American Coot (Fulica americana) Family: Rallidae ✏️ By Averi Lohman, Conservation Technician, Houston Audubon The American Coot is probably one of the goofiest birds you can see in the United States. This duck-like bird, just a bit smaller than a mallard, has a peculiar habit of bobbing its head forward as it swims, almost as […]
Read More
By Zineera Seth, Marketing and Events Manager It’s that time of year – you want to find the most unique and thoughtful gifts for your friends and family. Whether you’re shopping for someone “difficult” or just out of fresh ideas, we’ve got you covered with our staff & volunteer picks for their favorite birdy gift. […]
Read More
By Kathy Sweezey, Bird-Friendly Communities Program Manager The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting cooler, and the migratory birds have moved on to their winter homes. Fall migration runs from mid-August through November each year with millions of birds passing through the greater Houston area. Some birds like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird can travel […]
Read More
Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) Family: Sulidae ✏️ By Hope Caliendo, Conservation Technician, Houston Audubon Brown Boobies are a rarity in the United States, but they can occasionally be seen along the Bolivar Peninsula and can stray as far north as Canada. Their typical range revolves around tropical oceans worldwide where they are seen maneuvering swiftly […]
Read More
We’re excited to welcome the newest member of the Houston Audubon team! Zoe has been fascinated by environmental conservation from a young age. She spent her early childhood by the ocean and rainforests of the Philippines before moving to south Texas. After scuba diving for the first time at 9 years old, she knew she wanted […]
Read More
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) Family: Cuculidae ✏️ By Ryan McGinty, Conservation Technician, Houston Audubon The Greater Roadrunner is a large cuckoo that was born to run. While it is a weak flier, this bird is able to outrun a human, reaching speeds upward of 15 mph when running and even faster spurts when chasing prey. […]
Read More
By Lauren Miheli, Membership and Volunteer Manager On Saturday, September 18th, about 35 volunteers gathered to help improve shorebird habitat by cleaning up the beach at our Bolivar Flats Sanctuary. This event was part of a statewide effort to turn the tide against marine debris called Adopt-a-Beach. It was also one of the first official […]
Read More
By Alex Kneubehl, Bird Week Chair, Young Professionals Advisory Council Another Bird Week has come and gone. Houston Audubon’s third annual Bird Week was another resounding success made possible thanks to our great partner organizations, volunteers, and participants. The third annual Bird Week featured 39 events from 21 different organizations. Collectively, we had almost 2,000 […]
Read More
By Sneed B. Collard III When my 13-year-old son Braden and I arrived at High Island in the spring of 2016, we quivered with anticipation. After two years of birding in our home state of Montana, we had finally decided to venture beyond our borders and attempt a modest ABA Big Year for ourselves. Our […]
Read More
✏️ By Chris Bick, Houston Audubon 2021 Young Professionals Advisory Council I wanted to create an informal guide or informational source to creating a backyard habitat using my experience and my yard dimensions as the basis for the guide. These recommendations can be scaled to fit your yard size and restrictions when you create your […]
Read More
Houston AuduBlog 