South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center

Address:

6801 Padre Boulevard
South Padre Island, TX 78597

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Phone: (956) 243-8179 | Website

The South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center will be the location for the South Padre Island site of the World Birding Center. Located on the Laguna Madre Waterfront, this facility will connect with the existing Laguna Madre Nature Trail.

Five additional bird blinds have been added to the over one half mile of trails, accessible 7 days a week. The 60 ft. observation tower gives panoramic views of the Laguna Madre and Gulf of Mexico

With over 360 recorded species, and the convergence of neo-tropical songbirds that occurs during spring and fall migrations, the Island has become one of the premier birding locations in the western hemisphere. Scheduled opening date is Fall 2008.

The exhibits will take visitors on an educational voyage from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico through the dunes and into the Laguna Madre and include

• 30' by 50' gallery and over a 1/2 mile of outdoor boardwalks
• 3 dimensional displays as well as touchable wildlife recreations.
• Aerial photographs with interactive maps of SPI identifying sea grass communities and other features in the adjacent waters of the Laguna Madre Bay & Gulf of Mexico

Interpretive panels explaining:

• The formation of barrior islands and the effects of storms, wind, waves and sea level changes
• Future impact of development and environmental changes (including hurricanes, sea level changes & possible oil spills)
• Suspended displays of a variety of large birds and mammals

Exhibit Detail

• Ice age exhibit of the Gulf Coastal Plains
• Displays showing changes in climate, vegetation and panels showing animals based on fossils from the intracoastal waterway
• Exhibit devoted to the impact of humans, how and from where sand is deposited, effects of jetty development and restoration projects.
• Animated diagrams explaining the sources of water, wastewater and electricity to SPI. Monitors with visual tours through water and sewage treatment plant and electrical stations.

Central Exhibit

• Focus on migratory species
• Computer stations with programs on Peregrin Falcons, migratory birds and sea turtles.
• Earthspan Banding Program and satellite tracking demonstrating 'real time' migration
• Temple University Migratory bird program features radar tracking of spring migrating birds.
• 'Real time' tracking of sea turtles worldwide
• Seaturtle Inc. restoration Program
• Ila Loetscher exhibit (founder of Sea Turtle Inc.)
• Bottlenose dolphin exhibit of our unique dolphin population of Laguna Madre
• Large display devoted to migratory birds and the importance of SPI as wintering spot for shorebirds and a breeding spot for waterfowl.

Other exhibits focus on the natural communities of the Island, Laguna Madre and adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This includes interpretive panels explaining the importance of the Bay as a nursery for fish, shrimp & crabs.

A ceiling to floor case houses an underwater oil rig platform with it's reef community. Models of 49 species of fish and invertebrates are included.