50 Beautiful Birds to Watch For in Texas

With 639 species of birds documented in Texas, things really are bigger and better here in the Lone Star State.  Did you know that Northern Mockingbirds are the state bird of Texas and have extraordinary vocal abilities? They can sing up to 200 songs, including the songs of other birds, insect and amphibian sounds, even an occasional mechanical noise. The northern mockingbird is also the state bird of Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi!

We didn't include all 639 species, but a snapshot of the birds that fall under the major species categories. We picked the categories with the largest number of species.

What are the most common birds seen in Texas?

1.Northern Mockingbird

2. Red-Tailed Hawk

3. Great Blue Heron

4. Barn Swallow

5. Turkey Vulture

Are there hummingbirds in Texas?

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There are 19 species that call Texas home.

Hummingbird lovers won't want to miss the buff-bellied hummingbird in south Texas and along the Gulf Coast. The chestnut tail and red bill are good field marks, and these birds easily come to feeders offering hummingbird nectar. Other hummingbirds to watch for in Texas include the green violet-ear, green-breasted mango, and the familiar ruby-throated hummingbird.

Duck, geese, waterfowl

1. Fulvous whistling-duck

2. Snow goose

3. Ross's goose

4. Greater white-fronted goose

5. Brant

Pigeons and doves

1. Rock pigeon

2. White-crowned pigeon

3. Red-billed pigeon

4. Band-tailed pigeon

5. Eurasian collared-dove

Sandpipers and allies

1. Upland sandpiper

2. Whimbrel

3. Eskimo curlew (believed extinct)

4. Long-billed curlew

5. Bar-tailed godwit

Gulls

1. Black-legged kittiwake

2. Sabine's gull

3. Bonaparte's gull

4. Black-headed gull

5. Little gull

Herons

1. American bittern

2. Least bittern

3. Bare-throated tiger-heron

4. Great blue heron

5. Great egret

Hawks and eagles

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1. Northern harrier

2. Sharp-shinned hawk

3. Cooper's hawk

4. Northern goshawk

5. Bald eagle

Owls

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1. Flammulated owl

2. Western screech-owl

3. Eastern screech-owl

4. Great horned owl

5. Snowy owl

Woodpeckers

1. Lewis's woodpecker

2. Red-headed woodpecker

3. Acorn woodpecker

4. Golden-fronted woodpecker

5. Red-bellied woodpecker

Flycatchers

1. Northern beardless-tyrannulet

2. Greenish elaenia

3. White-crested elaenia

4. Dusky-capped flycatcher

5. Ash-throated flycatcher

Other Texas birds we missed?

Blackbird, Texas bluejay, House sparrow, Mourning dove, Carolina chickadee, American goldfinch, Carolina wren, Kingfisher, American robin, Thrasher, Cattle egret, Eastern bluebird, House finch, Starling, Whooping crane, Roadrunner, Crested Caracara, Scissor-tailed flycatcher, Oriole, Brown-headed cowbird, Warbler, Grackle, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Kinglet, Kestrel, Carrion, Vermilion flycatcher, and Killdeer.

Have you ever seen or heard of these wild birds? Please leave us a comment below!

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