City Park - New Orleans Botanical Gardens

Nestled within New Orleans’ City Park is a 12-acre floral jewel, where more than 150 bird species have been recorded. For local birders, hummingbirds — especially vagrant western species — are the big draw from November-May, with five different species typically showing up on an annual basis. 

Being so near to Lake Pontchartrain, many flyover seabirds and other waterbird species decorate the airspace above the garden. On any given day, birders may expect to see Laughing Gull, Forster’s Tern, Anhinga, Neotropic Cormorant, and Brown Pelican, along with any of ten or so species of wading birds. During the winter months, additional species, such as Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, Double-crested Cormorant, and American White Pelican may be spotted. 

During the spring and fall, the site’s giant live oaks act like magnets for migrating neotropical songbirds. To date, five species of flycatchers, Swainson’s, Hermit, and Wood Thrushes, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, and around 15 species of warblers have been recorded. 

The park has a visitors center/gift shop/nursery, restrooms/drinking fountains, benches, wide hard-surfaced walkways, and water features — all studded throughout with massive mature live oaks. The site features 2,000 plant species from around the world. Open Wednesday-Sunday. Fully handicapped-accessible.