Birding

 

Tower Grove Park serves as a natural refuge for many different bird species. The park has even been designated as a location on the Great Missouri Birding Trail. With peak sightings during the fall and spring, the park's species list is now well over 200. Serious birders throughout the metro area regularly visit the park during these peak times to enjoy the many species that visit the park.

 
 

POpular locations

There are several hotspots including the Robert & Martha Gaddy Wild Bird Garden in the northwest corner of the park.  In memory of Caroline Loughlin, the bird garden features a tranquil, bubbling waterfall and pond, which provides a serene oasis for guests and enhances the habitat for wildlife. The Woodland Pool in the memory of Jack Van Benthuysen is located on the north side of Main Drive at the east end, as well as the Cypress Circle on Main Drive. 

The park’s natural areas, like the Gaddy Wild Bird Garden and adjacent Savannah Complex, provide a haven for many of our wildlife species. The East and West creeks offer additional wildlife viewing areas, as riparian corridors are currently being established to attract animals. Other oft-visited locations include the Woodland Pool on the north side of Main Drive as well as the Cypress Circle on Main Drive. 

Birding Kits

Thanks to support from the Saigh Foundation, Tower Grove Park now has birding kits available for checkout to help students, teachers, and families learn about the Park’s many unique species of birds and their habitat. 

Developed in partnership with the St. Louis Audubon Society, the kits contain:

  • youth and adult-sized binoculars with case

  • a birding guide

Bird kits can accommodate groups of up to 22 participants and can also be checked out individually. Please contact our Community Engagement Coordinator at education@towergrovepark.org or 314-649-8920 to learn more or reserve a kit for your next visit!

updates

For current conditions and sitting opportunities, call the following:

Webster Groves Nature Study Society (314) 935-8432

St. Louis Audubon Society (314) 687-3942

birding resources

Birds of Missouri Botanical Garden and Tower Grove Park (St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden 1992).

Webster Groves Nature Study Society, Birds of the St. Louis Area; Where and When to Find Them (revised ed. St. Louis: Webster Groves Nature Society 1998).