TEXAS
TEXAS BIRDS – One would expect, owing to its size (the largest of the contiguous states), that Texas would host the most bird species in the USA, and at some 675 species listed it surely is a birder’s paradise. This state has a variety of landscapes, from plains to deserts to semi-tropical coasts, allowing a vast range of habitats for birds.
The state is also located in the middle of the North American continent (east-west) and just north of a vast body of water, the Gulf of Mexico. This area is part of the Mississipi valley and the Central Flyway, which cross Texas and follow its coast. The Central Flyway is used by dozens of migrating birds, many of which stop along the Texas coast before making the long trek across the gulf. Others simply spend the whole winter there.
The State of Texas is the first to have developed a trail system for bird watching, the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. It includes dozens of trails and hundreds of birding sites and covers the entire coast of the state, spanning dozens of counties. The internationally reknowned Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is part of that network of bird watching sites.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Many thanks to Jodi Arsenault, who graciously provided most of the photos for the Texas birds presented on this website. Click on a bird name on the list below to view its page, which contains a profile and photos.
AMERICAN WHITE IBIS – (Endocimus albus)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
COMMON GRACKLE (Quiscalus quiscula)
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)
DUCLAIR DUCK
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT – (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
NORTHERN CRESTED CARACARA – (Caracara cheriway)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
ROSEATE SPOONBILL – (Platalea ajaja)
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
The state is also located in the middle of the North American continent (east-west) and just north of a vast body of water, the Gulf of Mexico. This area is part of the Mississipi valley and the Central Flyway, which cross Texas and follow its coast. The Central Flyway is used by dozens of migrating birds, many of which stop along the Texas coast before making the long trek across the gulf. Others simply spend the whole winter there.
The State of Texas is the first to have developed a trail system for bird watching, the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. It includes dozens of trails and hundreds of birding sites and covers the entire coast of the state, spanning dozens of counties. The internationally reknowned Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is part of that network of bird watching sites.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Many thanks to Jodi Arsenault, who graciously provided most of the photos for the Texas birds presented on this website. Click on a bird name on the list below to view its page, which contains a profile and photos.
AMERICAN WHITE IBIS – (Endocimus albus)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis)
COMMON GRACKLE (Quiscalus quiscula)
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)
DUCLAIR DUCK
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaida macroura)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT – (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
NORTHERN CRESTED CARACARA – (Caracara cheriway)
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos)
ROSEATE SPOONBILL – (Platalea ajaja)
TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura)
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| Northern mockingbird, Texas State Bird |