Avis Spiralis | Audubon

Avis Spiralis, or “spiral fowl,” is a one-of-a-kind fowl blind and statement tower on the Riverlands Migratory Fowl Sanctuary designed and constructed by Professor Pablo Moyano Fernández of the Sam Fox College of Artwork & Design at WashU in collaboration with Audubon, and U.S. Military Corps of Engineers.

The construction checks the sustainability of concrete and a brand new concrete-casting system Fernández developed referred to as Opus Versatilium. About 85 p.c of the concrete used to construct the blind and statement tower was made utilizing regionally sourced supplies. The sand was from the Missouri River and the gravel is from a close-by quarry.

Devoted in October 2025, the 20-foot-tall Avis Spiralis overlooks Heron Pond, the jewel of the wetland habitat expanse at Riverlands and a well-liked birding location. Heron Pond is a perfect spot to see herons, egrets, shorebirds, waterfowl and lots of different migratory birds. It features a built-in bench and holes within the form of hovering birds and has wonderful 360 views of the Sanctuary!

Avis Spiralis sits instantly throughout Heron Pond from the primary blind constructed and put in by the WashU College of Structure at Riverlands in 2013 additionally in partnership with Audubon and the Corps. The Heron Pond Avian Observatory was featured in an Audubon Journal article about fowl blinds in 2017. https://www.audubon.org/magazine/windows-another-world-take-tour-of-bird-blinds-across-country

Avis Spiralis and the Heron Pond Avian Observatory are open to the general public from daybreak to nightfall. Maps, fowl checklists binoculars checkout can be found on the Audubon Middle to reinforce your birdwatching expertise!