The Central Coast can be a little bit of bog and a little bit of beach and the birding is necessarily varied. The rare Swainson's Warbler has been spotted near Sargent Beach, an eastern woodland species along with such finds as the Eastern Bluebird. And waterfowl rarities like the Oldsquaw, the Pacific Loon, and the Masked Duck have been found now and again. Other rare visitors to the coast include the Sooty Tern and the Swallow-tailed Kite. The big must-visit birding sites are Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, which is populated by Whooping Cranes, and Matagorda Island State Park, home to Brown Pelicans, Whooping Cranes, Peregrine Falcons and about 320 species altogether.

For quantity over rarity, keep an eye out for Snow Geese, which can congregate in the millions on the Central Coast. Sandhill Cranes can also blacken the sky in great numbers. Rockport and Aransas Pass are home to thousands and thousands of hummingbirds during migration.

Other birds worth watching out for (among many) are the Snowy Plover, the American Oyster Catcher, the Ovenbird Warbler, the Marsh Wren, the Reddish Egret, the Crested Caracara, and the Wood Stork.

Birding Sites