Birding in Texas

The skies of Texas are an aviary writ large, with more than 540 species of birds. About 500 of those can be found at the World Birding Center, a hub of nine sites lining the Rio Grande from Roma to South Padre Island.

Texas is home to more than 540 bird species, or two-thirds of the species found in the entire United States, according to the “Texas Almanac.” The state’s varied ecosystems are the stuff of a bird-watcher’s dream, promising glimpses of rare nesting and migratory species.

Birder’s Paradise

Running 120 miles along the Rio Grande, the World Birding Center is a string of nine birding sites with intimate access to more than 500 species.

Dip into the riches of these protected habitats with each site transporting you to a different scene, boasting its own distinct set of rare avian species along with many familiar favorites.

For a truly remarkable experience, begin at the westernmost site, Roma Bluffs. There, an overlook offers a quaint vista of the river, which alternates between a ripple and a robust rush depending on the actions of the Falcon Dam, 20 miles south. Once the port of a long-defunct riverboat, the site offers binocular-aided peeks of wildlife in the surrounding woodland.

Among uncommon catches, you might see Audubon’s orioles in transit between riverside trees. Sporting black hoods and bodies covered in school-bus-yellow feathers, the birds provide a jolt of color amid the green. And their calls sounded like drunken whistlers.

Moving eastward, visit the center’s headquarters at Bentsen–Rio Grande Valley State Park, which feature an abundance of eye candy, avian and otherwise, over 760 acres of lush alluvial plain.

It’s a birder’s paradise; feeding stations attract birds in dizzying variety. Countless green jays dazzle with green plumage and blue hoods. The plain chachalaca, another regional standard, abound. The bird’s name is an attempted onomatopoeic representation of its call: loud, guttural and Jurassic.

Less common tropicals will have you scribbling in your journal. There are the hook-billed kites, a stern-faced bird of prey; beardless tyrannulets, with a coif that looks like it was sculpted in a salon; and the clay-colored thrushes. Diving, soaring, chasing and feeding, they’re a sight to behold as you revel in the biodiversity.

While you’re in the area, be sure not to miss the Estero Llano Grande State Park, which covers some of the most varied assortment of biomes in the area. At 230 acres, the refuge spans shallow lakes, thorn forests and woodlands.

A favorite among visitors is the roseate spoonbill, a chunky creature with pink and white plumage. Like a funhouse-mirror flamingo, it derives its color from the plankton in its diet. Spoonbills also rove the waters for food, making calls that could only be described as Daffy Duck speaking in tongues.

The World Birding Center’s other sites are just as worthy, and they’re the perfect excuse for a return visit: Quinta Mazatlan, Old Hidalgo Pumphouse, Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, Harlingen Arroyo Colorado, Resaca de la Palma State Park and South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center.

FUN FACT
The World Birding Center offers firsthand looks at some of conservationists’ most rousing successes. At the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, you might spot brown pelicans flying low over the waters. They were seriously endangered as recently as the 1970s, but populations have rebounded significantly.