![]() Bentsen Rio Grande State Park Bentsen Visitor Center Gardensīentsen is unique in that the entire park is closed off to all vehicles. Bird walks are typically offered every day except Sundays.įor a full birding guide to this location, visit the Santa Ana page. ![]() The free guided bird walks here are great, but are only offered during winter months when the south Texas heat isn’t overwhelming. Pintail Lakes are a short hike from the visitor center and are great for Mottled Duck, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, and Green Kingfisher. They’re most often seen during winter months, but are unpredictable and seem to show up at random. Less common possibilities include Zone-tailed Hawk and Peregrine Falcon. Regulars seen from the tower include Harris’s Hawk, Gray Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, and more common hawks like Red-tailed and Red-shouldered. They can be a challenge to identify while in motion, but there’s often experienced birders hanging out there that are happy to point out certain species. The tower is a great place to see raptors in flight. Plain ChachalacaĪ highlight feature here is the hawk watch tower and canopy bridge, located right next to each other. Santa Ana protects over 2000 acres of native sub-tropical habitat, an increasingly rare and precious habitat in south Texas.īirder’s flock here from around the country to see the Plain Chachalacas darting along the ground, the colorful Altamira Orioles and Green Jays singing in the trees, and to try their luck at seeing a rare Hook-billed Kite. Santa Ana is often called the crown jewel of the wildlife refuge system due to its fantastic biodiversity. Cash & check only – credit/debt cards not accepted. Santa Ana National Wildlife RefugeĮntrance Fee: $5 per vehicle. Check the events calendar for upcoming bird walks.įor a full birding guide to this location, visit our Estero Llano Grande page. Not to mention all the other ducks, waders, and songbirds that visit the water each morning.īirders have been known to bring a lawn chair and, with their binoculars in one hand and their morning coffee in the other, see over 50 species in under 3 hours without ever leaving the deck.įree guided bird walks are offered regularly and are highly recommended for first time visitors. It’s a great spot to see Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling Duck, Cinnamon Teal, Least Grebe, flyover White-tailed Kites and Harris’s Hawk, and sometimes Green Kingfisher. Likely the most well known feature of this park is the large wooden deck at the visitor center that gives close up views of a shallow wetland. Despite its small size at 230 acres (less than a third the size of Bentsen, and a ninth of Santa Ana), experienced locals familiar with the park can break 100 species in a single morning. Recently opened to the public in 2006, Estero quickly earned a reputation for being a must-visit for bird watchers. ![]() Add the flat, easy walking trails, and you’ve pretty much have a birder’s paradise. This mix of habitat, plus the abundance of water, attracts a fantastic variety of birds. ![]() This state park features wetlands and boardwalks, south Texas scrubland, and tropical forest, all accessible during a 90 minute walk. Estero is my personal favorite, so let’s start there. While there’s an impressive abundance of great places to bird in the Rio Grande Valley, I’ve always thought of there being three mega-hotspots in south Texas: Estero, Bentsen, and Santa Ana. Reliably reported at: Brazos Bend State Park, San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Brazos River County Park, High Island (Smith Oaks), Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Bayside Regional Park, Armand Bayou Nature Center.The Rio Grande Valley at the southern tip of Texas features some of the most unique and exciting birding in the United States, and ranking these hotspots feels a bit like trying to choose a favorite child.īut if you’re traveling and only have a day or two, then you’re surely wondering – where should I go to see the most birds, including south Texas specialties? The Best Birding Hotspots in the South Texas Rio Grande Valley are: Reliably reported at: Brazos Bend State Park, San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Brazos River County Park, Galveston Island State Park, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. Reliably reported at: Brazos Bend State Park, San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. Reliably reported at: Brazos Bend State Park, San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. Reliably reported at: Brazos Bend State Park, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Habitat: Lakes, ponds, rice fields, wooded areas Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Introductory Video.
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