HERMAN KELLY/TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

There are a lot of reasons to create a newsletter dedicated to Texas birding right now. Texas is one of the best places in the world to birdwatch. Our diverse landscape—deserts and mountains, piney woods, a rolling coast, and the Hill Country—house a vast number of species (677 to be exact, according to the Texas Bird Records Committee, putting us just behind California). We’re a globally important place for birds. According to the Audubon Society, one out of every three to four birds migrating through the U.S. passes through Texas. That’s nearly 2 billion birds annually. Regions like South Texas are especially crucial, as vagrant birds enter from Mexico, allowing birders to see species they can’t see anywhere else in the country.

Beyond our importance in the birding world, birdwatching is also experiencing something of a boom. A survey by The Wildlife Society found that more than half of Americans 16 and older participated in some form of wildlife watching in 2022, a record high. There are ample reports of Gen Z getting into birding, proof of which can be found in hashtags like #birding proliferating across social media. We can speculate on what’s driving the interest—maybe it’s a reinvigorated desire to get outside, leave screens behind, and, as the new generation of birders might say, touch grass. Whatever the reason, we’re here for it, and we’re thrilled to help Texans look, as we often do, to our skies.

The best thing this newsletter series can do is get you away from the screen you’re reading this on and out to where the birds are. We aim to provide an equal mix of practical advice, opportunities to join birding communities and events, and a bit of birding trivia. We also hope to hear from you. Have a question about birds or birding in Texas? We’ll ask an expert on your behalf. Send us a note at letters@texashighways.com, and look for an answer in an upcoming installment. See you out there. —Hannah Smothers, Audience Engagement Editor (and birding enthusiast)

As many regions across the state enter dreaded mosquito season, birds are working to help protect us warm-blooded critters. Scientists estimate that bird populations consume between 400-500 million tons of insects each year, or as many as 20 quadrillion individual bugs.

DANIELLE LOPEZ

People are drawn to birdwatching for a variety of reasons: the peace and calm of being in nature, the rush of spotting and identifying a rare creature, the desire to contribute data to community science efforts. While some avid birders travel and hike to track hard-to-find species, others prefer to “slow bird,” simply observing the feathered individuals as they zip around their backyard or a nearby park. No matter the way you prefer to spot birds, the most important thing is getting out in nature. From regional festivals to statewide bird counting tournaments, there are plenty of ways to be involved in Texas’ birding culture. Here’s a brief rundown on how to get started.

 

A good field guide is essential for identifying various bird species you’ll spot in the wild—whether the wild is your backyard, or a dedicated bird-spotting hike. Two popular physical book options include the Sibley Guide to Birds and National Geographic’s field guide. Some Texas libraries also allow you to check out Library Explorer Adventure Packs, backpacks that contain field guides and tools for exploring the outdoors.

Don’t want to tote around a paper guide? Apps like the Audubon Bird Guide, Merlin, eBird, and iNaturalist allow you to identify birds and even track sightings, which helps contribute data to science and conservation efforts.

The beauty of birdwatching is you don’t need much to get started, other than a field guide and weather-appropriate clothing. You may also want to pack a pair of 7- or 8-power binoculars, a notebook and pen for tracking your bird sightings, or a phone with your choice of birding app downloaded.

 

The most important thing to remember when birding is to respect birds, their habitat, and other people in the area. That means not disturbing nests, being quiet, staying on designated trails, and picking up any trash. The American Birding Association has a more detailed Code of Birding Ethics to follow.

JACK LEWIS/TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

From our photo archives: This baby rhea, a distant relative to the two African ostriches and the Australian emu, was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville in 1974. When fully grown, the rare, flightless bird will stand nearly 6 feet tall and reach almost 100 pounds. While you may not spot a baby rhea on your next trip to the Gladys Porter, you can catch other species at the Brownsville Birding Festival, held April 11-12 at the zoo.

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

We’re partnering with our friends at TPW Magazine to bring you their insider knowledge on the state of Texas birds. Stay tuned for their annual birding issue, coming May 2026.

The Great Texas Wildlife Trails
Texas Parks and Wildlife offers nine interactive driving maps of the Great Texas Wildlife Trails, which highlight birding hot spots around the state.

Texas Bird Bingo
Join Texans across the state in TPW Magazine's annual game of Texas Bird Bingo. This year's search kicks off in May.

More from TPW Magazine

- Is Texas the Birdiest State?

- The 12 Most Beautiful Birds in Texas  

- Bird Blinds of the State Parks

A nemesis bird is a species that constantly eludes a birder.

In a sentence: Danielle traveled to the Rio Grande Valley because she heard a rare crimson-collared grosbeak was spotted in Edinburg, but she never saw it, making the species her first nemesis bird.

Show your love for Texas birds with a True Texan roadrunner sticker from the Texas Highways shop.

L.A. NYMEYER/TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

As winter comes to an imminent end, read Senior Writer Joe Nick Patoski’s report on why the season is the unsung hero for birding in Texas.

We’re in the midst of Lights Out, Texas!, an annual effort to protect migratory and resident birds from collision fatalities by reducing nighttime light pollution. During the spring and fall migrations through Texas, the National Audubon Society asks folks across the Central Flyway to turn off or dim nonessential lights at night to help birds safely get where they’re going.

One of the state’s most elusive birds—Attwater’s prairie chicken—is gaining more protected land as more than 500 acres of critical habitat are added to Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge in Colorado County.

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Texas Highways Magazine
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Austin, TX 78744

Published ten times annually by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Travel Information Division, Texas Highways, the official travel magazine of Texas, encourages travel to and within the Lone Star State and tells the Texas story to readers around the world.