BIRDING - CENTRAL TEXAS

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*click pins to toggle selection on/off · bigger, warmer pin = more species in the last 2 weeks

Birding Spots List (click to expand)

Brackenridge Park San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

San Antonio Botanical Garden San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Judson Nature Trails San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Woodlawn Lake Dog Park San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Mitchell Lake Audubon Center San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Pleasanton Road Trailhead San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Medina River Natural Area San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Friedrich Wilderness Park San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Crescent Bend Nature Park Schertz, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Warbler Woods Bird Sanctuary Cibolo, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Bracken Cave (Bats, not birds) Comal County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Government Canyon State Natural Area San Antonio, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Guadalupe River State Park Spring Branch, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Cibolo Nature Center Boerne, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Canyon Lake - Guadalupe River South Trail Comal County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Hill Country State Natural Area Bandera, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Charro Ranch Park Dripping Springs, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Palmetto State Park Gonzales, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Pedernales Falls State Park Johnson City, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Choke Canyon State Park McMullen County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Metro Park Austin, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Hornsby Bend Ecological Research Area Austin, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area Llano County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Horseshoe Bay Nature Park Horseshoe Bay, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Webberville Park Travis County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Doeskin Ranch Trailhead Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Shin Oak Observation Deck Burnet County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

South Llano River State Park Junction, TX Google Maps eBird

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Kickapoo Cavern State Park Kinney County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Aransas County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Rockport Rookery Rockport, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge Colorado County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Suter Wildlife Refuge Corpus Christi, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Charlie's Pasture Port Aransas, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Port Aransas Nature Preserve Port Aransas, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center Port Aransas, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Oso Bay Wetlands Preserve Corpus Christi, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Mustang Island State Park Corpus Christi, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Packery Channel Park Corpus Christi, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Lake Waco Wetlands Waco, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

George Bush Park Houston, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Brazos Bend State Park Fort Bend County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Houston Audubon Society Houston, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Eastern Glades, Memorial Park Houston, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center Edinburg, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary Galveston, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Quinta Mazatlan McAllen, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Estero Llano Grande State Park Weslaco, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Hidalgo County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center South Padre Island, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge (Anahuac) Chambers County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge Cameron County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Smith Oaks Sanctuary High Island, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Boy Scout Woods Bird Sanctuary High Island, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Sabal Palm Sanctuary Brownsville, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Big Thicket National Preserve Tyler County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Big Bend NP - Rio Grande Village Brewster County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Rio Grande Village Wetlands Trail Brewster County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Sabine Woods Sanctuary Port Arthur, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge Port Arthur, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Big Bend NP - Santa Elena Canyon Brewster County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Davis Mountains State Park Fort Davis, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Caddo Lake State Park Harrison County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Guadalupe Mountains National Park Culberson County, TX Google Maps eBird

Seen here in the last 2 weeks

Recent sightings from eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Resources

Essential

Additional

Bird science

Research, live trackers, and ways to take part.

Follow the migrationLive maps and trackers

Data & researchWhere the sightings go

Community initiativesWays anyone can help

New bird names

What changed in the last three years, for birds of the lower 48. Field guides and apps catch up slowly, so these are the ones you may not know yet. Tap a row for the story.

2026

Great Egret is now American Egret Texas Renamed In my photos

Why it changed

The egret was split in two. The Old World birds are now Great White Egret; ours, found across the Americas, is American Egret.
My photo → Source: 2026 changes summary

Willet is now Prairie Willet · Saltmarsh Willet Texas Split

Why it changed

Western and eastern Willets differ in size, bill, voice and timing, and rarely interbreed. Saltmarsh Willets nest on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and leave for South America in winter, so a Texas Willet in winter is a Prairie Willet.
Source: 2026 changes summary

Marsh Wren is now Eastern · Western Marsh-Wren Texas Split

Why it changed

Eastern and western Marsh Wrens sing very different songs and are genetically distinct. Both can turn up in Texas marshes in winter.
Source: 2026 changes summary

Whimbrel is now Hudsonian Whimbrel Texas Split

Why it changed

American Whimbrels, with a plain brown rump, are now Hudsonian Whimbrel; the white-rumped birds of Europe and Asia are Eurasian Whimbrel.
Source: 2026 changes summary

Yellow Warbler is now Yellow Warbler · Mangrove Warbler Texas Split

Why it changed

The resident Yellow Warblers of tropical mangroves, many with chestnut heads, are now Mangrove Warbler. The migrant that passes through Texas each spring and fall keeps its name.
Source: 2026 changes summary

Painted Redstart is now Painted Whitestart Renamed

Why it changed

Its relatives from Mexico to South America are all called whitestarts, after the white in their tails, so the US bird now matches. In Texas it is a rare visitor to the Chisos Mountains.
Source: 2026 changes summary
2025

Herring Gull is now American Herring Gull Texas Split In my photos

Why it changed

Herring Gull was split four ways. The one across North America is American Herring Gull; European Herring, Vega and Mongolian Gulls are the others.
My photo → Source: 2025 changes summary

Warbling Vireo is now Eastern · Western Warbling-Vireo Texas Split

Why it changed

Two birds that look nearly identical but sing differently and are genetically distinct. Both pass through Texas in migration.
Source: 2025 changes summary

Red-crowned Parrot is now Red-crowned Amazon Texas Renamed

Why it changed

All the Amazona parrots are now called Amazons. Texas has wild flocks of Red-crowned Amazons in the Rio Grande Valley.
Source: 2025 changes summary
2024

Cattle Egret is now Western Cattle-Egret Texas Split In my photos

Why it changed

Cattle Egret was split in two. The birds of Asia and Australia are now Eastern Cattle-Egret; the one that spread to the Americas from Africa is Western Cattle-Egret.
Source: 2024 changes summary
My photo →

Barn Owl is now American Barn Owl Texas Split In my photos

Why it changed

The world's barn owls were split up; the ones in the Americas are now American Barn Owl.
Source: 2024 changes summary
My photo →

House Wren is now Northern House Wren Texas Split

Why it changed

House Wren was split into seven species. The one that nests in the US and Canada, and winters in Texas, is Northern House Wren.
Source: 2024 changes summary

Common · Hoary Redpoll is now Redpoll Merged

Why it changed

The two turned out to be one variable species with almost no genetic difference, so both are now simply Redpoll.
Source: 2024 changes summary

Black-crowned · Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is now Black-crowned · Yellow-crowned Night Heron Texas Renamed

Why it changed

Only the hyphen changed: both are now written "Night Heron".
Source: 2024 changes summary

Older changes, 2004–2023 15

2023

Northern Goshawk is now American Goshawk Split

Pacific-slope · Cordilleran Flycatcher is now Western Flycatcher Merged
2022

Eastern Meadowlark is now Eastern · Chihuahuan Meadowlark Split
2021

Mew Gull is now Short-billed Gull Split
2020

McCown's Longspur is now Thick-billed Longspur Renamed

Mallard is now Mallard · Mexican Duck Split

Northwestern Crow is now American Crow Merged
2018

Gray Jay is now Canada Jay Renamed In my photos
2017

Thayer's Gull is now Iceland Gull Merged
2016

Western Scrub-Jay is now California · Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Split
2013

Sage Sparrow is now Sagebrush · Bell's Sparrow Split
2011

Common Moorhen is now Common Gallinule Split In my photos
2010

Winter Wren is now Winter · Pacific Wren Split
2006

Blue Grouse is now Dusky · Sooty Grouse Split
2004

Canada Goose is now Canada · Cackling Goose Split

Sources: AOS Check-list and its yearly supplements · summaries by the ABA and Audubon · maps GBIF.org · songs xeno-canto

Overnight Migration Forecast → Live radar-based estimate from BirdCast (Cornell Lab)

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BIRDING - CENTRAL TEXAS

★ Rare bird reports

Essential

Additional

Follow the migrationLive maps and trackers

Data & researchWhere the sightings go

Community initiativesWays anyone can help

New bird names

Rare bird reports