, Red-bellied, Downy, and Pileated Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinal, Northern Parula, and Pine Warblers. Out on the reservoir overlook, check for species such as Wood Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Osprey, Bald Eagle, and Barn Swallow.
Learn more about the birds in this area here.
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Ft Jesup State Historic Site
The United States built Fort Jesup in 1822 after the territorial boundary between the U.S. and Mexico was fixed at the Sabine River. Today, the 22-acre site features a mature mixed pine-hardwood forest, making it a nice "leg-stretcher" for birders. A paved drive runs throughout the park, though birding can be done by walking anywhere on the grounds. Check around the ponds and slough, as birds are always attracted to these areas.
Winter songbirds include Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, White-throated Sparrow, and Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Year-round residents include Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pine Warbler, and Northern Cardinal. The site also contains open fields studded with many species of trees, including various oaks, eastern red cedar, pines, Southern magnolia, pecan, and bald cypress.
Learn more about the birds in this area here.
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South Toledo Bend State Park
South Toledo Bend State Park is scenic and serene and located on several small bluffs overlooking the Toledo Bend Reservoir. There is birding access throughout this 400-acre park, located near the Louisiana-Texas state line.
A paved nature trail leads through mixed pine-hardwood and hardwood slope forests, populated by mature specimens of short-leaf and loblolly pines, red oaks, sweetgum, Southern magnolia, and American beech. Forest birds of interest include Pileated Woodpecker, Warbling Vireo, eight sparrow species, and 13 warbler species.
A spotting scope is a must when viewing waterbirds in this massive reservoir. Waterfowl species are plentiful during fall/winter/spring, including Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Canvasback, and Redhead. Laughing, Ring-billed, and Franklin's Gulls, along with Caspian and Forster's Terns, have been spotted. Other waterbirds of interest include the Horned Grebe, Common Loon, American White Pelican, Great Blue, Little Blue, and Green Herons. Bald Eagles love this reservoir. They nest here and are commonly seen October-May each year.
Learn more about the birds in this area here.
Download the Birding Guide and Checklist for South Toledo Bend State Park.
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North Toledo Bend State Park
North Toledo Bend State Park is located on Toledo Bend Reservoir, one of the country's largest man-made reservoirs. Numerous overlooks, observation decks, and piers allow ample views of the reservoir and adjacent coves. Waterfowl such as Canada Goose, Wood Duck, and Blue-winged Teal are commonly seen, as are other waterbirds such as Spotted Sandpiper, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, and Belted Kingfisher. Numerous raptors cruise the coves, including Osprey and Bald Eagle. Two unimproved nature trails, the 1.5-mile Dogwood Loop and the 4-mile Magnolia Loop, weave through the park's rolling topography of mixed pine hardwoods with some bottomland hardwoods and cypress stands near the lakeshore.
Woodland birds recorded here include Red-bellied, Red-headed, Downy, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers, along with Northern Flicker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (in winter). Look also for numerous species of flycatchers along the edges of the water and forests.
Learn more about the birds in this area here.
Other areas include:
- San Patricio Overlook
- Clyde's Crossing
- San Miguel Park
- Wildwood Resort
- Cypress Bend Park
- Converse Bay Park
- Oak Ridge Park
Sabine Wildlife Management Area has upland pine with interspersed hardwood bottoms, which offers excellent birding.
Click here to see Louisiana's new birding website, with various species and their locations