Birds in Mississippi

Even though Mississippi is mostly cropland, it has many refugees striving to protect the forests. Numerous bird species have made its forests their nesting grounds.

What Is The State Bird Of Mississippi?

Mississippi dubbed Northern Mockingbird as its state bird in 1944, along with 4 other states. It could be partly due to the 200 songs the species is capable of singing which makes them quite unique. Or, it could be simply due to the fact that Mockingbird is simply one of the most beautiful species.

What Are The Top Spots to Go Bird Watching In Mississippi?

Buccaneer State Park is a good spot to be in when spring migration is taking place. This is where you’re likely to see Clapper Rail, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Woodpeckers with redhead.

Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge is specifically dedicated to Sandhill Crane, one of the world’s rarest species. Regardless, the nature trails allow birders desperately trying to find birds in Mississippi to come across Bachman’s Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, and many more.

Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge is to the south of Greenville and has nesting birds such as Mississippi Kite, Painted Bunting, and Double-crested Cormorant.

GET KIDS BIRD WATCHING

How Many Birds Can You See In Mississippi?

If you plan on seeing every kind of birds in Mississippi, well, you would have to see 405 species of them. In Jackson, the species count is highest with 347. Harrison, Hancock, DeSoto, and Oktibbeha followed shortly after with a  count of 332, 326, 295, and 288 respectively.

What Are The Top Birds To See In Mississippi?

Red-cockaded Woodpecker tends to live in the pines. The birds aren’t exactly striking in appearance. However, they have this strange pull to them with their white belly and chest, black wings with bits of white in them. The red cockade that’s hard to spot at first also enhances the visual appeal of the bird.

Brown-headed Nuthatch might be a common sight in Mississippi but it’s also one of the most sought after birds. It’s a bit small with black wings, a white belly, and a brown head. Its adorable eyes and unique squeaky call makes birdwatchers wonder in awe. In fact, in most cases, you’re likely to hear this species before you see them due to the distinct sound.

Common Birds To See In Mississippi

Jackson is filled with Northern Cardinals. American Robin and Red-winged Blackbirds are also seen quite a bit in the city.

Biloxi also has plenty of Mourning Dove and Eastern Towhee. If you’re lucky enough in your birding missions, you might come across some Tufted Titmouse hiding among the trees.

Final Thoughts

Mississippi has quite a lot of rare birds. It has some colorful species that could easily attract the attention of kids. If you’re trying to get a child into birdwatching, this is one of the states that your child could potentially develop an interest in.