Central Indiana Birding Opportunities - Mounds State Park

Mounds State Park is Indiana’s second smallest State Park with only 290 acres, however, it is home to a wide variety of habitats that make it a great stopover site for many of birds.

The White River, riverbanks, gentle streams, and our biodiverse fen provide rich feeding grounds for waterfowl like geese and ducks, Belted Kingfishers, and flycatchers. Bald Eagles fish in park section of the White River as well!

Trail 5 winds through the perimeter of the park. Chipping and Song sparrows sing near the historic Bronnenberg home. Woodpecker varieties, including the Pileated and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (seasonally) drum and call around the Great Mound. As Trail 5 curves towards the river, the forest stand is about a century old, providing downed logs and branches where you can spy wrens, Golden-crowned Kinglets, and Eastern Towhees. Nighttime birders might hear owls in the woods near the park’s campground.

Mounds State Park’s Visitor Center features a wildlife viewing room with comfortable seating arranged behind floor to ceiling glass windows. A variety of typical feeder birds can be seen throughout the year. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are frequent visitors during the summer.

eBird Hotspot Link:
ebird.org/hotspot/L335435

Total Birding Time:
1-2.5 hours

Best Times to Bird: 
The best time to find birds is sunrise to around 10:30am in the morning. Mounds State Park is located in the middle of two major migration flyways; the best times to bird are April/May and September/October. This is when you will see a Scarlet Tanager or one of our beautiful more exotic warbler species like the Black-throated Blue Warbler. Birding is a fun year-round event in the park.

BROOKVILLE WEATHER //


Address:
4306 Mounds Road
Anderson, IN, 46017

Hours: Regular park hours are 7am-11pm.
Ownership: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of State Parks
Admission: $7/vehicle with Indiana license plate, $9/vehicle out-of-state. Free admission with annual entrance permit and in many days through the winter.
Restrictions: Please obey all rules and regulations. A summary of property rules can be found at stateparks.IN.gov/6468.htm.
Parking: Ample parking is available at trailheads, the nature center, and picnic areas.
Nearby Amenities: The park has a visitor center with modern restrooms and a birdwatching area. Vault toilets are located in the park as well. Mounds State Park is located less than 5 miles away from one of Anderson’s busiest retail and dining areas, located on Scatterfield Road (IN 9).
Accessibility: Trail 5 from the visitor center to the Great Mound is gravel and easily traversed. A motorized chair is available by reservation to use on this path. The park visitor center is ADA accessible.
Website: stateparks.IN.gov
Phone Number: Office (765)642-6627, Nature Center (765)649-8128

Written By: Kelley Morgan
Photo By: Carol Johnston