LRGV Rarities

Alright, back with another post about how special it is to bird in south Texas. This trip highlighted why you want to visit the valley in the winter. A lot of species are within a good days trip. So you can make the most each day, and visit different habits to see different birds.

This post is about the amount of "rare birds" you can see when you visit the valley. Several birds are local species, but can only been seen with ease down here. Many of the state parks carry these.

Out of the 158 species that I saw, 22 where Code 2 or higher. That's 14%!! So one out of 14 birds where a birding highlight reel. Here's some good ones . . .

• Rarest bird: Gray-Crowned Yellow Throat--Code 4 ; originally seen by me 4/1/88  @ Sabel Palm San.

1/25/15 originally seen, still showing

 It was great to see this super rare bird again, I was only 10 years old when I first saw it. This time at Estero Llano Grande SP, early in the morning, a group of birders where there, waiting for it to sing. Then I heard it, and it popped up. The whole group was mystified.

  In far southern Texas, this warbler was once a regular resident; today it is only a very rare straggler there. Although its behavior is somewhat like that of the Common Yellowthroat, it is less of a marsh bird, often living in rank weedy or brushy fields.

Seen in 88', 04', 05', 06', 15' in ABA

Code 4: Casual.
Species not recorded annually in the ABA Checklist Area, but with six or more total records—including three or more in the past 30 years—reflecting some pattern of occurrence.

• 2nd rarest bird: Hook-Billed Kite--Code 3 ; originally seen by me 4/1/88 @ Santa Ann NWR 

Best shot of my only 3

Reported this winter, at the levee at the entrance to Benston SP, up to three different Kites have been reported. Dark morph, light morph/juvi phase birds. Early one morning, at 8:12 am cst on a dry sunny morning, a hush grew over the crowd, then cheering & excitement happened, as the group all got to experience a Hook-Billed Kite soar over. It was beautiful.


As a recent arrival in Texas, this kite seems to require nothing more than undisturbed nest sites and a good supply of tree snails. Probably has declined in many parts of tropical range with clearing of woods.

Flying away, quick 1 min look

Code 3: Rare
Species that occur in very low numbers, but annually, in the ABA Checklist Area. This includes visitors and rare breeding residents.








Total seen:  158
Code 2s:       17    
Code 3s:         4     Hook-bill kite, Apl. Falcon, Trop.Parula, Clay-colored Thrush(Robin)
Code 4:           1    Gray-crowned Yellowthroat

Code 2: species have a restricted North American range, are more widespread, but occur in lower densities, or are quite secretive making their detection often difficult. We readily acknowledge that some Code-2 species are harder to find than some species that have higher codes.

Altamira Orioles Code 2

Green Jay  Code 2

Groove-billed Ani  Code 2

Common Pauraque Code 2

Common Pauraque  #2

Great Kiskadee  Code 2

Green Parakeets  Code 2

White-tailed Hawk  Code 2

Next up:  Winter Texas Birding recap