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Bird of the Week: Red-eyed Vireo
The strident, tireless song of the Red-eyed Vireo–one listener reported 22,197 songs by a single male in one day!– is a common sound in summer, and a…
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Bird of the Week: Eastern Meadowlark
…Or is that a Western Meadowlark? As is so often the case in central Texas, which straddles the boundary between eastern and western…
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Bird of the Week: Killdeer
For many landlocked birders, the Killdeer is the only shorebird they are likely to see at home. Their name comes from the loud and insistent cry they…
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Bird of the Week: Yellow-billed Cuckoo
The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a summertime bird in Texas. These birds typically arrive late in the spring, around mid-April, and leave early in the fall, around mid-September. Their drawn-out knocking…
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Bird of the Week: Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, formerly known as Black-bellied Tree Ducks, are one of two whistling duck species found in Texas (the other being the Fulvous Whistling Duck). These ducks are unusual…
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Bird of the Week: Chuck-will’s-widow
Most birders who live in the more rural areas of central and eastern Texas are quite familiar with the incessant calling of the Chuck-will’s-widow. These birds, which are the…
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Bird of the Week: Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that. These regal birds…
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Bird of the Week: Green Heron
From a distance, the Green Heron is a dark, stocky bird hunched on slender yellow legs at the water’s edge, often hidden behind a tangle of leaves. Seen up…
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Bird of the Week: Brown Creeper
With its long, slender bill and spine-tipped tail, the Brown Creeper is unlikely to be mistaken for any other bird. Cryptic in coloration and secretive by habit,…
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Bird of the Week: Double-crested Cormorant
Though their winter plumage is relatively drab, Double-crested Cormorants are easy to spot in and around lakes and rivers during the winter. These fishing birds, not closely…
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Bird of the Week: Cooper’s Hawk
The Cooper’s Hawk is a member of the genus Accipiter, a close cousin to larger hawks like the Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, and Broad-winged Hawk….
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Bird of the Week: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a tiny bird–one of the smallest in North America–positively overflowing with energy. These diminutive birds are always on the move, nervously darting and…
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Bird of the Week: American Coot
The American Coot is a nearly ubiquitous presence on bodies of water across North America, from prairie potholes to urban ponds. These red-eyed, chicken-sized birds float like…
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Bird of the Week: Crested Caracara
Once known as the “Mexican Eagle,” the Crested Caracara’s large size and heavy bill resemble a hawk’s, and its feeding habits– primarily carrion, along with the odd…
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Bird of the Week: Wood Duck
Boldly patterned and brightly colored, the Wood Duck is a beautiful and distinctive bird, similar in appearance to its Chinese cousin, the Mandarin Duck. Wood Ducks are members of…
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