The Binocular Site
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Located in Brewster County Texas, Big Bend National Park sits along 245 miles of the Rio Grande which forms the geographical border between the United States and Mexico.
The park covers the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States with a total area of 1200 square miles. Big bend is a beautifully rugged landscape with over 450 species of birds to discover.
It is also known to mark the eastern limits of many western birds and conversely the western limits of many eastern bird species. Some of the birds common to the area include the Colima Warbler, Flammulated Owl, and Crissal Thrasher.
You can also find other unique birds in the area like the Lucifer Hummingbird, Mexican Jay, black-capped and gray vireos, and Mexican Duck.
Take a trip in the Chisos Mountains within the park and you may get lucky and spot a Montezuma Quail. Native to the Chisos Mountains, the Montezuma Quails population was decimated in the 1930's. Although the species was reintroduced into the area in the 1970s there were no documented sightings until 2005.
The Texas state bird is the Northern Mockingbird and you can find a checklist of birds to watch for in Texas here.
Photo credit to avencap, used with permission under the creative commons license. You can learn more about the history, culture, and wildlife at Big Bend National Park and see numerous pictures taken by visitors to the park here.If you've visited Big Bend, please take the time to share your experience and any tips or insight you have about this Texas bird watching location below.
Check out more birdwatching spots.
Average User Rating
Big Bend is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and it is great for birds and other wildlife. To see a trip report with photos, visit my blog (www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com) and go to the pages for December 2008.
Add Your Own Review