Featured Image: Explore Ridgeland
Have you ever heard of a Flyway? As it sounds, it’s a major route (a la highway) for migratory birds as they make their way south for the winter. And guess what Southern city sits right along the Mississippi Flyway—the largest bird migration route in North America? Ridgeland.
If you’re keeping score, that makes it the Magnolia State’s ultimate shopping destination, the Steakhouse Capital, and *checks notes* one of the best places for birders looking to steal glances of their favorites.
Whether you’re coming to town with a serious life list and a long-lens camera or just looking for a slow, peaceful walk that happens to involve a lot of wildlife, Ridgeland has the infrastructure to support it. And this year, the city will unveil new trails, new educational signage, and new parks, much to the delight of travelers and avifauna alike.
We’ve gathered absolutely everything you need to know.
Where to Go
Freedom Ridge Park and the Purple Creek Basin
Freedom Ridge Park is Ridgeland’s main city park, and it’s currently undergoing a notable transformation. The city recently completed a major first phase of improvements along Purple Creek on the property, including drainage work, erosion control, and new trail extensions. The next phase will include new fishing sites, observation decks, and benches, but birders pay attention: they’ll also unveil educational signage identifying wildlife, plant life, and more. Five trail markers throughout the property will highlight our darling birds, including geese, ducks, and blue herons.
Barnett Reservoir and Reservoir Overlook
The Barnett Reservoir and its overlook are prime time when it comes to spotting waterfowl, wading birds, and migratory species in droves. Spring and fall migration bring species like yellow-rumped warblers, dark-eyed juncos, and purple finches—while the resident population includes red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, and belted kingfishers.
This is a good place to pack a picnic alongside your binoculars; you’ll want to plan to sit a while.
Chisha Foka Trail
Chisha Foka is a multi-use trail running through some of the more interesting terrain in the area. The name itself is Choctaw, meaning “long trail,” and it winds through woodland habitat that draws birds like brown thrashers, Carolina wrens, eastern towhees, and a lineup of woodpeckers—red-bellied, downy, and the occasional red-headed (bright crimson head, black and white body in contrast). The trail also records painted buntings seasonally: these small birds steal the show with their rainbow feathers!
Old Trace Park
Old Trace follows a section of the original Natchez Trace, and the forest provides cover for species that need deeper woodland. This includes scarlet tanagers, summer tanagers, and Baltimore orioles moving through in spring (don’t tell them we’re in Braves Country).
Wildflower Field and Art Park: Revamping this Spring
One of the most interesting things happening in Ridgeland right now is the Wildflower Field and Art Park, which is currently being seeded and will fully bloom around early June, according to the city’s PR Director, Kim Cooper. The park combines blooming native wildflowers with public art sculptures, and the whole thing was designed specifically with pollinators, butterflies, and native birds in mind.
An official marker is being installed this spring, with an unveiling planned for early April. The marker will include information on native birds identified in the field, along with the wildflowers, pollinators, and butterflies that use them.
What To Keep Your Eyes Peeled For
Ridgeland’s bird list is long and broad. Residents you can likely spot year-round include northern cardinals, Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, Carolina wrens, and eastern bluebirds—all a reliable cast of characters you’d expect in the Southeast. Plus, there’s that robust woodpecker lineup we mentioned earlier.
Spring migration brings the warblers: pine warblers, yellow-rumped warblers, and orange-crowned warblers moving on through alongside summer tanagers and scarlet tanagers. Unsurprisingly, the mockingbird, Mississippi’s state bird, is everywhere.
Those rainbow-clad painted buntings are Ridgeland’s celebrity sighting. They winter along the Gulf Coast and pass through the region during migration, so plan accordingly if this is your big goal (they come north April through May and head south when the weather cools off – a timing wildcard in Mississippi).
Tips & Tricks
The early bird gets the… bird. Activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise, especially during spring migration. Bring water, wear layers (Mississippi spring mornings can be cool before they’re not), and download the Merlin Bird ID app from Cornell Lab if you haven’t already. It will identify bird calls in real time using your phone’s microphone.
Ridgeland’s parks are free and open to the public. For current trail conditions and more information, visit exploreridgeland.com.
This article is presented in partnership with Explore Ridgeland, a Modern South Founding Partner.
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