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.

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.

Central Texas Iconic 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