Birding / Where to go
Texas built the country's first birding trail, so the best spots are already mapped for you. Start with the trail maps, then aim for the marquee destinations - and use eBird to find what's being seen near you right now.
Start here
Texas created the first birding trail in the nation (the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, back in the mid-1990s) and now offers nine regional driving-trail maps covering the whole state. They lead you to the best spots to see birds, bats, butterflies, pronghorn, and more. Pick the region you're near and follow the map.
TPWD Great Texas Wildlife Trails ->The crown jewel, home of the World Birding Center (nine sites, headquartered at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park). Add Santa Ana and Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuges - Laguna Atascosa has recorded more bird species (417) than any other refuge in the country - for the Valley specialties you can't see anywhere else in the U.S.
TPWD World Birding Center ->On the upper coast near Bolivar - the legendary spring 'fallout' spot, where songbirds drop from the sky exhausted after crossing the Gulf. Houston Audubon's sanctuaries here are world-famous in April.
Houston Audubon - High Island ->Near Rockport - winter home of the endangered whooping crane. Take a boat tour from Rockport or Port Aransas to see the last wild migratory flock (roughly November-March).
USFWS Aransas NWR ->Desert and mountain species, including the Colima warbler - found in the U.S. only in the Chisos Mountains here.
NPS Big Bend - birds ->Near Houston - wetlands full of wading birds, plus alligators that are easy to see from a safe distance.
TPWD Brazos Bend ->The Hill Country has golden-cheeked warblers, black-capped vireos, and bat caves. The Panhandle has sandhill cranes, prairie dogs, pronghorn, and lesser prairie-chickens.
TPWD wildlife trails ->Tip: Find hotspots near you with eBird - it maps exactly where people are seeing birds right now, anywhere in the state.
Official sources
The trails, the World Birding Center, and the state parks come from TPWD; the refuges from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; the High Island sanctuaries from Houston Audubon.
Caution: Hours, fees, and access rules change, and the wildlife moves with the seasons. Confirm on each site's own page, and use eBird for live sightings.
