Cumberland Mountain Birding

Close-up of a small reddish-brown screech owl perched on a gloved hand, looking directly at the camera with bright yellow eyes, against a blurred green background.

Birding at Cumberland Mountain 

Herons, belted kingfishers, and ducks in migration or wintering can be seen from the lakeshore.

Woodland birds are common. In the summer, expect yellow-billed cuckoo, flycatchers, wood thrush, warblers, blue-gray gnatcatcher, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting, and vireos. Red-tailed hawk, woodpeckers, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, Carolina wren, American goldfinch, and eastern towhee may be encountered year-round. One-hundred and five species of birds have been observed.

Featured Birds

Waterfowl
Canada Goose
Mallard
Bufflehead
Spotted Sandpiper
Belted Kingfisher
American Robin
American Crow
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
American Goldfinch
Eastern Bluebird
Brown Thrasher
Song Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Woodland Birds
Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Vireos
Barred Owl
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Cardinal
American Crow
Blue Jay
Song Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe
Brown Thrasher
Carolina Wren
Thrushes
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Red-headed Woodpecker
Prairie Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
White-eyed Vireo
Common Yellowthroat
Ovenbird
Northern Bobwhite
Owls
Sandhill Crane
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Spotted Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wild Turkey
Cooper’s Hawk

Responsible Birding

Do not endanger the welfare of birds.
Tread lightly and respect bird habitat.
Silence is golden.
Do not use electronic sound devices to attract birds during nesting season, May-July.
Take extra care when in a nesting area.
Always respect the law and the rights of others, violators subject to prosecution.
Do not trespass on private property.
Avoid pointing your binoculars at other people or their homes.
Limit group sizes in areas that are not conducive to large crowds.

Birding Locations

Lake Trail Loop

Featured birds: Waterfowl, Canada Goose, Mallard, Bufflehead, Spotted Sandpiper

This trail begins near the restaurant, crosses over the dam via the road, and follows the shores of Byrd Lake between the dam and the wooden bridge near the boathouse, offering many views over the lake. 
Pioneer Short Loop Trail

Featured birds: Waterfowl, Woodland Birds, Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Vireos

This is the most frequently hiked trail in our park. The trail follows along the banks of Byrd Lake to our famous swinging bridge and loops back around to our foot bridge at the boat dock. Along the trail,you will see a small rock overlook we call picnic rock. Stop here and enjoy the view. Hikers will pass through several sections of trail where mountain laurel and rhododendron create a pathway along the trail. The long section of rock steps that hikers will go up and down are original steps put in by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Accessibility
Cumberland Plateau Trail

Featured birds: Woodland Birds, Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Vireos, Barred Owl

This trail showcases a variety of wildflowers throughout the year. It is one of the most easily accessible trails to view the pink lady’s slipper in the late spring. This trail takes hikers through dense forest on the upper section of trail and loops around to follow the creek on the lower section of trail. The trail completes the loop with a very picturesque view of the backside of the CCC Dam and Mill House Lodge.
Byrd Creek Trail

Featured birds: Woodland Birds, Woodpecker, Vireos, Northern Flicker, Barred Owl

This trail follows along the banks of Byrd Creek for the entirety of the hike. At approximately one and a half miles hikers will come to the red and yellow junction. From here you should follow the red trail back to the CCC dam, then walk across the dam back to the park office where you started. This trail provides hikers with a unique tree top canopy of hemlock trees in several sections. Through these sections you will notice less vegetation on the forest floor and cooler temperatures in these areas. Hikers will also cross a small creek that is home to a very unique bridge that was built by an eagle scout.
Black Mountain Parking Area

Featured birds: Warblers, Vireos, Thrushes, Owls, American Redstart

Black Mountain is 2,800 feet in elevation, high enough for bird species preferring moderately high elevation, with a loop hiking trail passing through oak-hickory-pine forest and leading to spectacular sandstone outcrop overlooks into the Grassy Cove Karst National Natural Landmark. Sixty species of birds were identified.
Catoosa Wildlife Management Area: Oak Savanna Restoration

Featured birds: Red-headed Woodpecker, Prairie Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, White-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat

(Hunting Area) Catoosa WMA contains extensive oak-hickory forest, gravel roads and an actively managed oak savanna restoration area to maintain open woodlands and native grass systems that historically occurred in the region before fire was removed from the system and forests dominated the area. Ninety species of birds identified.

Wildlife Management Areas
Yuchi Wildlife Refuge: Observation Platform

Featured birds: Warblers, Thrushes, Vireos, Flycatchers, Owls

(Hunting Area) Yuchi Refuge encompasses 2,500 acres on the Tennessee River, with three miles of riverfront, 1,000 acres of wetland, 1,500 acres of upland forest, and extensive grasslands providing habitat for shrubland and grassland birds. Over 155 species of birds have been identified.

Wildlife Management Areas