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South Texas Birds
The following species can be found on this page with a short description to help indentify them.
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sandpiper, turn, gull, yellowlegs, pigion, dove, owl, kingfisher, flycatcher, roadrunner, jay, vireo, wood pecker, nighthawk, hummingbird, and more...
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Sanderling
Calidris alba
8" (20 cm). A starling-sized shorebird with conspicuous white wing stripe. Summer adults have rufous head and breast, white belly. In winter, rufous areas replaced by pale gray, and birds look almost white. Bill and legs black.
- Dunlin
Calidris alpina
8 1/2" (22 cm). A starling-sized shorebird. Bill fairly long, with distinct droop at tip. Breeding adults have reddish back, whitish underparts, with black patch in center of belly. Winter birds are dull gray, paler below.
- Baird's Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii
7 1/2" (19 cm). Short straight bill; wing tips extend beyond end of tail giving bird a "pointed" look behind. Breeding adults have buff tinge on face, splotchy pattern on upperparts. Juveniles have buff face, breast, bold white scaling on upperparts.
- Red Knot
Calidris canutus
10.5" (27 cm). Breeding adults have pinkish-rufous face and underparts, dark brown upperparts with pale feather edgings. Fall birds gray above, whitish below. Rump dark; wing stripe faint; bill straight and slightly tapered; legs greenish.
- White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis
7 1/2" (19 cm). Short straight bill, white rump. Wing tips extend beyond end of tail. Breeding, tinge of rusty color on crown, ear coverts, dark brown streaks or spots on flanks. Fall, gray upperparts, gray wash on breast, a narrow, pale eyebrow.
- Stilt Sandpiper
Calidris himantopus
8 1/2" (22 cm). A starling-sized sandpiper with long greenish legs and long bill, slightly down-curved at tip. Wings lack stripe. Breeding adult has chestnut head stripes and barring below. Nonbreeding birds have much paler plumage and a white line over the eye.
- Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
6 1/2" (17 cm). Similar to Semipalmated Sandpiper and not always easy to distinguish, but bill tends to be longer, with more evident droop at tip. In summer, crown and upper back rusty; in winter, crown and upper back dull gray.
- Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
9" (23 cm). A chunky, somewhat short-legged wader with heavily streaked breast sharply delineated from unmarked white belly. Legs yellow. In flight, wings dark with no prominent stripe.
- Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
6" (15 cm). The smallest of American shorebirds. Brownish above, with yellowish or greenish legs, short thin bill, and streaked breast. Grayer in winter plumage. Bill shorter, thinner, and more pointed than in Semipalmated or Western sandpipers.
- Semipalmated Sandpiper
Calidris pusilla
5 1/2-6 3/4" (14-17 cm). Slightly larger than Least Sandpiper. In all plumages, grayer above with less-streaked breast than other "peeps." Feet black. Bill black, short, drooping slightly at tip; noticeably stouter than bill of Least Sandpiper.
- Willet
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
15" (38 cm). A large shorebird, gray-brown, with a long straight bill. Best identified in flight by its flashy black and white wing pattern. Gray legs and thicker bill distinguish it from Greater Yellowlegs.
- Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata (Gallinago gallinago)
10 1/2" (27 cm). A long-billed, brownish shorebird with striped head and back, white belly, and rust in tail. Usually seen when flushed from edge of a marsh or a pond. Flight fast and erratic.
- Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus
12" (30 cm). Dark long bill, white lower back, rump; black/white checkered tail, green legs. Summer, reddish underparts, variable spotting on breast, sides, barred flanks. Winter birds are gray overall, with pale eyebrow and white lower back, rump.
- Long-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceus
12" (30 cm). Dark long bill, white lower back, rump, black/white checkered tail, green legs. Summer, reddish underparts, barring on breast, sides, flanks, reddish edges on feathers of upperparts. Winter, gray overall, with pale eyebrow; white lower back rump.
- Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
18" (46 cm). A crow-sized shorebird, dark and mottled above, cinnamon-buff below, with cinnamon wing linings and long, pinkish, upturned bill.
- Hudsonian Godwit
Limosa haemastica
15" (38 cm). Long, slightly upturned bill. Breeding adult has barred chestnut underparts, mottled brown upperparts. Fall birds grayish above, whitish below. All plumages have black and white tail, broad white wing stripe, and black wing linings.
- Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
23" (58 cm). A large curlew, warm brown and buff below, with cinnamon wing linings, no head pattern, and very long, sickle-shaped bill.
- Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
17" (43 cm). Down-curved bill. Uniform brown or gray-brown above, with bold head stripes and long legs.
- Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor
9" (23 cm). Needle-like bill; pearl-gray head, back; white underparts; black stripe through eye, down neck; chestnut markings on breast, back. Fall, pale gray above, white below. Females more boldly patterned than males.
- Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
10 1/2" (27 cm). A smaller, more slender edition of the Greater Yellowlegs, with a proportionately shorter, straighter, more slender bill. Looks longer-legged than Greater Yellowlegs.
- Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
14" (36 cm). A slender, gray-streaked wader with conspicuous white rump and long yellow legs. Lesser Yellowlegs is similar but smaller, with a shorter, straighter, and more slender bill and a different call.
- Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
8 1/2" (22 cm). A small dark sandpiper with dark olive legs, speckled upperparts, white tail barred with black, and prominent eye ring. Flight is swallow-like. No white wing stripe, as seen in Spotted Sandpiper.
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Tryngites subruficollis
8" (20 cm). A starling-sized sandpiper with a small head. Underparts and face buff, legs dull orange-yellow. Bill short and straight.
- Black Tern
Chlidonias niger
9-10" (23-25 cm). A medium-sized tern with solid black head and underparts; gray wings and moderately forked gray tail. In fall and winter, head and underparts white, with dusky smudging around eyes and back of neck.
- Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
23-26" (58-66 cm). Adult white with light gray back and wings; wing tip black with white spots; bill yellow with red spot on lower mandible; feet pink or flesh colored. First-year birds brownish. Acquires adult plumage in 4 years.
- Laughing Gull
Larus atricilla
15-17" (38-43 cm). A slender, medium-sized gull with a black hood in breeding plumage. In summer, the adult's back, wings are dark gray; trailing edge of wing is white, wing tip is black, without white spots. In winter, lacks a hood.
- Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
18-20" (46-51 cm). Adult silvery gray on back, white on head, tail, underparts. Greenish-yellow feet, narrow black ring around bill. Young birds mottled brown, with blackish tail band, flesh-colored legs. Acquires adult plumage in 3 years.
- Bonaparte's Gull
Larus philadelphia
12-14" (30-36 cm). Silvery gray above, with conspicuous white, wedge-shaped patches on leading edge of outer wing. Head black in breeding adults, white in winter with dark spot behind eye.black bill.
- Franklin's Gull
Larus pipixcan
13-15" (33-38 cm). Black hood in breeding plumage. Summer adult, dark gray back, wings; trailing edge of wing, white; wing tip, black, separated from gray by white spots. Smudgy half-hood in winter. Young, dark brown, white rump, broad black tail band.
- Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
18" (46 cm). Black above, white below, with red legs. Bill red with black tip, laterally compressed, blade-like. Unique among birds in having lower mandible much longer (about one-third) than the upper. Immature mottled above, shorter bill.
- Least Tern
Sterna antillarum
8-10" (20-25 cm). A very small tern with a black-tipped yellow bill and a fast, shallow wingbeat. White with black cap, pale gray back and wings, and forked tail; white forehead.
- Caspian Tern
Sterna caspia
19-23" (48-58 cm). Largely white, with black cap, slight crest, pale gray back, wings, heavy bright red bill, dusky underwing. Almost never seen away from coast.
- Forster's Tern
Sterna forsteri
14-15" (36-38 cm). White with pale gray back, wings; black cap; deeply forked tail. Bill orange with black tip. Wing tips frosty white. In winter, lacks black cap but has distinctive black mark behind eye.
- Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
13-16" (33-41 cm). White with black cap and pale gray back and wings. Bill red with black tip; tail deeply forked. Similar to Forster's Tern, but lacks frosty wing tip. See also Arctic Tern.
- Royal Tern
Sterna maxima
18-21" (46-53 cm). Large tern with a long, heavy, yellow-orange to orange-red bill. Black cap, wispy crest, pale gray back, wings; white forehead. Tail moderately forked.
- Gull-billed Tern
Sterna nilotica
13-15" (33-38 cm). A pigeon-sized tern. Very pale with almost white back and wings, black cap, and stout black bill; tail not as deeply forked as in other terns. Winter birds lack black cap.
- Sandwich Tern
Sterna sandvicensis
16" (41 cm). A slender tern, white with gray mantle, black cap, short crest, and long, black, yellow-tipped bill.
- Red-billed Pigeon
Columba flavirostris
14" (36 cm). A large pigeon, deep maroon and gray, without distinctive markings; bill red with pale tip.
- Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
13 1/2" (34 cm). Common pigeon of towns, cities. Chunky, short rounded tail. Typically bluish-gray with 2 narrow black wing bands, broad black terminal tail band; white rump. Many color variants, ranging from all white through rusty to all black.
- Inca Dove
Columbina inca
8" (20 cm). A tiny long-tailed dove with a scaly gray body and contrasting rufous in the wings.
- Common Ground-Dove
Columbina passerina
6 1/2" (17 cm). A sparrow-sized, short-tailed brown dove with much rufous in the wings. Tail dark with white corners.
- White-tipped Dove
Leptotila verreauxi
12" (30 cm). Brown with whitish forehead, belly, and tail tips; chestnut wing linings.
- White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
12" (30 cm). A brownish-gray dove with blackish wings that have a broad diagonal white bar; rounded tail has whitish corners noticeable in flight.
- Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
12" (30 cm). Soft, sandy buff with a long pointed tail bordered with white. Black spots on wings.
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
10 1/2-12 1/2" (27-32 cm). Jay-sized. A slender, long-tailed bird, brown above, white below, with large white spots on underside of tail, flash of rufous in wings. Bill slightly curved, with yellow lower mandible.
- Groove-billed Ani
Crotophaga sulcirostris
12" (30 cm). Jay-sized. Black, with a very long tail half the length of the bird. Bill huge, with arched ridge and narrow grooves.
- Greater Roadrunner
Geococcyx californianus
24" (61 cm). Bigger than a crow. A long-legged, long-tailed, streaked, gray-brown ground bird with a bushy crest. Bright yellow eyes.
- Barn Owl
Tyto alba
18" (46 cm). W. 3' 8" (1.1 m). Crow-sized. Buff-brown above and white below, with heart-shaped face and numerous fine dark dots on white underparts; dark eyes, long legs.
- Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
25" (64 cm). W. 4' 7" (1.4 m). A large owl, varying in color from nearly white (in Arctic) to dark brown and gray. Mottled and streaked below, setting off the white throat; prominent, widely spaced ear tufts; yellow eyes.
- Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium brasilianum
6 1/2-7" (17-18 cm). Rust-colored, with rusty, faintly cross-barred tail and streaked flanks. Crown streaked with white, underparts streaked with red-brown. White-bordered black patch on each side of nape.
- Eastern Screech-Owl
Otus asio
10" (25 cm). A small, mottled owl with prominent ear tufts; yellow eyes. Both rufous and gray color phases occur, as well as brownish intermediates.
- Barred Owl
Strix varia
20" (51 cm). W. 3' 8" (1.1 m). A large, stocky, dark-eyed owl. Gray-brown, with crossbarring on neck and breast and streaks on belly; no ear tufts. See Spotted Owl.
Chuck-will's-widow
Caprimulgus carolinensis
12" (30 cm). Pigeon-sized. Larger than the Whip-poor-will. Buff-brown body, brown chin.
- Whip-poor-will
Caprimulgus vociferus
10" (25 cm). Robin-sized. A leaf-brown, strictly nocturnal bird with black throat. Male has broad white tips on outer tail feathers, visible in flight. Female has all-brown tail. Chuck-will's-widow is larger and buffier.
- Lesser Nighthawk
Chordeiles acutipennis
8-9" (20-23 cm). Small, with white wing patch (buff in female) nearer tip of wing (visible in flight). Both sexes have buffy cast to underparts. Male's throat white; female's buffy. Flies low and utters no loud aerial calls.
- Antillean Nighthawk
Chordeiles gundlachii
9 1/2" (24 cm). Similar to Common Nighthawk, but slightly smaller and paler. Best distinguished by voice.
- Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
10" (25 cm). Mottled brownish-black, perfectly matching the ground. Long notched or square-tipped tail, long pointed wings with broad white wing bar. Male, white throat patch, white subterminal tail bar. Female, buffy throat patch, no tail bar.
- Common Pauraque
Nyctidromus albicollis
12" (30 cm). Mottled brown. Brown body; wings and tail show white bands in flight, especially conspicuous in male. Identified mainly by voice: A burry pur-wheeer, slurred downward and uttered at night.
- Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
4 3/4-5 1/2" (12-14 cm). Similar to Vaux's Swift but slightly larger, more uniform gray-brown, with darker throat and breast.
- Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Amazilia yucatanensis
4 1/2" (11 cm). Green above with glittering green throat, brown tail, and tawny or rich buff belly. Bill long and thin, bright orange-red with black tip.
- Bllck-chinned Hummingbird
Archilochus alexandri
3 1/4-3 3/4" (8-10 cm). Male green above with iridescent black chin underlined by violet-purple throat band. Female green above with white throat, breast, buff sides, and white-tipped outer tail feathers.
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
3 1/2" (9 cm). Tiny. Needle-like bill. Metallic green above, white below; male has brilliant, iridescent red throat. Immature male lacks red throat. Female green above, with white throat and breast, buff sides, and white-tipped outer tail feathers.
- Belted Kingfisher
Ceryle alcyon
13" (33 cm). A pigeon-sized bird, blue-gray above, white below, with bushy crest, dagger-like bill. Male has blue-gray breast band; female similar, but also has chestnut belly band.
- Ringed Kingfisher
Ceryle torquata
13" (33 cm). Pigeon-sized. Similar to Belted Kingfisher but larger, and with more chestnut on belly. Bushy crest and large, dagger-shaped bill. Blue-gray above, chestnut below with white collar. Female similar, but has gray band across upper breast.
- Green Kingfisher
Chloroceryle americana
8" (20 cm). Starling-sized. Dark glossy green above, white below; male has broad rufous breast band, female has green breast band. Both sexes have white collar.
- Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
12" (30 cm). Brown back, dark bars and spots; whitish or buff below with black spots; black crescent on breast; white rump, visible in flight. Eastern, red patch on nape, yellow wing linings; male, black mustache. Western, lack nape patch, salmon-pink wing linings; males, red "mustache."
- Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
9 1/2" (24 cm). Barred with black and white above and buff below, male has red restricted to cap; nape orange; forecrown yellow; female lacks red but has orange nape.
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
10" (25 cm). Barred black and white above; pale buff below and on face; sexes similar except that male has red crown and nape, female red nape only. Reddish patch on lower abdomen is seldom visible in the field.
- Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
6" (15 cm). A sparrow-sized, black and white woodpecker. Small red patch on nape in males. Similar to Hairy Woodpecker, but smaller and with short, stubby bill.
- Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Picoides scalaris
7" (18 cm). Barred black and white back; strong facial pattern forms triangle on buffy-white cheek. Male has red cap, female has black cap.
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
8 1/2" (22 cm). Mottled, off-white & black; male, red crown, throat; female, only red crown. Dull yellowish below. Conspicuous white wing stripe, visible at rest, flight. Hybridizes with Red-naped in Rocky Mountains, where puzzling intermediates can be found.
- Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Camptostoma imberbe
4" (10 cm). A nondescript, dull-colored bird with a tiny bill. Olive-gray above with pale buff wing bars; whitish below with dusky throat and breast.
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi (Contopus borealis)
7 1/2" (19 cm). Deep olive-brown, with dark sides of breast, flanks separated by white patch down center of breast. White feather tufts protrude from lower back at base of tail; tail broad and prominently notched.
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens
6 1/2" (17 cm). Almost identical to Western Wood-Pewee, and best distinguished by voice. Empidonax flycatchers are smaller and usually have noticeable eye ring.
- Alder Flycatcher
Empidonax alnorum
5-6" (13-15 cm). Dull gray-green above, whitish below, with 2 dull white wing bars and narrow white eye ring (often not noticeable). Indistinguishable in appearance from Willow Flycatcher, best identified by voice, breeding habitat, and nest.
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris
5 1/2" (14 cm). A very small flycatcher, olive-green above, yellowish below, including throat, with 2 white wing bars and yellowish eye ring. Other flycatchers (Acadian, Alder, Willow, and Least) have more whitish throats, underparts, and eye rings.
- Least Flycatcher
Empidonax minimus
5 1/4" (13 cm). Dull olive-gray above, whitish below, with 2 whitish wing bars and conspicuous white eye ring. Distinguished by voice and breeding habitat.
- Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii
6" (15 cm). Distinguishable from Alder Flycatcher only by voice, breeding habitat, and nest. Other western Empidonax flycatchers have more conspicuous eye ring or are grayer above.
- Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
6" (15 cm). Olive green above, whitish or sometimes yellow below (especially on flanks and belly), with distinct white eye ring. Identified chiefly by voice and habitat.
- Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
8" (20 cm). Dull olive above, yellowish below. Like Brown-crested Flycatcher (and Great Crested, Myiarchus crinitus, of the East), but smaller and less colorful; back browner, throat and breast grayish white.
- Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
9" (23 cm). Slightly crested. Brown above, with gray throat, yellow belly, rufous wings and tail, and pale brown at base of lower mandible.
- Brown-crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus tyrannulus
9 1/2" (24 cm). Olive above; yellow below; with cinnamon in wings, tail. Large, black bill, bright sulphur-yellow belly.
- Rose-throated Becard
Pachyramphus aglaiae
6 1/2" (17 cm). Sparrow-sized. Male gray above, with black cap and pale rose-red throat; whitish below. Female brown, paler below, with dusky grayish cap.
- Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
10 1/2" (27 cm). A stocky, robin-sized flycatcher. Broad black bill; black-and-white striped head; olive-brown back; bright yellow underparts; rufous wings. Tail conspicuous in flight.
- Vermilion Flycatcher
Pyrocephalus rubinus
6" (15 cm). Male has brilliant scarlet crown and underparts, with dark brown back, wings, and tail; female similar to male above but white below with dark streaks. Belly of females and immatures varies from pink to yellow to white.
- Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
7" (18 cm). Dull olive green without an eye ring or wing bars. Wags its tail.
- Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya
7-8" (18-20 cm). Dusky head, breast, and back, with darker wings and black tail. Light rust-colored belly and undertail coverts.
- Couch's Kingbird
Tyrannus couchii8 1/2" (22 cm). Bright yellow underparts, olive back, dark patch through eye. Slightly forked brown tail without white. Tropical Kingbird, very rare in southern Texas, is identical in appearance but has distinctive twittering calls.
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Tyrannus forficatus14" (36 cm). Adult, bright salmon-pink sides, belly; pale grayish-white head, upper back, breast. Very long, deeply forked black and white tail (more than half its length). Young similar, but have shorter tail and lack bright pink on sides, belly.
- Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
8-9" (20-23 cm). Blackish head, blue-black mantle and wings; black tail with white terminal band; white below. Red feathers in middle of crown usually concealed. Long crown feathers and upright posture give it a distinctive silhouette.
- Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
8-10" (20-25 cm). Slightly smaller than Northern Shrike, and slightly darker gray above, white below, with black face mask extending over bill.
- Bell's Vireo
Vireo bellii
4 3/4 -5" (12-13 cm). Smaller than a sparrow. Dull olive-gray above, whitish below, with faint white eye ring and fainter wing bars. White-eyed Vireo similar but larger, with yellow "spectacles" and white eyes.
- Yellow-throated Vireo
Vireo flavifrons
6" (15 cm). Sparrow-sized. Bright yellow throat, breast, and "spectacles"; 2 conspicuous white wing bars, olive green head and back, gray rump, white belly.
- Yellow-green Vireo
Vireo flavoviridis
6-7" (15-18 cm). Olive-green above, paler below, with yellowish tinge on back, flanks, and undertail coverts; dull gray crown; whitish eyebrow. Eye red. Similar to Red-eyed Vireo, but much yellower below, and with more indistinct markings on head.
- Warbling Vireo
Vireo gilvus
5-6" (13-15 cm). Olive-green above, whitish below, no wing bars, lacks bold face pattern, having only a narrow white eyebrow. The Philadelphia Vireo is similar, but has yellow tinge to underparts, dark spot between eye and base of bill.
- White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
5" (13 cm). Warbler-sized. Olive green above and white below with yellow flanks; yellow "spectacles;" white wing bars. Adult has white eye; immature has dark eye.
- Philadelphia Vireo
Vireo philadelphicus
6" (15 cm). Sparrow-sized. Olive above, yellowish below, with pale eyebrow, dark line through eye to base of bill, and no wing bars.
- Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius
5-6" (13-15 cm). Blue-gray crown, nape, and face; olive green back; white throat and underparts; 2 broad white wing bars and large white "spectacles;" yellow flanks and sides. Females and immatures grayer on head.
- Chihuahuan Raven
Corvus
19-21" (48-53 cm). Similar to Common Raven, but somewhat smaller. White bases on feathers of neck seldom seen. Best told by voice.
- Tamaulipas Crow
Corvus
15" (38 cm). A small glossy crow, all black, including bill and feet.
- Brown Jay
Cyanocorax
14-18" (36-46 cm). Large and long-tailed. Dusky brown above with darker brown head, paler on breast and whitish on belly and flanks. Bill thick, black in adults and yellow in immatures.
area bird species sources : enature.com
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