Birds of the Rio Grande Valley

The birds people come here for

Green JayThe Valley signature bird - loud, gorgeous, and reliable at every feeder station.

Great KiskadeeBig yellow flycatcher shouting its name from every resaca.

Hook-billed KiteThe Valley's rarest regular raptor - a snail-eating specialist of the river woodlands.

Green KingfisherSmall and quiet on clear resacas and the river.

Ferruginous Pygmy-OwlA South Texas specialty of the King Ranch country.

Roadside HawkA Mexican rarity that turns up in the Valley some winters.

Brown JayReaches the U.S. only along the Rio Grande near Salineno; scarce.

Photographed in the Rio Grande Valley 82

Blackbirds & OriolesAltamira OrioleIcterus gularisBlackbirds & OriolesAltamira x Audubon's OrioleIcterus gularis x Icterus graduacaudaRaptorsAmerican KestrelFalco sparveriusShorebirdsAmerican OystercatcherHaematopus palliatusBlackbirds & OriolesAudubon's OrioleIcterus graduacaudaGulls & TernsBlack SkimmerRynchops nigerShorebirdsBlack-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarolaWaterfowlBlack-bellied Whistling-DuckDendrocygna autumnalisHummingbirdsBlack-chinned HummingbirdArchilochus alexandriSongbirdsBlack-crested TitmouseBaeolophus atricristatusWading BirdsBlack-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticoraxShorebirdsBlack-necked StiltHimantopus mexicanusCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsBlue GrosbeakPasserina caeruleaBlackbirds & OriolesBronzed CowbirdMolothrus aeneusSeabirdsBrown BoobySula leucogasterCrows and JaysBrown JayPsilorhinus morioFlycatchersBrown-crested FlycatcherMyiarchus tyrannulusHummingbirdsBuff-bellied HummingbirdAmazilia yucatanensisGulls & TernsCaspian TernHydroprogne caspiaThrushesClay-colored ThrushTurdus grayiRails, Gallinules, CootsCommon GallinuleGallinula galeataNightjarsCommon PauraqueNyctidromus albicollisRaptorsCooper's HawkAccipiter cooperiiRaptorsCrested CaracaraCaracara plancusMockingbirds & ThrashersCurve-billed ThrasherToxostoma curvirostreCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsDickcisselSpiza americanaShorebirdsDunlinCalidris alpinaOwlsEastern Screech-OwlMegascops asioWaterfowlGadwall x Northern PintailMareca strepera x Anas acutaWoodpeckersGolden-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes aurifronsMockingbirds & ThrashersGray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisRaptorsGray HawkButeo plagiatusFlycatchersGreat KiskadeePitangus sulphuratusBlackbirds & OriolesGreat-tailed GrackleQuiscalus mexicanusCuckoosGreater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianusShorebirdsGreater YellowlegsTringa melanoleucaWading BirdsGreen HeronButorides virescensCrows and JaysGreen JayCyanocorax yncasCuckoosGroove-billed AniCrotophaga sulcirostrisRaptorsHarris's HawkParabuteo unicinctusBlackbirds & OriolesHooded OrioleIcterus cucullatusRaptorsHook-billed KiteChondrohierax uncinatusGulls & TernsLaughing GullLeucophaeus atricillaGulls & TernsLeast TernSternula antillarumNightjarsLesser NighthawkChordeiles acutipennisMockingbirds & ThrashersLong-billed ThrasherToxostoma longirostreShorebirdsMarbled GodwitLimosa fedoaRaptorsMerlinFalco columbariusWaterfowlMottled DuckAnas fulvigulaOwlsMottled OwlStrix virgataPigeons and DovesMourning DoveZenaida macrouraFlycatchersNorthern Beardless-TyrannuletCamptostoma imberbeQuailNorthern BobwhiteColinus virginianusCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsNorthern CardinalCardinalis cardinalisRaptorsNorthern HarrierCircus hudsoniusWrensNorthern House WrenTroglodytes aedonSparrowsOlive SparrowArremonops rufivirgatusWarblersOrange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataGame BirdsPlain ChachalacaOrtalis vetulaCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsPyrrhuloxiaCardinalis sinuatusSongbirdsRed-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensisParrotsRed-crowned ParrotAmazona viridigenalisRaptorsRed-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisBlackbirds & OriolesRed-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusWading BirdsReddish EgretEgretta rufescensGulls & TernsRing-billed GullLarus delawarensisRaptorsRoadside HawkRupornis magnirostrisPigeons and DovesRock PigeonColumba liviaWading BirdsRoseate SpoonbillPlatalea ajajaGulls & TernsRoyal TernThalasseus maximusSongbirdsRuby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendulaFlycatchersSay's PhoebeSayornis sayaWading BirdsTricolored HeronEgretta tricolorSongbirdsVerdinAuriparus flavicepsSparrowsVesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusRaptorsWhite-tailed HawkGeranoaetus albicaudatusRaptorsWhite-tailed KiteElanus leucurusPigeons and DovesWhite-tipped DoveLeptotila verreauxiPigeons and DovesWhite-winged DoveZenaida asiaticaGame BirdsWild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoCuckoosYellow-billed CuckooCoccyzus americanusWarblersYellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata

Also seen in the Rio Grande Valley 191

Birds Bryan has recorded here whose photos below were taken elsewhere in Texas.

FlycatchersAcadian FlycatcherEmpidonax virescensFlycatchersAlder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorumShorebirdsAmerican AvocetRecurvirostra americanaRails, Gallinules, CootsAmerican CootFulica americanaWading BirdsAmerican FlamingoPhoenicopterus ruberShorebirdsAmerican Golden-PloverPluvialis dominicaFinchesAmerican GoldfinchSpinus tristisGulls & TernsAmerican Herring GullLarus smithsonianusSongbirdsAmerican PipitAnthus rubescensWarblersAmerican RedstartSetophaga ruticillaThrushesAmerican RobinTurdus migratoriusPelicans & CormorantsAmerican White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchosWaterfowlAmerican WigeonMareca americanaPelicans & CormorantsAnhingaAnhinga anhingaRaptorsAplomado FalconFalco femoralisFlycatchersAsh-throated FlycatcherMyiarchus cinerascensBlackbirds & OriolesBaltimore OrioleIcterus galbulaSwallows & SwiftsBarn SwallowHirundo rusticaKingfishersBelted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyonWrensBewick's WrenThryomanes bewickiiFlycatchersBlack PhoebeSayornis nigricansGulls & TernsBlack TernChlidonias nigerRaptorsBlack VultureCoragyps atratusWarblersBlack-and-white WarblerMniotilta variaSongbirdsBlack-tailed GnatcatcherPolioptila melanuraWarblersBlack-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensWarblersBlack-throated Gray WarblerSetophaga nigrescensWarblersBlack-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virensSparrowsBlack-throated SparrowAmphispiza bilineataCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsBlue BuntingCyanocompsa parellinaSongbirdsBlue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caeruleaVireosBlue-headed VireoVireo solitariusWaterfowlBlue-winged TealSpatula discorsWarblersBlue-winged WarblerVermivora cyanopteraGulls & TernsBonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphiaRaptorsBroad-winged HawkButeo platypterusPelicans & CormorantsBrown PelicanPelecanus occidentalisBlackbirds & OriolesBrown-headed CowbirdMolothrus aterWaterfowlBuffleheadBucephala albeolaBlackbirds & OriolesBullock's OrioleIcterus bullockiiWrensCactus WrenCampylorhynchus brunneicapillusWarblersCanada WarblerCardellina canadensisWaterfowlCanvasbackAythya valisineriaWarblersCape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaWrensCarolina WrenThryothorus ludovicianusSparrowsCassin's SparrowPeucaea cassiniiSwallows & SwiftsCave SwallowPetrochelidon fulvaSongbirdsCedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumSwallows & SwiftsChimney SwiftChaetura pelagicaSparrowsChipping SparrowSpizella passerinaWaterfowlCinnamon TealSpatula cyanopteraSparrowsClay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaSwallows & SwiftsCliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonotaPigeons and DovesCommon Ground DoveColumbina passerinaNightjarsCommon NighthawkChordeiles minorGulls & TernsCommon TernSterna hirundoWarblersCommon YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasFlycatchersCouch's KingbirdTyrannus couchiiPelicans & CormorantsDouble-crested CormorantNannopterum auritumFlycatchersDusky-capped FlycatcherMyiarchus tuberculiferLoons & GrebesEared GrebePodiceps nigricollisThrushesEastern BluebirdSialia sialisFlycatchersEastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannusBlackbirds & OriolesEastern MeadowlarkSturnella magnaFlycatchersEastern PhoebeSayornis phoebeFlycatchersEastern Wood-PeweeContopus virensPigeons and DovesEurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaoctoSongbirdsEuropean StarlingSturnus vulgarisOwlsFerruginous Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium brasilianumGulls & TernsForster's TernSterna forsteriGulls & TernsFranklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanWaterfowlFulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorWaterfowlGadwallMareca streperaGulls & TernsGlaucous GullLarus hyperboreusSongbirdsGolden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapaSparrowsGrasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarumWading BirdsGreat Blue HeronArdea herodiasFlycatchersGreat Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusWading BirdsGreat EgretArdea albaOwlsGreat Horned OwlBubo virginianusWaterfowlGreater ScaupAythya marilaKingfishersGreen KingfisherChloroceryle americanaWaterfowlGreen-winged TealAnas creccaThrushesHermit ThrushCatharus guttatusWaterfowlHooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusSparrowsHorned LarkEremophila alpestrisFinchesHouse FinchHaemorhous mexicanusSparrowsHouse SparrowPasser domesticusShorebirdsHudsonian WhimbrelNumenius hudsonicusPigeons and DovesInca DoveColumbina incaCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsIndigo BuntingPasserina cyaneaShorebirdsKilldeerCharadrius vociferusWoodpeckersLadder-backed WoodpeckerDryobates scalarisSparrowsLark SparrowChondestes grammacusFlycatchersLeast FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusShorebirdsLeast SandpiperCalidris minutillaGulls & TernsLesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusFinchesLesser GoldfinchSpinus psaltriaWaterfowlLesser ScaupAythya affinisShorebirdsLesser YellowlegsTringa flavipesSparrowsLincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiWading BirdsLittle Blue HeronEgretta caeruleaSongbirdsLoggerhead ShrikeLanius ludovicianusShorebirdsLong-billed CurlewNumenius americanusSeabirdsMagnificent FrigatebirdFregata magnificensWarblersMagnolia WarblerSetophaga magnoliaWaterfowlMallardAnas platyrhynchosRaptorsMississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensisParrotsMonk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachusWarblersMourning WarblerGeothlypis philadelphiaWarblersNashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapillaPelicans & CormorantsNeotropic CormorantNannopterum brasilianumMockingbirds & ThrashersNorthern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosWarblersNorthern ParulaSetophaga americanaWaterfowlNorthern PintailAnas acutaSwallows & SwiftsNorthern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx serripennisWaterfowlNorthern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWarblersNorthern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensisWarblersNorthern Yellow WarblerSetophaga aestivaBlackbirds & OriolesOrchard OrioleIcterus spuriusRaptorsOspreyPandion haliaetusCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsPainted BuntingPasserina cirisShorebirdsPectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosRaptorsPeregrine FalconFalco peregrinusLoons & GrebesPied-billed GrebePodilymbus podicepsWarblersPine WarblerSetophaga pinusShorebirdsPiping PloverCharadrius melodusRails, Gallinules, CootsPurple GallinulePorphyrio martinicaSwallows & SwiftsPurple MartinProgne subisWaterfowlRed-breasted MerganserMergus serratorVireosRed-eyed VireoVireo olivaceusRaptorsRed-shouldered HawkButeo lineatusWaterfowlRedheadAythya americanaWaterfowlRing-necked DuckAythya collarisKingfishersRinged KingfisherMegaceryle torquataWrensRock WrenSalpinctes obsoletusCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsRose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusHummingbirdsRuby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubrisWaterfowlRuddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisShorebirdsRuddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresHummingbirdsRufous HummingbirdSelasphorus rufusShorebirdsSanderlingCalidris albaCranesSandhill CraneAntigone canadensisGulls & TernsSandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSparrowsSavannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensisQuailScaled QuailCallipepla squamataFlycatchersScissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusWrensSedge WrenCistothorus stellarisOwlsShort-eared OwlAsio flammeusWaterfowlSnow GooseAnser caerulescensWading BirdsSnowy EgretEgretta thulaShorebirdsSnowy PloverAnarhynchus nivosusShorebirdsSolitary SandpiperTringa solitariaSparrowsSong SparrowMelospiza melodiaGulls & TernsSooty TernOnychoprion fuscatusRails, Gallinules, CootsSoraPorzana carolinaShorebirdsSpotted SandpiperActitis maculariusShorebirdsStilt SandpiperCalidris himantopusTanagersSummer TanagerPiranga rubraRaptorsSwainson's HawkButeo swainsoniThrushesSwainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusSparrowsSwamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaWarblersTennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaSwallows & SwiftsTree SwallowTachycineta bicolorRaptorsTurkey VultureCathartes auraShorebirdsUpland SandpiperBartramia longicaudaCardinals, Grosbeaks & BuntingsVaried BuntingPasserina versicolorThrushesVeeryCatharus fuscescensFlycatchersVermilion FlycatcherPyrocephalus rubinusRails, Gallinules, CootsVirginia RailRallus limicolaWading BirdsWestern Cattle-EgretArdea ibisFlycatchersWestern KingbirdTyrannus verticalisBlackbirds & OriolesWestern MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaTanagersWestern TanagerPiranga ludovicianaWading BirdsWhite IbisEudocimus albusSparrowsWhite-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysVireosWhite-eyed VireoVireo griseusWading BirdsWhite-faced IbisPlegadis chihiSparrowsWhite-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollisShorebirdsWilletTringa semipalmataShorebirdsWilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolorShorebirdsWilson's PloverCharadrius wilsoniaShorebirdsWilson's SnipeGallinago delicataWarblersWilson's WarblerCardellina pusillaWrensWinter WrenTroglodytes hiemalisWaterfowlWood DuckAix sponsaFlycatchersYellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisWoodpeckersYellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus variusWarblersYellow-breasted ChatIcteria virensBlackbirds & OriolesYellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalusWarblersYellow-throated WarblerSetophaga dominica

No matches — try a shorter name.

Other birds possible in the area include 70

70 more species Bryan has recorded in the Rio Grande Valley — all fair game on a tour, photos to come:

• Altamira x Audubon's Oriole (hybrid)
• American Barn Owl
• American Woodcock
• Anna's Hummingbird
• Baird's Sandpiper
• Bank Swallow
• Bat Falcon
• Black-billed Cuckoo
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Blackpoll Warbler
• Botteri's Sparrow
• Brewer's Blackbird
• Chihuahuan Raven
• Clapper Rail
• Common Poorwill
• Crimson-collared Grosbeak
• Eastern Whip-poor-will
• Elf Owl
• Fan-tailed Warbler
• Gadwall x Northern Pintail (hybrid)
• Golden-crowned Warbler
• Gray-collared Becard
• Greater White-fronted Goose
• Green Parakeet
• Green-tailed Towhee
• Gull-billed Tern
• Hermit Warbler
• Hudsonian Godwit
• Least Bittern
• Least Grebe
• Lilac-crowned Amazon
• Long-billed Dowitcher
• Long-tailed Duck
• Mangrove Yellow Warbler
• Marsh Wren
• Masked Booby
• Mexican Duck
• Mexican Violetear
• Mexican x Mottled Duck (hybrid)
• Morelet's Seedeater
• Muscovy Duck
• Northern Jacana
• Northern x Tropical Parula (hybrid)
• Olive-sided Flycatcher
• Red Knot
• Red-billed Pigeon
• Red-crowned Amazon
• Red-lored Amazon
• Rose-throated Becard
• Ross's Goose
• Sabine's Gull
• Semipalmated Plover
• Semipalmated Sandpiper
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Short-billed Dowitcher
• Social Flycatcher
• Southern Lapwing
• Tamaulipas Crow
• Tropical Kingbird
• Tropical Parula
• Vega Gull
• Western Sandpiper
• White-fronted Amazon
• Willow Flycatcher
• Wood Stork
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron
• Yellow-green Vireo
• Yellow-headed Amazon
• Yellow-throated Vireo
• Zone-tailed Hawk

Other wildlife photographed here

Tiger BeetleBrown LongtailCommon MestraEmpress LeiliaGiant SwallowtailGreat Southern WhiteMimosa YellowNorthern SicklewingQueen ButterflyWhite PeacockBlue CrabFiddler CrabWoodlouseNeedham's SkimmerSwift Setwing DragonflyThistle GrasshopperHairy Panther AntBlue Spiny LizardBrown AnoleTexas Horned LizardTexas Spiny LizardTexas Spotted WhiptailBlackbuckNilgaiTexas DallCastor Oil Plant SeedsScrewbean MesquiteSpider WebSaropogon Robber Fly