View towards the Chisos Mountains, from Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, West Texas, April 2003. This photo was taken during a drought period when the Rio Grande had almost dried up in some areas
Overview
Creekfield Lake at Brazos Bend State Park, 25 miles south of Houston, Texas, April 2010
Texas is a large state and is situated on the Central Flyway - a major migratory route to and from South and Central America. It has about 615 species of birds on its state list and 54% of them are Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds. Another reason why there is such a diversity of birds in Texas, is because it has several different habitat regions, from the Chihuahuan Desert in the west to the Piney Woods in the east and from the Panhandle Plains in the north to the Gulf Coast lowlands in the south.
N.B. 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response The National Park Service is modifying its operations on a park-by-park basis in accordance with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health authorities. While most facilities and events are closed or canceled, outdoor spaces in some parks remain accessible to the public. Before visiting, please check with individual parks regarding changes to park operations. If you choose to visit a national park, please ensure that you follow CDC and state and local guidelines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and practice Leave No Trace principles. Updates about the NPS response, including safety information, are posted on [[1]]
Birds
Notable Species
Colima Warbler in Big Bend National Park, the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo in the Texas Hill Country, Green Jay and Plain Chachalaca in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the endangered Whooping Cranes in the Aransas NWR on the Gulf Coast.
Check-list
eBird checklist for the entire state of Texas
Site Information
Areas of Interest
See suggestions in External Links below.
Access and Facilities

Photo © by Stanley Jones
Laguna Atascosa NWR, South Texas, October 2009
Most State Parks, National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges have visitor centers, except for the small or remote ones. There are also many sanctuaries and reserves owned by Audubon Societies throughout Texas. Check out the Articles in category "Texas" list below.
Contact Details
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Tel: (512) 389-4800 | (800) 792-1112
External Links
- National Parks, Preserves, Monuments, etc in Texas
- Texas State Parks
- Great Texas Wildlife Trails homepage
- Birding in Texas State Parks
- Birding in Texas
- Nature Reserves in Texas
- Map of the Central Migratory Flyway
- The World Birding Center in the Lower Rio Grande Valley
- National Wildlife Refuges in Texas
- Houston Audubon Society website, with details of their sanctuaries, such as High Island
- Travis Audubon Society, Austin
- San Antonio Audubon Society
- Dallas Audubon Society
- Fort Worth Audubon Society
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
Pages in category ‘Texas’
The following 38 pages are in this category, out of 38 total.