Birds in Texas: Identification Guide for Birdwatchers

Texas is one of the best birdwatching states in the United States because it has Gulf Coast beaches, wetlands, deserts, grasslands, pine forests, hill country, rivers, lakes, cities, and borderland habitats. This huge mix gives birders a chance to see backyard birds, hummingbirds, hawks, owls, woodpeckers, shorebirds, ducks, herons, egrets, roadrunners, sparrows, warblers, and many colorful southern species.

Birds in Texas change by region and season. The Gulf Coast is excellent for shorebirds, gulls, terns, pelicans, herons, and ducks. West Texas has desert birds such as roadrunners, thrashers, quail, and raptors. The Rio Grande Valley is famous for birds that are hard to find in most other parts of the country, while forests and neighborhoods attract cardinals, wrens, jays, woodpeckers, and chickadees.

This guide covers common and interesting birds in Texas, with simple identification tips based on color, size, habitat, season, and behavior. You can also explore our main Birds in the United States guide to find bird identification pages for all 50 states.

Quick Look at Birds in Texas

Bird	Main ID Clue	Common Habitat
Northern Mockingbird	Gray body, white wing patches	Yards, parks, open areas
Northern Cardinal	Bright red male, crest	Backyards, shrubs, woodland edges
Great-tailed Grackle	Glossy black male, very long tail	Cities, parking lots, fields
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	Very long forked tail	Open fields, roadsides, fences
Greater Roadrunner	Long tail, streaked body	Deserts, scrub, open country
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Green back, red throat male	Gardens, woods, feeders
Black-chinned Hummingbird	Dark throat with purple band male	Gardens, canyons, feeders
Red-tailed Hawk	Broad wings, reddish tail	Roadsides, fields, open country
Great Blue Heron	Tall gray-blue wading bird	Lakes, rivers, wetlands
Brown Pelican	Large coastal bird, long bill pouch	Gulf Coast, bays, beaches