Rio Grande Valley
News & Conservation
Updates on the birds, habitat, and conservation issues shaping South Texas.
Record Number of Whooping Cranes Wintering in Texas This Year
The most recent USFWS survey recorded 557 whooping cranes wintering along the Texas coast — a record high for the species' only self-sustaining wild population, and a testament to decades of conservation work.
Read more →Tamaulipan Thornscrub Restoration Expands Across the Rio Grande Valley
Less than 5% of the original thornscrub remains in the Valley — but a growing coalition of federal agencies and conservation organizations is rebuilding the native brush that Green Jays, Plain Chachalacas, and dozens of other RGV specialties depend on.
Read more →Save the Date: Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival Returns This November
The RGVBF returns to Harlingen this November — one of the largest birding festivals in the country, with over 100 field trips, expert guides, and the full lineup of RGV specialties on the table.
Read more →SpaceX Land Exchange Threatens Heart of Rio Grande Wildlife Corridor
A federal land exchange moving through the courts could reshape one of South Texas's most important wildlife corridors — directly touching habitat for the Aplomado Falcon, ocelot, and other species.
Read more →South Padre Island Remains a Critical Painted Bunting Stopover
When northwest winds follow a cold front in late April, hundreds of Painted Buntings and other Trans-Gulf migrants make landfall at South Padre Island — one of North America's most spectacular birding events.
Read more →South Texas Fall Hawk Migration: Broad-winged Kettles at Bentsen
Every September, tens of thousands of raptors stream south through the Rio Grande Valley. At Bentsen's hawk tower on peak days, Broad-winged Hawk kettles containing 10,000 or more birds fill the sky.
Read more →Fall Shorebird Season at South Padre Island: Piping Plovers and More
South Padre Island's tidal flats host nationally significant concentrations of the endangered Piping Plover each fall. July through October is peak season for coastal shorebird diversity on the Texas Gulf Coast.
Read more →South Texas Birding Calendar: When to Go for Each Species
A month-by-month guide to birding the Rio Grande Valley. Whooping Cranes in winter, Painted Bunting fallouts in spring, hawk kettles in September — when you go determines what you see.
Read more →Birds You Can Only See in South Texas (Within the United States)
The Rio Grande Valley is the only place in the U.S. where Green Jays, Altamira Orioles, Plain Chachalacas, and a dozen other tropical species live as residents. The complete guide to South Texas exclusives.
Read more →Salineño: The Upper Rio Grande Valley's Best-Kept Birding Secret
Salineño Wildlife Preserve is the most reliable site in the United States for White-collared Seedeater and Ringed Kingfisher — and one of the most undervisited birding destinations in the country. A complete guide to this upper RGV gem.
Read more →South Texas Raptor Specialties: 7 Birds of Prey You Can Only Find Here
From the Hook-billed Kite to the reintroduced Aplomado Falcon, the Rio Grande Valley is the only place in the U.S. to find seven resident raptor specialties — including two endangered species. A complete guide.
Read more →Laguna Atascosa NWR: A Complete Birding Guide
The largest protected area in the Rio Grande Valley hosts Aplomado Falcons, White-tailed Hawks, Roseate Spoonbills, and over 400 species. A complete guide to birding South Texas's most species-rich refuge.
Read more →Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park: A Complete Birding Guide
The RGV's flagship World Birding Center site hosts Hook-billed Kites, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls, a world-famous hawk watch, and some of the best feeder birding in North America. A complete guide to the Valley's most celebrated destination.
Read more →Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge: A Complete Birding Guide
Called the 'Jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge System,' Santa Ana NWR packs 400+ species into 2,000 acres of Tamaulipan thornscrub — Green Jays, Hook-billed Kites, Rose-throated Becards, and the best feeder station in the RGV.
Read more →Estero Llano Grande State Park: A Complete Birding Guide
The most reliable site in the United States for Masked Duck and Northern Jacana sits in the middle of a city of 40,000. A complete guide to the RGV's most productive urban wildlife destination — and how to find its extraordinary waterbirds.
Read more →