Audubon Texas

06/03/2026

Use your bird knowledge to help Audubon scientists explore how birds are responding to climate change.

when there is change and how we can help them. It is not too late to join Climate Watch this season: http://audubon.org/climatewatch

06/02/2026

Did you know? While many migratory birds cross the Gulf of Mexico on their spring migration journeys, Mourning Warblers tend to take the overland path through Mexico and Texas. Your best chance at encountering one is to search near the ground in the forest understory—keep an eye out for the male's black throat patch that gave the bird its name, appearing as if it's dressed in 'mourning'.

Sadly, this species is particularly vulnerable to artificial lights at night and window collisions. This spring, help them migrate safely by turning lights out at night from 11 PM-6 AM.

05/29/2026

From lining their nests with cattail fluff to filling their bellies with acorns, the birds in these beautiful photos demonstrate the vital bonds between native plants and our feathered friends.

Enjoy these 14 Charming Photos That Showcase the Beautiful Bonds Between Birds and Native Plants (Audubon Magazine article) in some of our favorite images from the Plants for Birds category in the 2025 Audubon Photography Awards.

Link in bio...
https://bit.ly/4feUMxF



Photo: Anna's Hummingbird - James Nelson/Audubon Photography Awards

05/26/2026

"To fully safeguard birds in flight, we must also address the threat posed by glass itself."

Birds in Texas are facing major threats from glass windows and artificial light. Read blog linked in bio to see how a group of students is tackling glass‑related bird hazards on their campus.

✨ Turn off non-essential lights from 11 PM-6 AM during migration
✨ Use bird-safe window treatments like decals, tape, or bird-friendly glass

05/25/2026

Remember high school superlatives? Well, inspired by spring migration, one Audubon magazine editor decided to give them a birdy twist. Check out which species took which categories—including classics like Most Popular, Most Musical, and Friendliest and share in the comments which birds you’d have chosen!

Link in bio - Audubon Magazine article: 'From Best Dressed to Class Clown, These 15 Birds Own Their Spring Migrant Superlatives...Yep, we're doing this. And you'll probably have opinions.'

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/best-dressed-class-clown-these-15-birds-own-their-spring-migrant-superlatives

Photo: Scarlet Tanager - Meryl Lorenzo/Audubon Photography Awards

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember and give thanks to those who have served.

Photo: Bald Eagle, Montgomery, TX - Stephanie Schick/Audubon Photography Awards

05/24/2026

Did you know? That several species of shorebirds, including the featured Wilson’s Plover, are known to share incubation duties between mates. This means that both the male and female birds take turns sitting on the nest to prepare their eggs for hatching. While one parent shelters the eggs from weather and predators, the other will leave the nest and hunt for food. The plover pairs incubate their nests for just under a month, clocking hundreds of hours of care before eggs even hatch.

This Memorial Day, leave mom and dad plenty of space to care for their growing families. Make sure to avoid fenced areas, keep your dog leashed, and refrain from walking through groups of birds.

Photos: male Wilson's Plover incubating nest - Tim Forrester/Audubon Texas

05/23/2026

This past week, Audubon Texas joined biologists from Texas Parks and Wildlife and other partners to conduct the annual waterbird survey on Chester Island.

Using both high-resolution drone photography and carefully coordinated ground teams, scientists counted nesting birds throughout the island’s diverse habitats including species hidden beneath the tree canopy that drones cannot easily detect.

The combined data provides one of the most accurate population counts possible for this important rookery, which typically hosts more than 20,000 nesting pairs representing 18–20 species each year, making Chester one of Texas’ largest rookery islands.

The results will be combined with surveys from nesting sites along the Texas coast as part of the Annual Waterbird Survey, helping conservation groups track bird population trends and guide future wildlife protection efforts.

Photos top to bottom: many different species nest on Chester Island; Black Skimmers, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Laughing Gulls and Gull-billed Terns, Tricolored Heron and Brown Pelicans in the bushes. Bottom photo: Caspian Tern chicks. Photo credit: Tim Forrester/Audubon Texas

05/22/2026

To see endangered Golden-cheeked Warblers, Painted Buntings, Summer Tanagers, and many other highlight species in one place, get yourself to Palo Pinto Mountains State Park. Located just west of Dallas and featuring a variety of habitats, Palo Pinto is the first in a string of new state parks that Texas plans to create in the coming years.

Read the article - Audubon Magazine:

To see species like Golden-cheeked Warbler, Painted Bunting, and Summer Tanager in one outing, head to Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, the first of several new Texas state parks slated for creation.

05/21/2026

Meet Sunny, the Wilson’s Plover! If shorebirds were PLOVER-ZILLA sized like Sunny, we might be extra careful while entering the beaches they call home! In reality, shorebirds like Wilson’s Plover are much smaller and blend in well with the sand. Their camouflaged eggs are even smaller: about the size and shape of a cherry tomato!

As you and your loved ones celebrate Memorial Day this weekend and soak up the Texas sun, please remember to share the shore with the shorebirds (and their adorable babies). Disturbance caused by unaware beach visitors, pets, and vehicles make shorebirds and their tiny families very vulnerable. When you visit the beach, please give these birds as much space as possible, leash your pets, and keep your distance from fenced-off areas.

Photos (L to R) 'Sunny' at the 10th Annual Matagorda Birdfest Parade. Wilson's Plover, TX and eggs/nest in a fenced off area. Tim Forrester/Audubon Texas