Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos)

ByPat Byington
LAST UPDATED12/13/20

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Yellow rumped warbler Railroad Park 2 e1605104597473 Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos) — Yellow-rumped Warbler. Photo via Greg Harber

If you haven’t noticed, winter birds are slowly arriving in Birmingham these days.

To prepare for our feathered guests (most come from Canada), I asked Alabama Audubon’s Greg Harber to provide me with a list of winter birds you can see this time of the year. He also gave me a good list of places to watch them.

Read on.

First Things First

Before we start looking for birds, let’s recognize the work of Alabama Audubon. Founded in 1946, Alabama Audubon is one of the oldest and most beloved conservation organizations in the state.

Recently, Alabama Audubon ally Alabama Rivers Alliance held a Water if Life webinar which was about the present and future of birds in the Yellowhammer state. I highly recommend watching this video.

Aside from becoming a member of Alabama Audubon —another way you can promote and support birding is by making a commitment to purchase their new car tag. They need 1000 commitments. Let’s make that happen!

AudubonCarTag reduced Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos) — Proposed Alabama Audubon car tag. Photo courtesy of Alabama Audubon

Places to Look for Winter Birds

Birmingham is blessed with a number of public parks birds call home during the winter. Greg’s favorite places to see birds?

Railroad Park – especially in the evening at sundown
Ruffner Mountain, Red Mountain Park, Oak Mountain State Park
East Lake Park and Patton Park – for waterfowl

Birds Around Town

So let’s get started. Here are just a few of birds Greg said we should see right now.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Bet you can’t name this bird’s nickname… butterbutt

Yellow rumped warbler Railroad Park Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos) — Yellow rumped warbler. Birders nickname? Butterbutt. Photo via Alabama Birding Trails Facebook page

Ruby-crowned Kinglets

See the ruby crown? These birds are visitors from Alaska.

Ruby crowned Kinglet Robert Goss Alabama Birding Trails Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos) — Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Photo via Robert Goss in Alabama Birding Trails Facebook page

Pine Siskins

The Pine Siskins’ are migrating in larger numbers to the South this year because they are experiencing a food supply shortage. These little ones are from Canada’s boreal forest.

Pine Siskin Grace Simms Alabama Birding Trails Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos) — Pine Siskin. Photo via Grace Simms from Alabama Birding Trails Facebook page

Ring-necked Ducks

Want to see ducks traveling through Birmingham? East Lake Park and Patton Park both have visitors in the winter.

Ringed neck ducks Greg Harber Patton Park Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos) — Ringed-neck Ducks at Patton Park. Photo via Greg Harber

Peregrine Falcons

This guy lives on the AT&T building downtown. Peregrine Falcons terrorize pigeons, especially in the winter months.

Perengrine Falcon ATT Building Greg Harber Be on the lookout Birmingham for wintering birds in town (photos) — Peregrine Falcon on the AT&T building. Photo via Greg Harber

Many thanks to Greg Harber for the tips and a few photos.

Don’t forget:

Want to learn how to become birder and a support, connect with Alabama Audubon today.

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Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.