Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) Family: Paridae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Carolina Chickadees are familiar birds across much of the southeastern United States, at home in urban and suburban environments and readily coming to birdfeeders. They have gray backs and wings and are whitish below with a pale orange wash on their […]

White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) Family: Accipitridae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Simultaneously elegant and fierce, White-tailed Kites are medium-sized raptors, related to hawks and eagles. They are white underneath and gray above, with a bold wing pattern. They have distinct black shoulder patches, and when viewed from underneath, they also have black […]

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) Family: Rallidae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician These multicolored, curious-looking birds are relatives of rails, and like many other rails are fond of wetland habitats with plenty of places to hide from potential predators. Adult Purple Gallinules have dark purple-blue heads and underparts, with a contrasting bright white […]

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) Family: Accipitridae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician These boldly-marked hawks are as fierce as they are handsome. Adult Red-shouldered Hawks are distinctive, with bright reddish-brown chests and bellies, brown heads, and bold black-and-white wings with red shoulder patches. Immature birds are brown above and white below with broad […]

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) Family: Recurvirostridae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Black-necked Stilts are striking, elegant shorebirds; they are white below with black wings, backs, and heads. Their exceptionally long legs are bright bubblegum pink. They are quite vocal and conspicuous, especially during the breeding season. Black-necked Stilts favor shallow, open wetlands […]

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) Family: Corvidae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician In celebration of Black Birders Week, this week we are highlighting the fascinating world of corvids! American Crows are a familiar sight across most of the United States and Canada. They may be found in almost any habitat, and eat a […]

Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) Family: Rallidae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Clapper Rails can often be difficult to spot as they forage among dense saltmarsh grasses, and catching a glimpse of these handsome rails is certainly a treat! They are named for their calls: a series of loud, repeated “kek” calls. They […]

Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) Family: Parulidae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician A flash of gray and yellow in the understory will alert you to the presence of a Canada Warbler searching for its next meal! These medium-sized warblers are blue-gray above and yellow below. They have bold white eye-rings and yellow markings […]

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorous) Family: Icteridae By Grace Yaros, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician Bobolinks are handsome, fairly small blackbirds. Females are golden overall with blackish streaks on their backs, sides, and crown, including a line behind their eye. Breeding males are distinctive: they are black with mostly white backs and a golden nape. During the […]

Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) Family: Parulidae (New World Warblers) By Rachel Myers, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician The Black-throated Green Warbler is one of the many species of warblers that migrate through the Upper Texas Coast and can be seen during spring migration. They can be seen in the area from March through May […]