THE TRUE WINTER TEXANS

No, we're not talking about the hundreds of Mid-westerners and Canadians that flock to Central and Southern Texas to escape the harsh winters of the north. The True Winter Texans are the migratory birds that utilize Texas during the winter months as their home away from home. Birdlife in Texas is a dynamic event, as populations fluctuate from winter visitors to spring migrants to summer breeders to fall migrants back to winter visitors. Another group is the year-round residents like Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird, Greater Roadrunner, and some Red-tailed Hawks, which are common throughout central Texas. More attention is given to year-round residents and summer breeders, mainly due to the higher frequency of occurrence throughout the year; and that some are brilliantly colored, or encountered yearly on a breeding bird census. Texas is unique in having subdued, warmer winter weather, and is home to an exciting and diverse population of winter bird species.

Let's paint a picture of winter birdlife in Texas. Imagine a pond surrounded by open grassland on one side and woodland on the other. Central Texas is home to 15+ species of wintering waterfowl including Redhead, Canvasback, Northern Shoveler ducks, three species of teal, and many more which can be found feeding or resting on the pond. Other winter visitors seen in association with ducks typically include American Coot, grebes, and Double-crested Cormorant, with Spotted Sandpiper and Wilson's Snipe along the shoreline.

The open pasture hosts good numbers of Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, and large swarming flocks of grackles, cowbirds, starlings, or Brewer's Blackbirds. Lucky birdwatchers may see Sandhill Cranes or geese feeding within old fields. American Kestrel, Merlin, and Northern Harrier can be seen perched on a bare limb of a tree or hunting over the open grassland, while Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks are patrolling the woodland for Northern Flickers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, or songbirds to feast on.

A Chickadee bird box awaits its winter visitor, above.

Wintering and Resident Bird Surveys are being conducted now by experienced Plateau birders. To learn more about this service, click here.