Even non-birdwatchers will find Birdsong Nature Center an inspiring place to visit. Just finding the center is a pleasurable drive! Birdsong is located south of Thomasville, Georgia, at 2106 Meridian Road (one of the picturesque Canopy Roads with live oak dripping with Spanish moss); a mere four miles north of the Florida border.
Birdsong is open 9am-5pm Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and 1pm-5pm on Sundays. Admission is $5.00. Learn more at Birdsong's website or call 800-953-BIRD.
Birdwatching in the Red Hills of Georgia
Visitors can find a long list of birds, both resident and migatory here:
- great blue heron
- red-winged blackbirds
- bluebirds
- titmice
- towhees
- Carolina wrens
- chipping sparrows
- hermit thrush
- eastern phoebe
- white-eyed vireo
- and many more!
A must-see is the Listening Place, a screened-in building overlooking a swamp vibrant with chatter and flashes of color as birds fly through seeking food and shelter. Getting to the building involves a short hike through gently sloping fields and forests and gives visitors a chance to see the red soil and rolling countryside, quite unlike the flat terrain elsewhere in the region.
However, Birdsong Nature Center strives to instill a love for nature and wildlife as a whole - so there's more to do beyond birdwatching!
Twelve miles of nature trails wind in and around the former pastures, farm pond (look carefully for alligators and turtles), and hardwood forests.
Tour the modest farmhouse (first floor only) with its display of botanical finds from the Komareks' exotic travels. Visit the gift shop and purchase a "I break for butterflies" bumpersticker! Don't miss the famous Bird Window, a large plate-glass wall installed in 1958 in the living room of the Komarek home—a great spot to relax and view birds feeding and bathing.
Birdsong Fosters Environmental Education Projects
Birdsong Nature Center hosts ongoing programs focusing on bird identification, natural science skills for teachers, and fire ecology. The center also sponsors several special events to raise money and awareness:
- Plant Sale Fundraiser in March
- Butterfly Festival in July
- Fall Festival in October
- Winter Solstice Celebration in December
Birdsong Promotes Worthy Wildlife Conservation Goals
In pre-Civil War days the property was part of a large plantation owned by William James Dickey. First called Birdsong Plantation in the 1890s by the then owners (the Williams family), the property was a year-round working farm, producing corn, peanuts, oats, sweet potatoes and maintaining livestock such as horses, cattle, and hogs.
Ed and Betty Komarek purchased the 565-acre property in 1938 and began rebuilding the worn-out pastures, selecting plants attractive to birds, and experimenting with the then novel idea of prescribed burning to manage woodlands and fields. They were dedicated to not only improving the land, but also promoting a deep respect for birds, insects, and forests. In 1986 the Birdsong Nature Center was established as a nonprofit organization and continues its highly-regarded wildlife conservation and education goals today.
Add Birdsong Nature Center to Your Next Georgia Vacation
Commit at least an hour at Birdsong for a quick tour; certainly devote more time for the hikes and a pleasurable visit to the Listening Place. For those travelers not familiar with Georgia, be sure to visit Explore Georgia, the state's official tourism website, for details on accommodations, directions, and suggested tours.
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