Travis Audubon Society
3710 Cedar Street
Box 5
Austin, Texas 78705
512.300.BIRD (2473)
info@travisaudubon.org
In order to see birds it is necessary to become part of
the silence - Robert Lynd
THE WHY AND WHAT OF TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY
The Edwards Plateau is home to two federally-listed
endangered species of birds – the Golden-cheeked
Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo – as well as to other
rare and endangered plant and animal species. The
communities to which these species belong are unique to
North America and the world. The warbler nests nowhere
else and several other species are endemic to this part of
Texas. These species are being severely impacted by the
unplanned growth of Austin and Central Texas, as well as
in the Texas Hill Country.
Through its programs and projects, the Travis Audubon
Society plays a pivotal role in preserving habitat along the
eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau, and in educating
the Central Texas community about the ecology and value
of the preserved habitat. TAS has a proud history of
organizing and coordinating programs aimed towards
increasing public awareness and appreciation of the
natural resources of Central Texas. TAS’s key programs
include:
a. Habitat and Species Protection
Travis Audubon Society implements its mission of
promoting the enjoyment, understanding and preservation
of birds, other wildlife and their habitats in Central Texas,
through an active habitat and species protection
program. TAS does this through habitat protection efforts
on its owned and managed sanctuaries, as well as
through conservation programs focused on building and
expanding the funding available for habitat protection
through land acquisition.
i. TAS Sanctuaries: Travis Audubon owns and
manages three sanctuaries, totaling to over 710 acres in
Central Texas. See our Sanctuaries page.
ii. Partnering for Regional Conservation: Travis
Audubon Society was one of the lead partners in the
creation of the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan
(BCCP) in 1996. See the BCCP home page.
iii. Habitat Conservation through Public Financing:
The TAS Habitat Conservation Committee has been
created to provide the Travis Audubon Society with
opportunities to preserve bird habitats in the chapter’s
service area.
iv. Habitat Protection Across Borders: In recognition
of the fact that many of central Texas’s birds, including the
golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo, live
a significant portion of their lives in Latin America, the
Travis Audubon Society seeks to help preserve Latin
American habitat so that central Texans can continue to
enjoy these birds in this region.
b. Education and Outreach
Successful conservation requires communities to be
aware of and educated about the connections between a
sustainable eco-system and a healthy community and
quality of life. Since its inception, Travis Audubon Society
has focused on leveraging its partnerships with like-
minded organizations to educate communities about the
need for conservation and habitat protection and
preservation. TAS carries out an array of education and
outreach programs. Travis Audubon Society coordinates
programs focused on educating and informing children
and youth about the need for conservation, species
identification, habitation protection, etc. TAS offers
birding camps and classes for children, youth and adults,
geared toward environmental conservation and bird-
friendly habitat awareness. TAS also coordinates field
trips focused on subjects such as grasslands, butterfly
and dragonfly identification, and bat emergence viewing
that serve to broaden the knowledge base of birders
about birds, habitat and conservation.
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Our Nature Book Club meets every two to three months
at a local restaurant. See Nature Book Club for the book we will
read this month.
Upcoming Field Trips (go to Field Trips page for details):
AUGUST:
- Saturday, August 2nd, 5p.m. to Dark.
Back to the Bat Cave! Bat Emergence Field Trip,
witH George Kerr
- Saturday, August 9th, 7 a.m. & 4 p.m
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend
- Saturday, August 16th, 7:30 a.m. to Noon
Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend with Gary Newgord and
Kirsti Harms
- Saturday, August 23rd, 6:30 – 11:00 AM,
Cypress Valley Canopy Zip-line Tour with George Kerr.
- Tuesday, August 26th, 8:00a.m.
Two Hour Tuesday! At Roy Guerrero Park,
with Stan VanSandt
Found an injured bird? Please contact our friends at Austin
Wildlife Rescue at 512.472.WILD. They are the experts in our
area on injured birds and other wildlife.

Your Bird Data! Click here to enter your sightings - from the mundane to the magnificent - in our On-Line Bird Data form. It's easy to be part of our citizen science work!
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Most Common Austin Birds! These birds are highly likely to be found in Austin at all times of year:
Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Kildeer Rock Pigeon White-winged Dove Mourning Dove American Crow Carolina Chickadee Black-crested Titmouse Carolina Wren Bewick's Wren Northern Mockingbird European Starling Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird House Sparrow
Source: Travis Audubon's checklist, "Birds of the Austin, Texas Region." Go to Publications for details.
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Last date updated:
July 31, 2008
Contents Copyright © 2006-07
Travis Audubon Society
Did you know? The
Northern Mockingbird is
the Texas state bird, a
place of pride it shares
with four other U.S. states.
Being seen in our area:
- Hutton's Vireo
- Glossy Ibis
- Snowy Plover
- Ring-billed Gull
- Buff-bellied
Hummingbird
- Cerulean Warbler
- Couch's Kingbird
Inspiring Conservation through Birding
Golden-cheeked Warbler (Jim G. deVries)
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Please visit our Business Members and patronize them for their support Travis Audubon.
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EARTHSHARE
One Environment. One Simple Way To Care For It.
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