Local Birding Resources

The Greater Austin Area offers many great places to experience birding—visit here for our top six sites, or explore this map for a complete list of recommended locations.

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Rare Bird Alert

Stay up to date on rare bird sightings in Travis County! Sign up for eBird alerts to receive real-time email notifications when unusual species are reported in the area.

Iconic Central Texas Birds

Gallery	Common Name	Scientific Name	Description	Link
Connor Teseny	Golden-cheeked Warbler	Setophaga chrysoparia	Striking with a black mask and bright yellow face, this endangered songbird flits through juniper woodlands each spring—nesting only in Central Texas before migrating south again	Read more
Susanne Harm	Purple Martin	Progne subis	A glossy blue-black, this bird is the largest North American swallow that nests almost entirely in human-made housing, gathering in colonies in Central Texas from March through September	Read more
Alessandro Retacchi/ APA	Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica	With strong legs for clinging to vertical walls, this soot-colored flier spends nearly its entire life in the air—nesting inside chimneys in Central Texas from April through October	Read more

Central Texas Backyard Birds

Gallery	Common Name	Scientific Name	Description	Link
Steve McKee	Northern Cardinal	Cardinalis cardinalis	A bright songbird that frequents bird feeders year-round	Read more
Michael Brown	Carolina Wren	Thryothorus ludovicianus	A tiny cinnamon-brown bird with an over-sized voice, found singing from exposed perches year-round	Read more
Daniel Tolliver	Northern Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos	A sleek gray backyard performer with a long tail, whose countless songs and sounds are heard year-round	Read more
Matthew Crymble	Carolina Chickadee	Poecile carolinensis	A black-capped, white-cheeked songbird, seen chattering in backyards and woodlands year-round	Read more
Celeste Treadway	American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	A clever, jet-black bird with a hoarse caw, found roaming anywhere from roadsides to open woods throughout the year	Read more
Jeff Patterson	Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	Soft tan with a pink and blue flash on the neck, hear its mournful coo year-round from feeders and bare ground	Read more
William Shoaf	Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura	With a bald, red face, these dark scavengers can be spotted year-round circling high overhead in search of its next meal	Read more
Clive McDonald	Red-bellied Woodpecker	Melanerpes carolinus	With a zebra-striped back and flashy red head, this drummer hammers away year-round in woodland areas	Read more
Catherine McEntee/APA	Tufted Titmouse	Baeolophus bicolor	A soft gray songbird with a pointed crest, flits through feeders and woodlands year-round, often calling its clear whistled “peter-peter-peter”	Read more
Jenan Taha	Black Vulture	Coragyps atratus	A stocky, all-black scavenger with pale wingtips, often seen in tight groups soaring or gathering along roadsides year-round	Read more
Samanvita Oruganti	Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata	Flashy blue and loud-mouthed, this territorial backyard bird mimics hawk calls and raids feeders year-round	Read more
Megumi Aita/APA	White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus	Pale eyes and bold yellow “spectacles,” this energetic songster skulks through dense shrubs and brush and chatters loudly from May to October	Read more
Wally Taylor	Yellow-rumped Warbler	Setophaga coronata	Nicknamed “butter butt” for its bright yellow patches, this busy little warbler flits through trees and shrubs all winter before heading north for summer	Read more
Pavan Kovurru	Eastern Phoebe	Sayornis phoebe	This soft gray flycatcher is seen year-round, darting out to snag insects midair and calling its sharp “fee-bee” as it flits between branches	Read more
Matthew Law	Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Archilochus colubris	A tiny, jewel-throated flier that hovers, zipping between flowers and feeders before migrating south for the winter	Read more
Mariela Rodriguez	Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	With bold black bands and a sharp, ringing call, this bird is seen year-round across open ground and fields, famous for its dramatic “broken wing” act to protect its nest	Read more
William Shoaf	Red-shouldered Hawk	Buteo lineatus	Often heard before it’s seen, this boldly patterned hawk calls loudly through wooded areas near water, and is a year-round resident	Read more
Robin May-Davis	Eastern Bluebird	Sialia sialis	Sky-blue above and rusty orange below, this nest-box resident flutters through open yards and fields, bringing a splash of color to feeders year-round	Read more
Kevin O’Reilly	American Robin	Turdus migratorius	This round-bodied bird shows off a warm orange belly and dark head, hopping across lawns and parks in search of worms, found year-round	Read more
Aspen Allen	White-throated Sparrow	Zonotrichia albicollis	With a white throat and yellow lores, this bird scratches beneath feeders and shrubs, often giving its soft, whistled call from October to May	Read more
Alan Zhou	Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	Seen year-round, this broad-winged hunter perches on poles and treetops, scanning highways and open land before letting out its iconic scream	Read more
Steve McKee	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Corthylio calendula	In Central Texas from mid-September to May, this tiny, restless sprite flits through shrubs and low trees, flashing a hidden ruby crown	Read more
Jenan Taha	Downy Woodpecker	Dryobates pubescens	Small black-and-white woodpecker common at feeders	Read more
Rebecca Louise	Eastern Meadowlark	Sturnella magna	Bright yellow with a bold black “V,” this open-field singer perches on fenceposts and grassy areas year-round	Read more
Celeste Treadway	White-winged Dove	Zenaida asiatica	Often in noisy groups, these plump gray-brown birds flash bright white wing stripes as they burst from feeders	Read more
Grant Eldridge/APA	Pileated Woodpecker	Dryocopus pileatus	Crow-sized with a blazing red crest and loud call, this woodpecker chisels deep holes in trees in search of ants year-round	Read more
Samanvita Oruganti	House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Chunky gray and brown birds with stout bills, commonly found around buildings and feeders year-round	Read more
Dave Read	Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	Blue-crowned and cinnamon-faced, this acrobatic bird sweeps low over fields and water from March through October	Read more
Susan Ward/APA	Lincoln’s Sparrow	Melospiza lincolnii	Finely streaked with a buffy chest, this migrant passes through in spring and fall, staying low in dense grasses	Read more
River Ahlquist	Inca Dove	Columbina inca	Small, scaly-looking dove often seen on the ground	Read more