Rio Grande Valley birding guide
From WikiBird
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The Lower Rio Grande Valley, along the South Texas border, is one of the top birding destinations in North America. Both the Central and Mississippi Flyways funnel through this area which extends south into the range of several subtropical species.
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Biologic diversity comes from the subtropic, temperate, coastal and desert influences There are 11 distinct biotic communities that are host or home to 1,100 types of plants, 700 vertebrate species (including over 500 bird species) and over 300 species of butterflies.
Some of the species that are regularly seen in the valley are Green Jay, Plain Chachalaca, Clay-colored Robin, and the Green and Ringed Kingfishers. Other species like Blue Bunting, Roadside Hawk, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, and White-throated Robin show up from Mexico on rare occasions and draw birders from all over the country.
The area covered by this guide has three ecological regions which are the South Texas Plains, the Edwards Plateau, and the Trans-Pecos.
The Trans-Pecos is the northern portion of the Chihuahuan Desert and includes plateaus, desert valleys, and wooded mountains. The flora consists of desert scrub, such as the creosote bush, desert grasslands, pinyon-oak juniper woodlands, yuccas, and agaves. A useful bar graph checklist to bird species and abundance can be found online at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0809.pdf
The Rio Grande River flows through a small part of the Edwards Plateau region near Del Rio. It consists primarily of limestone-based soils.
The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) from Falcon Dam to the Gulf of Mexico is in the South Texas Brush Country or Plains. The characteristic plants are thorny shrubs, such as mesquite, acacia, and prickly pear. Smaller areas of palms, subtropical woodlands and riparian corridors are also present. A bar graph checklist with the species and abundances for this region can be found online at http://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_1033.pdf
South Padre Island pelagics are scheduled for July 25, August 29, and September 19 in 2009.
