The Lower Rio Grande Valley is the crown jewel of American birding, a subtropical corner of deep South Texas where dozens of species reach the northern edge of their range and occur nowhere else in the country. Remnant thorn forest, resacas, and river woodlands hold a dazzling, colorful cast of birds, and rarities from Mexico turn up regularly. For a bird photographer, it's simply hard to beat.
Birds to look for: Green Jay, Great Kiskadee, Altamira Oriole, Plain Chachalaca, Green Kingfisher, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, and Least Grebe.
Best time to visit: Year-round; winter adds rarities and the biggest variety.
One of my favorite places in the valley because I believe it has the most variety of birds and probably the best chance at the rarest of birds.
The NBC is a 100-acre nature preserve with cultivated gardens and wildscape, navigable through woodland and savannah trails. This ever-changing landscape is a work in progress. Once an onion field in commercial production, this area is being restored to native habitat to support wildlife.
The Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is a 2,088-acre "jewel" of the refuge system located in Alamo, Texas. Established in 1943, it sits at the intersection of major migratory flyways, protecting native subtropical woodlands. It is internationally renowned for birdwatching and features over 400 bird species and 300 butterfly varieties.
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