Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

The Okefenokee NWR covers a huge area, but there is road access to only a small portion of it. The Suwanee Canal Recreation Area on the east side offers the best birding, followed by Stephen C. Foster State Park on the west side. A commercial area called Okefenokee Swamp Park lies close to Waycross on the north side; also near Waycross is Laura S. Walker State Park with different habitats and birds. If you have time for only one area, the most interesting from a birding standpoint is Suwanee Canal, with a nice observation tower and year-round Sandhill Cranes and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. This is one of only two places with public access in Georgia for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. Key birds: Sandhill Crane, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman’s Sparrow, Prothonotary Warbler, waders. This eTrail provides detailed information on birding strategies for this specific location, the specialty birds and other key birds you might see, directions to each birding spot, and helpful general information.

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