Birds in Texas

Texas undisputedly comes second among the states with the highest bird count. The large state covers pretty much everything, from deserts to swamps, making it the ideal place for birds to settle in.

What Is The State Bird Of Texas?

Adopted in 1927, the Northern Mockingbird is Texas’ state bird. One of the most common birds in Texas, the bird is capable of producing 200 sounds easily.

What Are The Top Spots to Go Bird Watching In Texas?

Brazos Bend State Park is about 30 miles from Houston and is not only attractive for the birds but also for its scenic beauty. Finding birds in Texas is every bit fulfilling when you come across Purple Gallinule, Roseate Spoonbill, and Anhinga here. Fulvous Whistling-Duck is a lot less common but certainly present. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and Painted Buntings are among the breeders here.

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge boasts a total of 400 species. Ladder-backed Woodpecker, White-tailed Hawk, and Crested Caracara are among the breeders but the refuge is known for one bird specifically. The Whooping Crane, a bird that is almost 5 feet tall lives there, protected as it is one of the endangered birds.

Big Bend National Park has a place among the greatest birding destinations. It’s the hub for photographers, hikers, and history enthusiasts, as everyone has something to see here. Curve-billed Thrasher, Pyrrhuloxia, and Crissal Thrasher are among the common species here.

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How Many Birds Can You See In Texas?

Texas has a really high bird count, 672 to be precise. Yet, the bird species are so scattered throughout the state that one can only spot 468 species tops in Cameron. Nueces, Hidalgo, Galveston, and Brazoria have a count of 456, 447, 436, and 424 respectively. You might have to go to counties with a lot lower bird count if you want to catch all the birds in Texas though.

Aransas NWR is a good birding area in a state like Texas with a count of 366 species. Laguna Atascosa NWR and South Padre is also a hotspot that bird watchers in Texas would love, with the count of 361 and 354 birds.

Top Birds To See In Texas

Red-Tailed Hawk, also dubbed as the Chicken Hawk, is a part of just about any of the open habitats of Texas. Often, you will see them on the highways, perched with its huge claws as it looks as if it’s monitoring the traffic!

Barn Swallow is commonly known as ‘mud swallow’. This is due to the species’ habit of collecting mud to build its cup-like nests. Mostly orange from the front, the bird has black wings and a black top.

Common Birds To See In Texas

Northern Mockingbird is a common sight in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Great Blue Heron and Painted Buntings are also among the commoners. In fact, it’s not that hard to come across Turkey Vultures in the metropolitan cities. You will find that with its huge list of species, almost all birds are common in the state.

Final Thoughts

You can’t be a birdwatcher and not visit the state to at least have a chance to come across all the birds in texas. No one would miss out on a state with the second-highest bird count. If you are dedicated enough, you would come across the rarest of the species in Texas.