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Though usually
considered to have been introduced, it's also possible that
Green Parakeets arrived in Texas naturally, as they're
normal range in Mexico takes them to within 150 miles of the
US border. (Photo by guide Chris Benesh)
The 2012 Spring in South Texas trip was another fantastic
one. It was on the warm side throughout, but it was also less
windy than it can be at times. We started off in the Rockport
area with a boat trip to see the endangered Whooping Crane. We
ended up seeing about twenty in total. There were some other
highlights on the trip, including an adult Lesser Black-backed
Gull, Wilson's Plover, nesting American Oystercatchers,
breeding herons, and some Boat-tailed Grackles! In the
afternoon, we decided to head up to Tivoli to make it a three
grackle day. On our way up, we came upon a handsome
Rough-legged Hawk, quite a rarity this far south. We also saw
some Carolina Chickadees near the southern edge of their
range.
We then headed south to the lower Rio Grande Valley. A visit
to the San Miguelito Ranch produced a handsome Ferruginous
Pygmy-Owl, and we enjoyed scope views of a handsome Aplomado
Falcon later the same day near Port Isabel. Then it was time
to seek out parrots in Brownsville. Fort Brown produced lots
of Green Parakeets and later we found a large flock of
Red-crowned Parrots in a Brownsville neighborhood. A visit to
Sabal Palms was productive, with Green Kingfisher and plenty
of Least Grebes being highlights.
Our next stop was McAllen, where we spent a couple of days
tracking down valley specialties. One of the first was an
attractive female Crimson-collared Grosbeak in Pharr. This
species has become almost an annual visitor in recent years.
Estero Llano Grande produced a number of new and wonderful
things, including our first Clay-colored Thrush and a female
Rose-throated Becard. A Ringed Kingfisher was another
highlight. Our final morning in the lower valley was spent
hawk-watching at Bentsen Rio Grande State Park. We experienced
a good flight of Broad-wings, Swainson's, and a trickle of
other raptors. But topping the highlights of the morning was a
male Hook-billed Kite that was flight-displaying as we looked
on!
Then it was time to head upriver to Zapata, our base for the
last couple of nights. It was time to fill in holes, and track
down the remaining valley specialties. There were many, but
none more exciting than the up-close and personal Red-billed
Pigeons feeding in a small fruiting tree near Falcon Heights.
A run up to Laredo also got us the coveted White-collared
Seedeater.
Thanks to all of you for making this trip such a success. It
was a treat to go birding with you and I look forward to the
next opportunity.
--Chris
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for
individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I =
introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b =
boreal migrant
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
MUSCOVY DUCK
(Cairina moschata)
GADWALL (Anas strepera)
AMERICAN WIGEON
(Anas americana)
MALLARD (MEXICAN)
(Anas platyrhynchos diazi)
MOTTLED DUCK
(Anas fulvigula)
BLUE-WINGED TEAL
(Anas discors)
CINNAMON TEAL
(Anas cyanoptera)
NORTHERN SHOVELER
(Anas clypeata)
GREEN-WINGED TEAL
(AMERICAN) (Anas crecca
carolinensis)
REDHEAD (Aythya americana)
LESSER SCAUP
(Aythya affinis)
BUFFLEHEAD
(Bucephala albeola)
COMMON GOLDENEYE
(Bucephala clangula)
RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER (Mergus serrator)
RUDDY DUCK
(Oxyura jamaicensis)
Cracidae (Guans, Chachalacas, and
Curassows)
PLAIN CHACHALACA (Ortalis vetula)
Gaviidae (Loons)
COMMON LOON (Gavia immer)
Podicipedidae (Grebes)
LEAST GREBE (Tachybaptus dominicus)
PIED-BILLED GREBE
(Podilymbus podiceps)
Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax
auritus)
Anhingidae (Anhingas)
ANHINGA (Anhinga
anhinga)
Pelecanidae (Pelicans)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
BROWN PELICAN
(Pelecanus occidentalis)
Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns)
One of a small
flock of Red-billed Pigeons that gave us super views in
the Rio Grande Valley. (Photo by guide Chris Benesh)
GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias)
GREAT EGRET
(Ardea alba)
SNOWY EGRET
(Egretta thula)
LITTLE BLUE HERON
(Egretta caerulea)
TRICOLORED HERON
(Egretta tricolor)
REDDISH EGRET
(Egretta rufescens)
CATTLE EGRET
(Bubulcus ibis)
GREEN HERON
(Butorides virescens)
BLACK-CROWNED
NIGHT-HERON (Nycticorax
nycticorax)
Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)
WHITE IBIS (Eudocimus
albus)
ROSEATE SPOONBILL
(Platalea ajaja)
Cathartidae (New World Vultures)
BLACK VULTURE (Coragyps atratus)
TURKEY VULTURE
(Cathartes aura)
Pandionidae (Osprey)
OSPREY (Pandion
haliaetus)
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
HOOK-BILLED KITE (HOOK-BILLED) (Chondrohierax uncinatus uncinatus)
WHITE-TAILED KITE
(Elanus leucurus)
NORTHERN HARRIER
(AMERICAN) (Circus cyaneus
hudsonius)
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
(Accipiter striatus)
COOPER'S HAWK
(Accipiter cooperii)
HARRIS'S HAWK
(Parabuteo unicinctus)
BROAD-WINGED HAWK
(Buteo platypterus)
GRAY HAWK (Buteo nitidus)
SWAINSON'S HAWK
(Buteo swainsoni)
WHITE-TAILED HAWK
(Buteo albicaudatus)
RED-TAILED HAWK
(Buteo jamaicensis)
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
(Buteo lagopus)
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
CRESTED CARACARA (Caracara cheriway)
AMERICAN KESTREL
(Falco sparverius)
MERLIN (Falco columbarius)
APLOMADO FALCON
(Falco femoralis)
PEREGRINE FALCON
(Falco peregrinus)
Rallidae (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula galeata)
AMERICAN COOT
(Fulica americana)
Gruidae (Cranes)
WHOOPING CRANE (Grus americana)
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)
AMERICAN
GOLDEN-PLOVER (Pluvialis
dominica)
WILSON'S PLOVER
(Charadrius wilsonia)
A rare and local
resident of the Rio Grande Valley, White-collared
Seedeater is always a good find here. (Photo by guide
Chris Benesh)
KILLDEER (Charadrius
vociferus)
Haematopodidae (Oystercatchers)
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus palliatus)
Recurvirostridae (Stilts and Avocets)
BLACK-NECKED STILT (Himantopus mexicanus)
AMERICAN AVOCET
(Recurvirostra americana)
Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius)
SOLITARY SANDPIPER
(Tringa solitaria)
GREATER YELLOWLEGS
(Tringa melanoleuca)
WILLET (Tringa semipalmata)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS
(Tringa flavipes)
LONG-BILLED CURLEW
(Numenius americanus)
MARBLED GODWIT
(Limosa fedoa)
RUDDY TURNSTONE
(Arenaria interpres)
SANDERLING
(Calidris alba)
SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER (Calidris pusilla)
WESTERN SANDPIPER
(Calidris mauri)
LEAST SANDPIPER
(Calidris minutilla)
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
(Calidris bairdii)
PECTORAL SANDPIPER
(Calidris melanotos)
DUNLIN (Calidris alpina)
STILT SANDPIPER
(Calidris himantopus)
SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHER (Limnodromus
griseus)
LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHER (Limnodromus
scolopaceus)
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla)
FRANKLIN'S GULL
(Leucophaeus pipixcan)
RING-BILLED GULL
(Larus delawarensis)
HERRING GULL
(AMERICAN) (Larus argentatus
smithsonianus)
LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULL (Larus
fuscus)
GLAUCOUS GULL
(Larus hyperboreus)
LEAST TERN
(Sternula antillarum)
GULL-BILLED TERN
(Gelochelidon nilotica)
CASPIAN TERN
(Hydroprogne caspia)
COMMON TERN
(Sterna hirundo)
FORSTER'S TERN
(Sterna forsteri)
ROYAL TERN
(Thalasseus maximus)
SANDWICH TERN
(Thalasseus sandvicensis)
BLACK SKIMMER
(Rynchops niger)
Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves)
ROCK PIGEON (Columba livia) [I]
RED-BILLED PIGEON
(Patagioenas flavirostris)
EURASIAN
COLLARED-DOVE (Streptopelia
decaocto) [I]
WHITE-WINGED DOVE
(Zenaida asiatica)
MOURNING DOVE
(Zenaida macroura)
INCA DOVE (Columbina inca)
COMMON GROUND-DOVE
(Columbina passerina)
WHITE-TIPPED DOVE
(Leptotila verreauxi)
Psittacidae (Parrots)
GREEN PARAKEET (Aratinga holochlora)
RED-CROWNED PARROT
(Amazona viridigenalis)
Cuculidae (Cuckoos)
GREATER ROADRUNNER (Geococcyx californianus)
Strigidae (Owls)
EASTERN SCREECH-OWL (MCCALL'S) (Megascops asio mccallii)
GREAT HORNED OWL
(Bubo virginianus)
FERRUGINOUS
PYGMY-OWL (Glaucidium
brasilianum)
Caprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
COMMON PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis)
CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW
(Caprimulgus carolinensis)
Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Archilochus colubris)
BLACK-CHINNED
HUMMINGBIRD (Archilochus
alexandri)
BUFF-BELLIED
HUMMINGBIRD (Amazilia
yucatanensis)
Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)
RINGED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle torquata)
BELTED KINGFISHER
(Megaceryle alcyon)
GREEN KINGFISHER
(Chloroceryle americana)
Picidae (Woodpeckers)
GOLDEN-FRONTED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes aurifrons)
LADDER-BACKED
WOODPECKER (Picoides scalaris)
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
NORTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULET (Camptostoma imberbe)
BLACK PHOEBE
(Sayornis nigricans)
SAY'S PHOEBE
(Sayornis saya)
VERMILION
FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus
rubinus)
ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus
cinerascens)
GREAT CRESTED
FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus
crinitus)
BROWN-CRESTED
FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus
tyrannulus)
GREAT KISKADEE
(Pitangus sulphuratus)
TROPICAL KINGBIRD
(Tyrannus melancholicus)
COUCH'S KINGBIRD
(Tyrannus couchii)
SCISSOR-TAILED
FLYCATCHER (Tyrannus
forficatus)
Tityridae (Tityras and Allies)
ROSE-THROATED BECARD (Pachyramphus aglaiae)
Laniidae (Shrikes)
Though considered
a Mexican endemic, the Crimson-collared Grosbeak is almost
an annual vagrant in Texas. Still, we were very fortunate
to see this mega-tick, a female, after it had been missing
for several weeks! (Photo by guide Chris Benesh)
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus)
Vireonidae (Vireos)
WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus)
BLUE-HEADED VIREO
(Vireo solitarius)
Corvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
GREEN JAY (Cyanocorax
yncas)
CHIHUAHUAN RAVEN
(Corvus cryptoleucus)
Alaudidae (Larks)
HORNED LARK (Eremophila alpestris)
Hirundinidae (Swallows)
PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis)
TREE SWALLOW
(Tachycineta bicolor)
BANK SWALLOW
(Riparia riparia)
BARN SWALLOW
(Hirundo rustica)
CLIFF SWALLOW
(Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
CAVE SWALLOW
(TEXAS) (Petrochelidon fulva
pallida)
Paridae (Chickadees and Tits)
CAROLINA CHICKADEE (Poecile carolinensis)
BLACK-CRESTED
TITMOUSE (Baeolophus
atricristatus)
Remizidae (Penduline-Tits)
VERDIN (Auriparus
flaviceps)
Troglodytidae (Wrens)
CACTUS WREN (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)
CAROLINA WREN
(Thryothorus ludovicianus)
BEWICK'S WREN
(Thryomanes bewickii)
SEDGE WREN
(Cistothorus platensis) [*]
MARSH WREN
(Cistothorus palustris)
Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers)
BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER (Polioptila melanura)
Regulidae (Kinglets)
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula)
Turdidae (Thrushes and Allies)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (Sialia sialis)
CLAY-COLORED
THRUSH (Turdus grayi)
Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) [*]
NORTHERN
MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus
polyglottos)
LONG-BILLED
THRASHER (Toxostoma
longirostre)
CURVE-BILLED
THRASHER (Toxostoma
curvirostre)
Sturnidae (Starlings)
EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) [I]
Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits)
AMERICAN PIPIT (Anthus rubescens)
Bombycillidae (Waxwings)
CEDAR WAXWING (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Parulidae (New World Warblers)
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (Oreothlypis celata)
COMMON
YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis
trichas)
HOODED WARBLER
(Setophaga citrina)
NORTHERN PARULA
(Setophaga americana)
YELLOW WARBLER
(Setophaga petechia)
YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLER (MYRTLE) (Setophaga
coronata coronata)
BLACK-THROATED
GREEN WARBLER (Setophaga
virens) [*]
Emberizidae (Buntings, Sparrows and
Allies)
WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATER (Sporophila torqueola)
OLIVE SPARROW
(Arremonops rufivirgatus)
CASSIN'S SPARROW
(Peucaea cassinii)
CLAY-COLORED
SPARROW (Spizella pallida)
VESPER SPARROW
(Pooecetes gramineus)
LARK SPARROW
(Chondestes grammacus)
BLACK-THROATED
SPARROW (Amphispiza bilineata)
SAVANNAH SPARROW
(Passerculus sandwichensis)
GRASSHOPPER
SPARROW (Ammodramus
savannarum)
SEASIDE SPARROW
(Ammodramus maritimus)
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
(Melospiza lincolnii)
Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra)
CRIMSON-COLLARED
GROSBEAK (Rhodothraupis
celaeno)
NORTHERN CARDINAL
(Cardinalis cardinalis)
PYRRHULOXIA
(Cardinalis sinuatus)
Icteridae (Troupials and Allies)
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus)
EASTERN MEADOWLARK
(Sturnella magna)
YELLOW-HEADED
BLACKBIRD (Xanthocephalus
xanthocephalus)
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD
(Euphagus cyanocephalus)
COMMON GRACKLE
(Quiscalus quiscula)
BOAT-TAILED
GRACKLE (Quiscalus major)
GREAT-TAILED
GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus)
BRONZED COWBIRD
(Molothrus aeneus)
BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRD (Molothrus ater)
HOODED ORIOLE
(Icterus cucullatus)
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
(Icterus bullockii)
ALTAMIRA ORIOLE
(Icterus gularis)
AUDUBON'S ORIOLE
(Icterus graduacauda) [*]
BALTIMORE ORIOLE
(Icterus galbula)
Fringillidae (Siskins, Crossbills, and
Allies)
HOUSE FINCH (Carpodacus mexicanus)
LESSER GOLDFINCH
(Spinus psaltria)
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
(Spinus tristis)
Passeridae (Old World Sparrows)
HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) [I]
EASTERN COTTONTAIL
(Sylvilagus floridanus)
DESERT COTTONTAIL
(Sylvilagus audubonii)
FOX SQUIRREL
(Sciurus niger)
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN
(Tursiops truncatus)
WHITE-TAILED DEER
(Odocoileus virginianus)
Totals for the tour: 205 bird taxa and 5 mammal taxa
