Birding in West Texas and Wildlife

Birding in West Texas

Texas is by far the most bird-diverse state in the nation. Birders delight in the biodiversity and beauty of the West Texas desert. We have 1100 acres for you to explore. Spring bird migration is a great time to visit the Trans Pecos for a chance to see many species of neotropical migrants, including a variety of warblers, vireos, and a plethora of hawks. Here are some birds you may find:

Cave Swallow and Barn Swallow

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Bewick’s Wren

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Curve-billed Thrasher, Pahinopepla, Yellow-breasted Chat (Summer),

Western Tanager (Summer), Lark Bunting (Winter), Dark-eyed Junco

Pyrrhuloxia, Blue Grosbeak (Summer), Painted Bunting (Summer), Scott’s Oriole (Summer), Lesser Goldfinch,

Black Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo

American Kestrel, Scarlet Tanager, Shrike

Common Black Hawk, Harris’s Hawk

Swainson’s Hawk (Summer), Ferruginous Hawk (Winter), Golden Eagle

Prairie Falcon, Scaled Quail, Greater Roadrunner, Elf Owl, Burrowing Owl

Lesser Nighthawk (Summer), Common Poorwill (Summer), Black-chinned Hummingbird (Summer), Red-naped Sapsucker (Winter), Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker,

Western Wood-Pewee, Gray Flycatcher (Summer)

Over 450 species of birds think Big Bend National Park is a great place to be. We see many of them seasonally at the ranch.

Wildlife Viewing in West Texas

Keep an eye out for other animals which call West Texas home, including:

Mountain Lions, Fox, Javelina, (a type of Peccaries), Mule Deer

Kangaroo Rats, Cottontail Rabbit, Jackrabbits, Bobcats

Badgers. Texas Horned Toad, Desert Shrew

West Texas's Incredible Desert Wildlife

Follow Patrick McMillan as he goes into the Trans-Pecos region of the Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas. This lesser known landscape spans an area roughly the size of the state of Maine, with varied altitudes like desert plains, woodlands, and mountains. McMillan finds the biggest spider in North America, and the pig-like Javelina. This desert region is packed with prickly pear fruits, and breathtaking flowering cacti, some only native to West Texas.

Meet the Kangaroo Rat

This is a kangaroo rat, which is much cuter than it sounds, and something we see fairly frequently at night. These tiny desert warriors have always been a favorite with guests.