Seven Islands State Birding Park is a

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "Federated state, state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on accou ...

Knox County, Tennessee Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 500,669 as of a 2023 estimate, making it the third-most populous county in Tennessee. Its county seat is Knoxville, which is the third-most populous city in Te ...

located east of

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

near

Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...

along the

French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman, North Carolina, Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston R ...

. The park was created for

birdwatching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescop ...

. The diverse grassland landscapes and the river create a habitat for more than 180 species of birds. The park was opened on July 1, 2014 by state and local officials.

History

For much of the 20th century, the park's land was part of a farm operated by the Kelly family, whose name is still attached to the river bend and the park's main access road, and whose farm house is still standing on the property. Preservationists gradually acquired the land and donated it to the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department. The Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge was created and initially managed by the Parks and Recreation Department and the Seven Islands Foundation, and later by the Legacy Parks Foundation. The refuge became Tennessee's 56th state park on July 1, 2014. The park's name refers to a string of small islands and shoals in the adjacent river.

Birds

Species of birds found within the park include purple martins, tree swallows, common yellowthroats, yellow-breasted chats, summer tanagers, blue grosbeaks, and

indigo bunting The indigo bunting (''Passerina cyanea'') is a small seed-eating bird in the cardinal family, Cardinalidae. It is bird migration, migratory, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to ...

s. Sparrows are common in winter, namely the field,

Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...

song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...

swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...

, white-throated, and white-crowned species.

Barn owl The barn owls, owls in the genus '' Tyto'', are the most widely distributed genus of owls in the world. They are medium-sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons. The ter ...

s have been known to frequent the old barns in the area. Waterfowl include

Canada geese The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), sometimes called Canadian goose, is a large species of goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North ...

and

mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. It has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...

Activities

Birdwatching is why the park was created but it also includes the following: *2 small canoe/kayak boat launch sites. * of hiking trails. *Biking and fishing may also be done at the park. Fishing can be done along the

Location

The park is located approximately east of

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the Tennessee River and had a population of 190,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division ...

. The park is located along the

. The park's address is 2809 Kelly Lane, Kodak, Tennessee 37764. The park can be accessed from

Interstate 40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west transcontinental Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States, southeastern and Southwestern United States, southwestern portions of the United States. At a leng ...

via exit 402 (Midway Road).

References

External links

Official site
{{authority control State parks of Tennessee Protected areas of Knox County, Tennessee Birdwatching sites in the United States