Directions from New Orleans East, Slidell, Mississippi Gulf Coast: From I-10 West, look for the Westbank/Claiborne Ave. sign and exit at South Claiborne Avenue/US 90 West (Exit 234 C), heading south. Drive down Claiborne Avenue approximately 6 miles and turn left onto Broadway Avenue. There is a green sign for the Zoo in the median right before Broadway. Drive down Broadway approximately 1.5 miles, crossing St. Charles Avenue, and turn left at the three-way stop sign at Leake Avenue. As the road curves to the left, it turns into Magazine Street. Audubon Park is on the left-hand side located at 6500 Magazine Street.
Directions from Metairie, Kenner, Baton Rouge: From I-10 East, exit at South Carrollton Ave. (Exit 232). There is a sign at that exit for Audubon Zoo. As you enter the exit from the interstate, stay in the left-hand lane as you will have to turn left for the final exit. The off-ramp only allows you to go to the right and that is the way you want to go. You will drive several miles on S. Carrollton Avenue until you come to the end of the street at Leake Avenue. You can’t go straight because the levee is right in front of you. Turn left onto Leake Avenue and drive until you come to the 3-way stop at Broadway Avenue. After stopping at the stop sign, go straight. As the road curves to the left, it turns into Magazine Street. Audubon Park is on the left-hand side located at 6500 Magazine Street.
Directions from Jefferson Highway, Huey P. Long Bridge, Harvey, Elmwood: After crossing the Huey P. Long Bridge to the East Bank, turn right (east) onto Jefferson Highway. Follow Jefferson Highway approximately 8 miles until it becomes South Claiborne Avenue. Continue on South Claiborne until you reach the traffic light at Nashville Avenue. Turn right at the stoplight onto Magazine Street. Drive about 6 blocks on Magazine Street. Audubon Park is located on the right-hand side at 6500 Magazine Street.
Audubon Park is a 350-acre municipal park in the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans. Its large, mature live oaks are magnets for migrating and overwintering songbirds.
Over the years, 11 species of flycatchers, 10 sparrows, and 30 warblers have been recorded here, along with doves, cuckoos, thrushes, orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks, and buntings – and over 15 species of raptors looking for meals in the trees, lawns, and waters. A total of 213 species have been observed, and more than 1800 checklists have been submitted to eBird for this site.
The local year-round bird community is strong as well, featuring a diverse community of Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Wood Duck, White-winged Dove, flyover gulls, terns, and other seabirds, Cooper's Hawk, six species of woodpeckers, House Finch, and some oddities such as Ringed Teal, Monk Parakeet, Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, Bronzed Cowbird, and Western Tanager.
Ochsner Island, commonly known as Bird Island, has been part of Audubon Park for over a century. Sitting in the center of Audubon Park Lagoon, it houses one of the most prominent rookeries in the region. This natural phenomenon of numerous species of waterbirds nesting in a single location each spring involves hundreds of pairs of Great, Snowy, and Cattle Egrets, Little Blue, and Herons, Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Neotropic Cormorant, and Anhinga. In addition to these, numerous additional wading bird species visit the lagoon on a year-round basis. Six species of swallows cruise the lagoon on a seasonal basis, and over 20 species of geese and ducks have been recorded during the fall, winter, and spring months.
Due to its location, Audubon Park is a favorite spot for outdoor recreation, picnics or enjoying a beautiful day. Amenities and attractions include a tranquil 1.8-mile jogging path, a lagoon, picnic shelters, and playgrounds. Audubon Park also features Audubon Zoo and Aquarium, tennis courts, riding stables, soccer fields, the Whitney Young Pool, Audubon Clubhouse Café and Audubon Golf Club. Additional outdoor recreational opportunities include biking, birding, fishing, and nature photography. Annually, the park offers a variety of seasonal events.
There is paved parking, restrooms/water, hard-surfaced and primitive trails, and a visitors center. Fully handicapped-accessible.
