Texas is not all about warblers. There are many other birds in their finest plumage including Baltimore Orioles like this one photographed by Steve Rogers.
- A chance to experience bird migration in action, as, in certain weather conditions, thousands of birds make landfall on the Texas coast after crossing the Gulf of Mexico, including colourful warblers, tanagers and buntings, all in dazzling summer plumage
- As well as the most spectacular movement of raptors in North America, involving almost the entire continent's populations of Broad-winged and Swainson's Hawks
- And thousands of migrating waterbirds, especially shorebirds
- All together with some of North America's and the world's
other most spectacular birds including American Swallow-tailed Kite, Whooping Crane,
Roadrunner, Blue
Jay, Elf Owl and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - And over 20 birds more or less restricted to southern Texas in the United States, birds such as Plain Chachalaca, Common Pauraque, Green and Ringed Kingfishers, Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Tropical Parula, and Altamira and Audubon's Orioles
- Making it possible to see over 150 bird species in a day and over 300 in two weeks, including over 30 shorebirds and over 30 warblers
- All in some impressive scenery, notably the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park
- High Island may be a mere 10 m high but it is an island of trees in the otherwise flat and treeless Texas coastal plain, and therefore an oasis for birds which have flown overnight from the Yucatan peninsula across the Gulf of Mexico. The two top spots are Boy Scouts Wood where there is even a small grandstand overlooking Purkey's Pond where mixed groups of warblers drink and bathe, and Smith Oaks.
- Texas is by far the largest state in the USA apart from Alaska and difficult to cover well in two weeks, especially if it is your intention to spend more than a few days at High Island, the best place to experience migration in action. It can be covered well in three weeks though.
- Timing is crucial. Wintering birds such as the Whooping Cranes have usually moved north after the first week of April, and raptor migration usually peaks in late March-early April, before the main rush of other migrating birds such as warblers which usually occurs from mid to late April, so if just two weeks are available it is probably best to concentrate on either the wintering birds and migrating raptors or the other spring migrants such as warblers, whereas if three weeks are available it may be possible to start early enough to at least see a few cranes, some migrating raptors and most of the other spring migrants, notably the warblers.
- The largest bat roosts in the world are believed to be those on the Edward’s Plateau in Texas, notably the northern summer nursery of 10 million Mexican Free-tailed Bats (Tadarida brasiliensis), as well as potentially 10 million baby bats, in Bracken Cave near San Antonio. Access to this sensitive site is restricted to members of Bat Conservation International so the best place in the world to see millions of bats leaving their roost at dusk is the private Frio Cave also near San Antonio, where there are up to ten million Mexican Free-tailed Bats. About 1.5 million also roost under Congress Bridge in downtown Austin and can be watched leaving at dusk from the Austin American-Statesman's Bat Observation Center, from the bridge itself or even from cruises on Lady Bird Lake. For updates and approximate emergence times see Bat Conservation International's website.
Many shorebirds are in full summer plumage, some like this superb Hudsonian Godwit photographed by Michael McKee.
Best Birds and other wildlife in Texas
Birds
The birds listed occur during the northern spring (Apr-May)
unless otherwise indicated.
Migrating birds including thrushes, vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks, buntings including Indigo and Painted, and up to 25 species of warbler including Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Blackburnian, Cerulean, Chestnut-sided, Canada, Magnolia, Prothonotary, Kentucky, Yellow-throated, Hooded, Bay-breasted, Black-throated Green and Black-and-white, migrating raptors including Broad-winged and Swainson's Hawks, migrating shorebirds including Hudsonian Godwit, Upland, Stilt and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, and Wilson's Phalarope, migrating Franklin's Gulls, Texan breeding specialities Black-capped Vireo, and Colima and Golden-cheeked Warblers, other specialities; Groove-billed Ani, Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Black-crested Titmouse, and more widespread spectacular species such as American Swallow-tailed Kite (Apr-Jul), Whooping Crane (mid-Nov to early Apr), (Greater) Roadrunner, Blue Jay, Elf Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, as well as Snow (mostly Nov-Mar) and Ross's (mostly Nov-Feb) Geese, Wood Duck, Wild Turkey, Western Grebe, American White (mostly Nov-Mar) and Brown Pelicans, Anhinga, Reddish Egret, herons, bitterns, ibises, Roseate Spoonbill, Harris's Hawk, Crested Caracara, rails, Piping Plover, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Black Skimmer, Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos, Common Nighthawk, hummingbirds, Belted Kingfisher, Acorn, Red-cockaded and Pileated Woodpeckers, kingbirds, flycatchers including Vermilion, Verdin, Bushtit, Brown-headed Nuthatch, wrens including Canyon, gnatcatchers, Eastern Bluebird, thrashers, Cedar Waxwing, Phainopepla, Pyrrhuloxia, sparrows, Northern Cardinal, Eastern Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird and orioles. Also a chance of Bald (mostly Dec-Feb) and Golden Eagles, Sandhill Crane (mostly Nov-Mar), Montezuma Quail, Mississippi Kite, Zone-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Lucifer Hummingbird and Painted Redstart.
The 24 species more or less restricted to southern Texas in the United States and best looked for in the Lower Rio Grande Valley area are Least Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Muscovy Duck, Black-bellied Whistling-duck, Plain Chachalaca, Hook-billed Kite, White-tailed Hawk, White-tipped Dove, Red-billed Pigeon, Ferruginous Pygmy-owl, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green and Ringed Kingfishers, Couch's Kingbird, Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Tamaulipas Crow, Clay-coloured Thrush, Long-billed Thrasher, Tropical Parula, Olive Sparrow, and Altamira and Audubon's Orioles. Also a chance of Grey Hawk, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Brown Jay, Morelet's (White-collared) Seedeater and, increasingly, the reintroduced Aplomado Falcon.
Mammals
Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Mar-Sep, peak numbers (millions) in August),
Nine-banded Armadillo, Pronghorn. Also a chance of Bottlenose Dolphin and Javelina.
Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish
American Alligator.
Invertebrates
Over 300 butterfly species have been recorded in
the Lower Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, the greatest diversity in the USA.
Best Sites for Birds and other wildlife in Texas
- Inland from High Island Area
- Jones State Forest Blue Jay, Red-headed, Red-cockaded and Pileated Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird and Pine Warbler.
- The Liberty area American Swallow-tailed Kite (perhaps best looked for in Trinity River NWR from Liberty Municipal Park).
- Beaumont/Jasper Area Blue Jay, Red-headed, Red-cockaded (Angelina NF) and Pileated woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Pine, Prairie, Worm-eating and Swainson's Warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush and Bachmann's Sparrow.
- High Island Area
- High Island Falls of migrating thrushes, vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks, buntings, warblers and orioles, as well as a heronry (Smith Oaks), Common Nighthawk and Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
- Anahuac NWR American Alligator, Snow Goose, ducks, herons, bitterns, ibises, rails, shorebirds, Swamp and Seaside Sparrows, and passage passerine migrants including up to 20 warblers. Also a chance of Yellow Rail on guided 'walks' run by the refuge.
- Bolivar Flats pelicans, Reddish Egret, a great selection of shorebirds includng Wilson's and Piping Plovers, and American Avocet, gulls, terns and Black Skimmer.
- South to Rio Grande Valley
- Brazoria NWR Snow Goose and Crested Caracara. Also a chance of Sandhill Crane.
- Brazos Bend SP American Alligator, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow-crowned Night-heron, American Bittern and Swamp Sparrow.
- Aransas Bay, including NWR Whooping Crane, Wild Turkey, pelicans, Reddish Egret, White-tailed Hawk, shorebirds, Black Skimmer and Seaside Sparrow. Also a chance of Bottlenose Dolphin.
- Oso Bay, Corpus Christi Reddish Egret and shorebirds.
- Kingsville area (Greater) Roadrunner, Harris's and White-tailed Hawks, Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Long-billed Thrasher and Pyrrhuloxia.
- King Ranch A chance of Ferruginous Pygmy-owl, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet and Tropical Parula.
- Laguna Atascosa NWR American Alligator, Reddish Egret, White-tailed Hawk, Plain Chachalaca, Roadrunner, Verdin, Long-billed Thrasher and passage passerine migrants.
- South Padre Island American Alligator, waterbirds and passage passerine migrants (especially at the Birding and Nature Center, and along Sheepshead Street).
- Lower Rio Grande Valley
- Santa Ana NWR etc. Huge numbers of migrating raptors (mostly late March-early April), resident, reintroduced Aplomado Falcons, Plain Chachalaca, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, and Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, and Audubon's and Altamira Orioles (all four at feeders, for example at Salineno). Also a chance of Hook-billed Kite, Brown Jay, Tropical Parula and more Mexican and Central American species rare in the USA.
- Santa Margarita Ranch Red-billed Pigeon, as well as Grey and Zone-tailed Hawks, Ringed Kingfisher, and Altamira Audubon’s Orioles.
- San Ygnacio, Zapata and Laredo areas A chance of Morelet's (White-collared) Seedeater.
- Big Bend NP (Greater) Roadrunner, Elf Owl, Blue-throated and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Acorn Woodpecker, Vermilion Flycatcher, Grey Vireo (along trail down to The Window and in Blue Creek Canyon), Mexican Jay, Verdin, Bushtit, Canyon Wren, Phainopepla, Colima, Lucy's and Wilson's Warblers, Black-throated Sparrow, Varied and Painted Buntings, Pyrrhuloxia, and Hooded and Scott's Orioles. Also a chance of Javelina, Golden Eagle, Zone-tailed Hawk, Lucifer (along trail down to The Window) and Magnificent Hummingbirds, and Painted Redstart.
- Davis Mountains A chance of Montezuma Quail.
- Edward's Plateau Mexican Free-tailed Bat (about 10 million adults capable of producing 10 million young in the summer nursery in Bracken Cave (restricted access), maybe 10 million more in Frio Cave (accessible to the public) and about 1.5 million under Congress Bridge in Austin), Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Black-capped Vireo, Golden-cheeked Warbler, Wild Turkey, Green Kingfisher, Cave Swallow (over 100 pairs in Frio Cave), Vermilion Flycatcher, Verdin, Bushtit, Canyon Wren, Yellow-throated Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Painted Bunting, and Hooded and Scott's Orioles. Also a chance of Zone-tailed Hawk and Tropical Parula.
Best Times for Birds and other wildlife in Texas
The greatest diversity of migrating landbirds, especially warblers at High Island, usually occurs from mid to late April, too late to see some winter visitors to the coastal region, notably Whooping Crane, and after the peak of the raptor migration which usually occurs in late March-early April. A few cranes do usually remain into early April but the best time to see them is in the middle of winter, especially January, which is also a good time to visit the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the best time there for stray birds from Mexico. The peak time for warblers is also a little early for some summer visitors, notably the rare birds of Big Bend NP such as Painted Redstart. Therefore, for an all-round Texas experience including High Island, Whooping Cranes, the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Big Bend National Park and the Edward's Plateau, the best two-week period to be in the state is from, say, 4th to 19th April, although the 4th, when visitors should be looking for the cranes, is cutting it a bit fine for them!
Unlike many other migration hot spots around the world the best time of day to experience 'falls' or 'fall-outs' of migrating landbirds, notably warblers, at High Island is not dawn but often after midday, because it usually takes the birds a night and a morning to fly from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, the main departure point.
Recommended Bird Books etc. for Texas
Field Guide to the Birds of North America edited by J Dunn and J Alderfer. NGS, 2017 (Seventh Edition).
Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America by K Kaufman. Houghton Mifflin, 2005.
The North American Bird Guide by D Sibley. Helm, 2014 (Second Edition).
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America by R T Peterson. Houghton Mifflin, 2010 (Sixth Edition).
The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds by R Crossley. PUP, 2011.
Finding Birds in South Texas by D Gosney (book and/or DVD). Easybirder, 2011.
A Birder's Guide to the Rio Grande Valley by M Lockwood et al. ABA, 2008 (Fourth Edition).
Finding Birds on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail by T Eubanks et al. TAMU Press, 2008.
A Birder's Guide to the Texas Coast by M Cooksey and R Weeks. ABA, 2006 (Second Edition).
The Warbler Guide by T Stephenson and S Whittle. PUP, 2013.
Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America by J Brock and K Kaufman. Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
Mammals of North America by R W Kays and D E Wilson. PUP, 2009 (Second Edition).
Mammals of North America by F A Reid. Peterson North American Field Guides, 2006 (Fourth Edition).
Peterson Field Guide to Finding Mammals in North America by V Dinets. Houghton Mifflin, 2015.
Apps etc.
National Geographic Birds: Field Guide to North America.
The Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North America.
Peterson Birds of North America.
Audubon Birds - A Field Guide to North American Birds.
iBird Ultimate Guide to Birds.
Birding and Wildlife Trip Reports for Texas
Many trip reports, some for Texas, are posted on the websites listed here. On some of these websites some reports are independent and some are posted by tour companies who organize tours to Texas. These tour companies and others also post their own reports on their websites, which are listed under 'Some Organized Tours to Texas' below.
- The best website for trip reports is CloudBirders
- but these are also worth a look
- Birdtours
- Fatbirder
- Jon Hornbuckle
- Mammal Watching
Local bird and wildlife guides in Texas
The costs of organized tours partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ. If you are travelling independently, employing such local guides will greatly increase your chances of seeing the wildlife you wish to see.
Accommodation for birders in Texas
Some Organized Tours for birds and other wildlife to Texas
There are many tour companies who organize tours to see mammals, birds, other wildlife and other natural wonders. The cost of these tours vary considerably according to such variables as the airlines used, the number of days the tours last, the number of sites visited, the number of people in the group (an important consideration if you wish to see such wildlife as rainforest mammals and birds), the number of tour leaders, the standard of accommodation and transport, and the percentage profit the company hopes to make. Generally, where the number of days tours last and the number of sites visited are similar, the cheapest tours are those that use the cheapest airlines, accommodation and local transport, that have the largest groups with the least number of leaders, and that make the least amount of profit. The most expensive tours tend to be those which are exceptionally long, use the most expensive accommodation (ridiculously lavish in some cases, even for single nights) and which make the most profit. Some tour costs partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ.
While tour companies organize tours with set itineraries many also organize custom tours for individuals and private groups who instead of taking a tour with a set itinerary want to follow their own itinerary to suit their own personal tastes, whether it be mammals, birds, other wildlife, other natural wonders or even man-made attractions, or a mixture of them all. Many organized tours with set itineraries are also fast-paced and target as many species as possible, whether they are mammals, birds or other wildlife or everything, which usually leaves little time to enjoy the best sites and individual species, but on a custom tour those taking part can specify the pace and the sites and species they wish to concentrate on. Custom tours also suit people who like to travel with people they already know, rather than with a group of strangers, and people with partners with different interests. Individuals and small groups will almost certainly have to pay more than the price of an organized tour with a set itinerary but a large group of friends may be able to travel for less than the price quoted for a set tour.
Tour companies who run organized tours or can arrange custom tours to Texas include the following.
