Not sure which US tour to choose? Click to see a complete listing and comparison of all our US trips.

To an outsider, the name Louisiana brings to mind deep, dank cypress swamps, alligators, crazy Mardi Gras celebrations, and (of course) Cajun and Creole cooking. The real Cajun country is mostly found in the southwestern part of the state, and it is here that we plan to concentrate our efforts.

Cajun country is one of the primary rice-growing regions of the US, and it is where many prairie and taiga pothole-breeding birds spend their winter: ducks, geese, ibis, bitterns, Sedge Wrens, LeConte's Sparrows, blackbirds, and, perhaps the most secretive of them all, Yellow Rails. These species can be found across much of the Southeast, but because of the rice harvesting schedule of Cajun farmers, the chance of seeing them here is perhaps better than anywhere else--as the rice combines collect the lagniappe (extra) autumn crop, they flush the birds that are otherwise buried deep in marshy grass. We will spend time watching for these species along the dirt roads that crisscross the rice country. This region is very birdy, and, in addition to the marsh birds, any hedgerow may have lingering or vagrant migrants, wintering sparrows, or some other surprise!

In the course of our long weekend, we will also spend time birding along the coastal marshes, beaches, and cheniers (coastal tree islands) for late seasonal migrants and wintering species, as well as some time in nearby pine woods that are home to such southeastern specialties as Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and secretive Bachman's Sparrow. And of course, don't forget your appetite: Louisiana is rightly known for its tasty cuisine, and we will make a point of sampling some of it: gumbo, etouffé, corn and crab bisque, blackened catfish, boudin, and po'boys are some of the mouth-watering offerings for which the region is famous! So why don't y'all come on down and visit?

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment
"It's a wonderful tour. Although it's short, we saw a large number of species and a large number of individual birds. I was amazed we saw all the rails so well. Dan Lane does everything well as a tour leader. He gets us on the birds, has thoughtful and interesting comments about what we are seeing, is patient and good with people, and makes the shared experience a lot of fun. I usually travel with Field Guides. FG trips have been a good fit for how I like to travel and bird--for many years now." A.B., LOUISIANA: YELLOW RAILS & CRAWFISH TAILS

"We enjoyed the tour. Alex Sundvall was a great guide. He was incredible at spotting birds and found some great birds that no one else noticed. H was laid back, easy to talk to, humble, and engaging. I would definitely travel with him in the future. The Field Guides office service was very good--timely and seamless." R.M., LOUISIANA: YELLOW RAILS & CRAWFISH TAILS