Strawberry Plains Audubon Center

Two Sisters Who Loved Nature
In 1983, sisters Margaret Finley Shackelford and Ruth Finley willed their house and property to the National Audubon Society in loving memory of their parents, Ruth and Thomas Finley. Ruth Finley desired Strawberry Plains “to be a wildlife sanctuary in the truest sense of the word”. Since then, Audubon staff has been working to abide by the wishes of the Finley sisters to serve the mission of the Audubon Society.

Strawberry Plains Audubon Center is one of Mississippi’s finest natural and historic treasures – with more than 200 species of birds, extensive gardens of native plants, and the antebellum Davis House. The Center encompasses 2,500 acres of diverse wildlife habitat and has 15 miles of walking trails for exploring our forests, fields and wetlands. Visitor programs, including the Hummingbird Migration Celebration, are offered throughout the year.

© Susan Salinger

Hummingbird Migration Celebration
The annual Hummingbird Migration Celebration in September features the spectacular fall migration of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Thousands of the tiny birds are drawn to the Center’s forests, gardens and feeders. Experts from the Hummer/Bird Study Group band Ruby-throats during the event. Guests watch and learn during the banding, and many are given the opportunity to release a hummingbird back into the wild. The event also features many other educational programs, arts and crafts vendors, and history/nature walks.

Education and Outreach
Just as our visitor programs are growing, we are expanding our educational outreach to local schools and communities in northern Mississippi and western Tennessee. Audubon Mississippi educators work with teachers and students to make each visit a memorable experience. Adult outreach programs cover subjects ranging from gardening for backyard wildlife to restoring native habitats on private lands. We are also working with many towns in the region to promote the economic and aesthetic values of greenscaping and nature tourism.
Detailed list of education program offerings

© Bruce Reid

Coral Honeysuckle, Milkweed and Asters are a small sample of our garden’s native plant palette- and while they are beautiful to the eye, they also act as magnets for hummingbirds and butterflies. Our

landscaped areas provide food, shelter and water-all necessary for attracting birds and other wildlife. These areas also are used to demonstrate water conservation measures, organic garden practices, and alternatives to traditional lawns. Our extensive grounds and walking trails provided ample opportunities for viewing migration and nesting birds such as the Wood Thrush, Eastern Bluebird and the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Prothonotary Warbler and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Many other types of wildlife are common also, including frogs, turtles, salamanders, and snakes.

History and People
Our rich human history is on display as well. In 1834, the land was ceded from the Chickasaw Indians. After purchasing the land 1836, Ebenezer Davis constructed the stately Davis house in 1851 of clay bricks fired on the property. The home was raided repeatedly during the Civil War and ultimately burned. Margaret Finley Shackelford restored the home to its former grandeur in the 1960s. The Davis House is now featured on the annual Holly Springs Pilgrimage.

Directions: Strawberry Plains Audubon Center is located on Hwy 311, approximately 3.2 miles from the intersection of Hwy 27 North and Hwy 311 and 9.5 miles from the intersection of Hwy 72 and Hwy 311.

Coming from Memphis, TN, take either Hwy 72 from Collierville, TN and turn right onto Hwy 311, or take Hwy 78, turn left onto Hwy 7 North, follow Hwy 7 North through the town of Holly Springs, MS and turn left onto Hwy 311.

285 Plains Road, Holly Springs, MS 38635
Phone: (662) 252-1155 Fax: (662) 252-8844

Hours: 8:00 am – 4:00pm Tuesday through Saturday
Closed on Holidays. Call for winter hours.
Admission fees for entrance and house tours.
For tour groups over 10 persons, call Holly Springs Tourism Office at (662) 252-2515.

Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.

Check our web site fro information on our Annual Hummingbird Migration Celebration.
www.msaudubon.org