BCR 25. 

West Gulf Coastal Plain/Ouachitas

Wood Duck. Photo: USFWS

Pines dominate this area, largely shortleaf pine in the north, including the Ouachita Mountains, and longleaf pine in the south. This westernmost part of the eastern United States forest also includes hardwood dominated bottomlands along the Arkansas River and other drainages. Red-cockaded Woodpecker is the highest priority bird in pine habitat, which is also inhabited by Bachman's Sparrow and Brown-headed Nuthatch. Conversion of the native pine forests to industrial loblolly plantations provides some bird habitat, but is less useful for the highest priority species. The river and stream bottoms provide habitat used by Swainson's Warbler and large numbers of nesting herons and egrets. Bottomland hardwoods and associated wetlands support substantial wintering populations of a number of waterfowl species, principally Mallards, and breeding and wintering Wood Ducks, and are a primary migration corridor for significant numbers of other dabbling ducks. The principal threats to bottomland hardwood wetlands in the region are from reservoirs and timber harvest and subsequent conversion to pine plantation, pasture, or other land uses.

Important Bird Areas in this BCR

Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Photo: Photo: © Bill Schmoker

Angelina National Forest

Big Thicket National Preserve and Martin Dies, Jr. State Park

Caddo Lake, including Caddo Lake State Park, and Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area

Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge , including Dewey Wills National Wildlife Refuge and Catahoula Lake

Davy Crockett National Forest

Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge

Fort Polk

Jones State Forest

Kisatchie National Forest

Ouachita National Forest

Ozark National Forest

Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary

Sam Houston National Forest