American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Family: Pelecanidae By Colleen McDonough, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Often seen soaring along coastlines in the wintertime, the American White Pelican has the largest wingspan of any Texas bird. Their hefty, white-feathered bodies, thick orange legs, and long bills set them apart from Brown Pelicans — another common pelican […]

Dunlin (Calidris alpina) Family: Scolopacidae By Robert Buckert, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician While the Dunlin often blends into the crowd on mudflats, this small shorebird should not be overlooked. Its unique common name is derived from an old English moniker, dunling: “dun” meaning dull brown and “-ling” being a thing with a certain quality, […]

Purple Martin (Progne subis) Family: Hirudinidae By Spencer Poling, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician As spring is beginning to arrive, so is one of our very first spring migrants, Purple Martins! These swallows are beloved to birders and non-birders alike. They can be found throughout most of the Eastern United States and sporadically throughout the […]

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) Family: Turdidae By Colleen McDonough, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician In the understory of forests across North America, the aptly named Hermit Thrush spends much of its time quietly foraging for insects in leaf litter. They are one of the most common thrush species seen in the wintertime across much of […]

Bonaparte’s Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) Family: Laridae By Robert Buckert, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Gulls are often regarded as one of the most difficult groups of birds for birders to identify. Across much of the country, there’s significant local diversity, often marked by subtle differences and complex plumage cycles. Add in often distant and suboptimal […]

Gadwall (Mareca strepera) Family: Anatidae By Spencer Poling, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Easy to overlook from a distance as a plain gray bird, Gadwalls become increasingly more beautiful and fascinating the closer you look. Males are especially striking up close, with intricately patterned gray and silver breasts, a white wing patch called a speculum, […]

Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) Family: Scolopacidae By Colleen McDonough, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician A bird you may not see until it suddenly bursts out of a grassy patch, Wilson’s Snipes are elusive shorebirds with intricate patterning that helps them blend in with their marshy surroundings. Their plump stature, brightly streaked plumage, and proportionately long […]