County: Tuscaloosa  |   Attraction Types: Birding Trail, Park

The University of Alabama Arboretum maintains plant collections for botanical education and appreciation. The Arboretum features walking trails through a native woodland section, a wildflower garden, a collection of ornamental plants, an experimental garden, and a children’s garden. Most of the Arboretum’s land was donated by the federal government to help support the University’s goals of promoting research and providing public education and service. Today the Arboretum is part of a national network that shares plant information with scientists, students and the public.

The University Arboretum is simply the best location in the immediate vicinity of Tuscaloosa to find woodland songbirds. With the exception of the hottest days of summer, mid-June through August, the arboretum is full of  bird activity. The site seems to attract a small number of visitors and thus offers a quiet refuge for both wildlife and the folks who visit. You may be tempted to bird the heavily wooded entrance road from 15th Sreet, as there is considerable bird activity. Be careful; this is essentially one wide lane and there is traffic. It’s best to park at the end of the road and walk back to see the birds. Birding along this road is actually best in winter when sparrows, wrens, and kinglets tend to seek cover in the dense vegetation here.