Birding in Tennessee

The top birding locations in Tennessee include Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Amnicola Marsh, Barkley Wildlife Management Area, Bells Bend Park, Big Sandy River - Big Sandy Flats, Black Bayou Refuge - Main Unit, Black Bayou Refuge - Phillipy Unit, Brainerd Levee, Camden Wildlife Management Area, Cane Creek Park, Chester Frost Park, Chickamauga Dam, Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge, Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge - Impoundments, Cove Lake State Park, Crooked Branch Park, Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery (stay on gravel), Eagle Lake Refuge, Edgar Evins State Park, Ensley Bottoms - Maxson Wastewater Lagoons/Earth Complex (The Pits), Fowler Road Irrigation Pond, Gibson County Lake, Great River Road - TN-103/Hurd Loop Road to Big Levee Road, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Cades Cove, Hardin Bottom, Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge, Herb Parsons Lake, Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, J. Percy Priest Wildlife Management Area - Field Trial Area, Johnsonville State Historic Park, Jolly Landing, Kentucky Lake - Beaver Dam Creek, Kentucky Lake - Tie Landing, Kyker Bottoms Refuge, Lake Isom National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Tansi, Lakeshore Park, Martin Luther King, Jr. Riverside Park, Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, Melton Lake Islands - TVA Parcel 98 (Stay on TVA land), Memorial Park (Hendersonville), Mississippi River - Fritz Landing Boat Launch, Mississippi River - Island 13, Mississippi River - Mud Island - Greenbelt Park, Mississippi River - Tiptonville Bar/Tiptonville Landing/Marijac River Park, Moss Island Wildlife Management Area, Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park - Eva Beach Recreation Area, Nickajack Dam - North Side, Old Hickory Lake - Snow Bunting Peninsula (Old Hickory Pointe), Overton Park, Paris Landing State Park, Phillipy Pits (roadside viewing), Pickwick Dam, Pickwick Lake - Bruton Branch Recreation Area, Pickwick Landing State Park, President's Island, Radnor Lake State Park, Rankin Bottoms, Reelfoot Lake State Park, Reelfoot Lake State Park - Airpark Area, Campground, Trails & Lagoon, Reelfoot Lake State Park - Ellington Visitor Center & Boardwalk, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge - Grassy Island Unit - Walnut Log Rd, Savannah Bottoms, Seven Islands State Birding Park, Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, Shelby Farms Park - Conservancy/Penal Farm, Shelby Farms Park - Gardner Road Marsh, Shelby Park and Bottoms, Shelton Ferry Wildlife Management Area, Standifer Gap Marsh, Steele Creek Park, T.O. Fuller State Park, Tellico Lake Wildlife Management Area - Chota Unit, Tennemo Levee, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge - Big Sandy Unit, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge - Big Sandy Unit - Pace Point, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge - Britton Ford, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge - Busseltown Unit, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge - Duck River Unit, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge - Duck River Unit - Pool 5, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge - Duck River Unit - Pump Station Road (North), Tigrett Wildlife Management Area, TN-79W - levee road to Mississippi River, Toms Creek Mudflats, Volkswagen Wetland, White Lake Refuge, Woods Reservoir. Each offers unique habitats and species.

The best seasons for birding in Tennessee are Spring and Summer and Fall and Winter. Spring migration brings diverse species through the area. Winter offers opportunities for cold-weather specialties and waterfowl.

Notable species in Tennessee include Cerulean Warbler, Black-capped Chickadee, Red Crossbill, Winter Wren, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, and more. The state supports forest, mountain, wetland, urban park, river/riparian, coastal, lake, grassland habitats.