13th Annual Laredo Birding Festival
Feb
5
to Feb 8

13th Annual Laredo Birding Festival

With a rich and diverse river eco-system, Laredo is home to hundreds of species of local and migratory birds. Laredo is considered part of the “birdiest” corridor in North America. Our prized birds include the Morelet’s Seedeater, Scaled Quail, Gray Hawk, Audubon’s and Altamira Orioles, Green Parakeets, Muscovy Duck, Red-billed Pigeon, and Clay-colored Thrush, among many others.  Laredo is the only place in the U.S. to have boasted four species of kingfisher: the Ringed, Belted, Green, and Amazon.

The Laredo Birding Festival offers birders a variety of full-day scenic trips. Planned by the Rio Grande International Study Center and escorted by professional field guides and members of the local Monte Mucho Audubon Society, birdwatchers will have the opportunity to deepen their avian knowledge of South Texas and explore areas along Laredo’s river front, creek systems, and nature trails. Carefully selected public green spaces and private ranchland will provide visitors the chance to visit sites that have never been birded before, while an afternoon trip to St. Peter’s Plaza will give birders a chance to catch Laredo’s local green parakeets in action. Several festival favorites will also return, including “Bird ’til you Drop – Webb County” and two different kayak trips: “Floating Under Flyways I & II” and “Birding on the Rio Grande.”

Location

La Posada Hotel

5928, 1000 Zaragoza St
Laredo, TX 78040

Contact

Rio Grande International Study Center

956-718-1063

View Organizer Website

info@rgisc.org

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Port Aransas Whooping Crane Festival
Feb
20
to Feb 23

Port Aransas Whooping Crane Festival

The Coastal Bend is the only spot in the United States where the endangered Whooping Crane can be viewed at close range, and the Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce celebrates this astonishing natural wonder with an annual festival honoring these grand birds.

In addition to the Whooping Crane, an awesome array of wintering migratory birds flock into the wetlands and onto the Texas shorelines of Mustang Island in and around Port Aransas. Birding tours by land and sea are highlights during the festival. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the many festivities during the celebration. Free trade show featuring numerous unique vendors. A wide selection of optics, paintings, photography, and one-of-a-kind gift items for the nature lover in all of us will be featured. Other activities include world-renowned speakers, photography workshops, and a variety of field trips.

Contact

Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce

361-749-5919

View Organizer Website

LShelton@visitportaransas.com (Lisa Shelton)

Location

Port Aransas Civic Center

710 W. Avenue A
Port Aransas, TX 78373

Contact

Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce

361-749-5919

View Organizer Website

LShelton@visitportaransas.com (Lisa Shelton)

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Gulf Coast Brew on the Bayou
Mar
29
6:30 AM06:30

Gulf Coast Brew on the Bayou

March 29, 2025 All day

Come to Gulf Coast Bird Observatory to sample and enjoy specialty brews from local breweries as well as wines. Listen to live music, grab a bite to eat from local food trucks, and check out some hot items at our silent auction. Our beautiful wooded grounds will be lit by torchlight making it a perfect spot to enjoy the brews, the food, and the music! Additional highlights include a birds of prey show with live raptors and pontoon rides on the bayou.

Tickets are $20 in advance on our website or $25 at the door. We hope to see you there!

Location

Gulf Coast Bird Observatory

299 Hwy 332 West
Lake Jackson, TX 77566

Contact

Gulf Coast Bird Observatory

979-480-0999

View Organizer Website

csilling@gcbo.org (Celeste Silling)

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Spring Chirp 2025
Apr
9
to Apr 12

Spring Chirp 2025

This festival is perfect for those seeking superior birding in South Texas, our small-group field trips with expert guides to hotspots and super-premium destinations make this the best way to see a wide variety of specialty birds and migrants.

The Lower Rio Grande Valley has many great birding sites, and Weslaco is certainly one of the valley’s jewels, an ecological crossroad, where subtropical, Gulf Coast, Great Plains, and Chihuahuan desert climates come together. Birds from the Central and Mississippi flyways go right through the area on their way to and from Mexico, Central and South America. Weslaco in the Rio Grande Valley is the primary corridor in the spring for raptor and hawk migration.

Beginner and experienced enthusiasts will enjoy premium field trip locations and exclusive access to private properties. Specialty bird species include Plain and Piebald Chachalacas, Green Jays, hummingbirds, and a number of Mexican species of seasonal migrants which are regularly found here.

Registration opens November 1, 2024.

Location

Valley Nature Center

301 South Border Ave
Weslaco, TX 78596

Contact

Valley Nature Center

956-969-2475

View Organizer Website

hjohnston@valleynaturecenter.org (Hollie Johnston)

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Birdiest Festival in America
Apr
23
to Apr 27

Birdiest Festival in America

The 2024 festival may be over, but we're already building our nest for 2025!

 

New info/registration will be live

on December 1, 2024!

The 2025 Keynote Speaker will be Kevin Karlson, an accomplished birder, author, professional tour leader, wildlife photographer, and instructor, who will present: “Through the Looking Glass: Reflections of a Grateful Birder.”

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Galveston FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photography Festival
Apr
24
to Apr 27

Galveston FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photography Festival

Mark your calendars to attend Galveston Island’s 23rd FeatherFest Birding & Nature Photography Festival during the peak of spring migration. Galveston is one of the top locations in the country for birding because it hosts a diverse variety of habitats in a small geographical area where some 300 species make their permanent or temporary home throughout the year.

Choose from 100+ expert-led birding and nature photography activities to beach, bay, Bolivar Flats, High Island, and more! Go by bus, boat, kayak, electric bike, or drive your own vehicle for our meet-at-site trips.

Come experience spring migration, area charm, history, and hospitality in Galveston.

Pre-festival field trips to be announced.

Location

Moody Gardens Hotel

1 Hope Boulevard
Galveston, TX 77554

Contact

Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council

409-789-8125

View Organizer Website

FeatherFest@gintc.org (Julie Ann Brown)

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Balcones Songbird Festival
Apr
25
to Apr 27

Balcones Songbird Festival

The Texas Hill Country is a rest stop for migrating birds—a way station where they can relax, catch a good meal, and gather strength for the rest of their journey. Nestled in the Hill Country is the 24,000-acre Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge that offers some of the best bird watching and habitat in Texas, with more than 215 bird species part or all year. The refuge also provides critical habitat for two endangered songbird migrants—the Black-capped Vireo and the Golden-cheeked Warbler. They not only stop to rest, they stop to nest. Other specialities include Painted Bunting, Black-crested Titmouse, Vermilion Flycatchers, Bushtits, Black-throated Sparrows, LeConte’s Sparrows, and Canyon Towhees.  Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks nest regularly as well as Cooper’s Hawks. 

The Balcones Songbird Festival is a celebration of nature through a collection of interpretive events to experience both bird species and their habitat. There are bird walks, presentations, and talks. Small group focus tours, with leaders of distinction who will provide you with a quality and fun-filled experience. Experienced guides help you add to your life list.

While many of the nature tours and events take place across the Hill Country, the main event will be located at the Refuge Headquarters on FM 1431 just west of Lago Vista. It’s hosted by the Friends of Balcones and Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge and supported by local and national conservation-minded sponsors who make this event possible. 

Location

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

24518 FM, 1431
Marble Falls, TX 78654

Friends of Balcones Canyonlands NWR

View Organizer Website

Friends@friendsofbalcones.org

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Birding the Border
May
1
to May 4

Birding the Border

Birding the Border takes place each spring in Val Verde and Kinney counties, Texas! This puts us in the middle of the Central Flyway and at the intersection of 3 different eco-regions, providing our participants with the opportunity to see a wide variety of birds in the borderlands of southwest Texas. Participants have access to private ranches, some of which have never been birded, and other restricted-access sites. This is a unique Texas birding experience that includes tours led by professional guides, educational programs, a trade show, and so much more.

We kick off our program with a Welcome Social at Val Verde Winery. Take this opportunity to meet the Birding the Border guides and birding buddies as well as your fellow birders while enjoying the beautiful atmosphere of the oldest bonded winery in Texas and a delicious taco bar! Over the next 3 days, you can travel through a wide variety of unique habitats in the Edwards Plateau, South Texas Plains, and the Chihuahuan Desert to find target species, such as Golden-cheeked Warbler; Black-capped Vireo; Morelet’s Seedeater; Varied, Indigo, and Painted Buntings; and Tropical Parula. We look forward to taking you to some of the best birding spots in Val Verde and Kinney counties, including public, private, and restricted access properties.

Contact:
Emily Grant
emily.grant@ag.tamu.edu
830-774-7592

Del Rio Civic Center

1915 Veterans Blvd
Del Rio, TX 78840

Contact

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension

830-774-7591

View Organizer Website

emily.grant@ag.tamu.edu

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Davis Mountains Hummingbird Celebration
Aug
14
to Aug 17

Davis Mountains Hummingbird Celebration

In the heart of Texas’ Chihuahuan Desert Sky Islands, Fort Davis, at an elevation of 5,050 ft, is known as the Hummingbird Capital of Texas. Ten hummingbird species have been identified at the Hummingbird Celebration! Pack your life list with hummingbirds and great southwestern bird species. Exceptional field trips to the beautiful Christmas Mountains and Lucifer Hummingbirds, spectacular private ranches, and bird gardens.

The Davis Mountains Hummingbird Celebration will be held biennially in odd years.

Contact:
Cecilia Riley
info@davismountainshummingbirdcelebration.com.

Location

Fort Davis, Texas

101 Memorial Square
Fort Davis, TX 79734

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Coastal Bend Audubon Society's "Big Day 2024"
Nov
10
to Nov 16

Coastal Bend Audubon Society's "Big Day 2024"

Big Day is Coastal Bend Audubon Society’s major fundraiser, but it is also a one day birding competition that is fun for everyone, and a great way to introduce anyone to the experience of birding. In 2024, CBAS is offering birders the opportunity to CHOOSE ONE DAY from the following dates to do your Big Day team birding:

Sunday, Nov. 10

Monday, Nov. 11

Tuesday, Nov. 12

Wednesday, Nov. 13

Thursday, Nov. 14

Friday, Nov. 15

Saturday, Nov. 16

No matter which day you choose, your team members should plan on coming to the Big Day Roost on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 16, for reporting your total bird species identified, the Big Day Awards Ceremony, our Big Day Dinner (buffet) and our Curated Raffle.

For general information on the event, download the Big Day 2024 Flyer by clicking on the button below:

For more details about Big Day, please click on the Guidelines link below:

You may download a copy of the Big Day 2024 Registration Form by clicking either of the buttons below.

  • The Microsoft Word version of the Registration Form will need to be printed out and completed by hand.

  • The PDF version of the Registration Form (Fillable Form) can be downloaded and completed on your computer or other electronic device.

Once you complete your Big Day Registration Form, you can email it to Paula McKinney at: pjmck1973@gmail.com

For the Big Day 2024 event, teams will be using the Coastal Bend Fall Checklist of Birds. To download a copy of this checklist, click the button below:

In conjunction with Big Day, Coastal Bend Audubon Society is also holding a Curated Raffle. You can purchase Raffle Tickets at the Big Day Roost (Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, from 5:00-7:30 PM at the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, 8545 S. Staples in Corpus Christi) OR by telephoning Paula McKinney, Big Day Event Organizer, at 512-644-1039. Raffle tickets prices are:

One Ticket: $5

5 Tickets: $20

Raffle Tickets may be purchased prior to and during the Big Day Roost, so if you are NOT attending the Big Day Roost, you must purchase your tickets by contacting Paula McKinney no later than 4:00 PM on Saturday, November 16, 2024.

Note that Curated Raffle Prize winners do NOT have to be present to win and we will deliver prizes!

For a list of the prizes, please click on the button below.

For more detail on each of the 9 Curated Raffle Prizes, click on the appropriate button(s) below.

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Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Nov
6
to Nov 10

Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival

See why birders have been flocking to this festival for more than 25 years—great birds (at least 30 new ones if you’ve never been to the Rio Grande Valley), fantastic professional guides, reunion-like socials, keynotes, workshops, huge trade show, and lots of goodies in the silent auction.

We are TEXAS FRIENDLY! Visit our website in July for details and for registration dates. For more information, contact (209) 227-4823 or (956) 423-5565; info@rgvbf.org.

Location

Harlingen Convention Center

701 Harlingen Heights Drive
Harlingen, TX 78550

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