Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary

The Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary, established in 1961, spans 164 acres on the eastern side of Dauphin Island, Alabama [2, 8]. This sanctuary is a critical haven for migrating birds, serving as the first landfall for many species crossing the Gulf of Mexico from Central and South America each spring and their final stop before their return flight each fall [2, 6, 8]. Dauphin Island has been named one of the top four locations in North America for viewing spring migrations [6, 8]. The sanctuary features a diverse range of habitats, including maritime forests, marshes, dunes, a freshwater lake (Gaillard Lake), and a swamp [2, 6, 7, 8]. These varied ecosystems support an incredible array of bird species; 420 of Alabama's 445 officially documented bird species have been spotted on the island [2, 7, 8]. The trail system, designated as a National Recreation Trail in 2012, offers three miles of looped trails, including boardwalks that provide access to the Gulf shoreline and observation platforms overlooking the swamp and dunes [2, 6]. Visitors can explore the sanctuary via its trail system, observing various bird species and other wildlife [6, 7, 9]. The sanctuary also plays a role in the island's history, with the shoreline once serving as a battlefield during the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864 [6, 7]. Today, the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary is recognized by the American Bird Conservancy as being "Globally Important" for bird migrations [6, 8].