Top 15 Birds of Louisiana

Louisiana is home to a rich diversity of bird species thanks to its wetlands, forests, and coastal environments. Here are the top 15 birds that grace the skies, swamps, and woodlands of the Pelican State.

1. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

• Description: Bright red plumage in males, with a distinctive crest; females are tan with reddish highlights.
• Habitat: Woodlands, gardens, and shrublands across Louisiana.
• Ecosystem Services: Seed disperser and insect predator, helping control garden pests.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

2. Great Egret (Ardea alba)

• Description: Large, elegant white wader with a long neck and yellow bill.
• Habitat: Wetlands, marshes, and swamps.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls fish and amphibian populations, indicating wetland health.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

3. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

• Description: Large coastal bird with a gray-brown body and massive bill with a throat pouch.
• Habitat: Coastal shores, estuaries, and barrier islands.
• Ecosystem Services: Top predator in marine food webs, helping balance fish populations.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (recovering from past declines).

4. Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

• Description: Medium-sized raptor with reddish shoulders and banded tail.
• Habitat: Bottomland forests, swamps, and wooded river corridors.
• Ecosystem Services: Rodent and small mammal control.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

5. Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)

• Description: Small songbird with bright yellow body and blue-gray wings.
• Habitat: Swamps and bottomland hardwood forests.
• Ecosystem Services: Insect control, especially for aquatic insect larvae.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

6. Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)

• Description: Pink wading bird with a distinctive spoon-shaped bill.
• Habitat: Coastal marshes, mangroves, and estuaries.
• Ecosystem Services: Helps maintain marsh ecosystems by foraging in shallow waters.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

7. Barred Owl (Strix varia)

• Description: Large owl with brown-and-white barred plumage and dark eyes.
• Habitat: Mature forests, especially near water.
• Ecosystem Services: Predator of rodents and small mammals.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

8. Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)

• Description: Vibrant male with red, blue, and green plumage; females are greenish-yellow.
• Habitat: Thickets, woodland edges, and brushy areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Seed disperser and insect eater.
• Conservation Status: Near Threatened.

9. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

• Description: Male sports iridescent plumage with bold patterns; female is gray-brown with white eye ring.
• Habitat: Swamps, wooded ponds, and marshes.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls aquatic invertebrates and disperses seeds.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

10. Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)

• Description: Striking black-and-white raptor with a deeply forked tail.
• Habitat: Wetlands, swamps, and pine forests.
• Ecosystem Services: Insect and small vertebrate control.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

11. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)

• Description: Small bird with black cap, white cheeks, and gray back.
• Habitat: Deciduous and mixed forests, suburban areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls insects and pests; disperses seeds.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

12. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

• Description: Bright blue with rusty red breast in males; females are paler.
• Habitat: Open fields, orchards, and woodland edges.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls insect populations, especially beetles and caterpillars.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

13. White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

• Description: Medium-sized wader with white plumage and curved red bill.
• Habitat: Marshes, mudflats, and wetlands.
• Ecosystem Services: Helps control crustacean and insect populations.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

14. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

• Description: Large woodpecker with black body, white stripes, and red crest.
• Habitat: Mature forests and woodlands.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls wood-boring insects and creates cavities for other wildlife.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

15. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

• Description: Tiny bird with iridescent green back; males have a ruby-red throat.
• Habitat: Gardens, forest edges, and meadows.
• Ecosystem Services: Pollinator of native flowering plants.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.