Oxbow Nature Conservancy Added to Indiana Birding Trail

The Indiana Birding Trail is a curated collection of premier birding locations designed to connect people with birds.

Photo by Indiana Birding Trail.

(Dearborn County, Ind.) - The Indiana Birding Trail is adding three new birding destinations as part of its 2026 update, bringing the statewide network to 70 sites recognized for high-quality habitat and bird diversity.

DePauw Nature Park and Lieber State Recreation Area, both located in Putnam County, along with Oxbow Nature Conservancy in Dearborn County, are part of the Indiana Birding Trail’s 2026-2027 update.

The Indiana Birding Trail is a curated collection of premier birding locations designed to connect people with birds while supporting conservation, outdoor recreation, and nature-based tourism. Managed by Indiana Audubon, the trail highlights sites selected through a review process that considers factors such as bird species diversity, length of the birding season, accessibility, amenities, and the overall quality of the visitor experience.

“These sites rose to the top because they represent distinct and important bird habitats and reliably produce a wide variety of species across seasons,” said Brad Bumgardner, executive director of Indiana Audubon. “They reflect the kind of birding experiences the trail is meant to offer.”

Locally, Oxbow Nature Conservancy protects a floodplain landscape where the Great Miami River flows into the Ohio River, supporting grassland birds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and migratory species. The site is managed by Oxbox, Inc.

The new sites are featured in the 2026-2027 Indiana Birding Trail guidebook, which includes all 70 trail locations and updated site-specific details. The printed guidebook is available for purchase for $18 per copy through Indiana Audubon’s online store at https://bit.ly/INBirdingTrailGuide.

Indiana Audubon is also launching the 2026 Indiana Birding Trail Checklist Challenge, a free, yearlong activity open to anyone who wants to take part. Participants are invited to visit the Indiana Birding Trail sites, earn leaderboard points, collect badge stickers, and compete for prizes throughout the year. The challenge includes four seasonal prize drawings and three year-end prize drawings. A printed checklist is included with the purchase of the guidebook, and full details are available at indianaaudubon.org/indiana-birding-trail-challenge.

More information about the Indiana Birding Trail can be found at indianabirdingtrail.com.