A List compiled by Armas Hill 


193 species of birds have cumulatively been seen during FONT tours in this region. 


PHOTO AT RIGHT: a female BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, 


Codes:

tx  =  Texas
nm = New Mexico 
mx = Mexico (just across the Rio Grande)

h = heard only

(e):     endemic to the USA 
(qe):   quasi (or nearly) endemic to the USA
(neb): near-endemic breeder in the USA
(i):      species introduced into North America

(t): a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
(t1): critical   (t2): endangered   (t3): vulnerable
(nt): a near-threatened species globally

Upcoming Texas Tour Itineraries

Birds during FONT Tours in Texas (with photos)

A Complete List of Texas Birds

Following the bird-list is a list of mammals, other wildlife, and some information regarding the plant-life.

Birds:

1. Eared Grebe ______ tx  (called Black-necked Grebe in the Old World) 
   Podiceps nigricollis californicus
   
   
2. Pied-billed Grebe ______ tx
   Podilymbus p. podiceps
   
   
3. Western Grebe ______ tx (formerly conspecific with Clark's Grebe)
   Aechmophorus o. occidentalis
   
   
4. Clark's Grebe ______ tx  (formerly conspecific with Western Grebe)
   Aechmophorus clarkii transitionalis
   
   
5. American White Pelican ______ tx
   Pelecanus erythrorhynchos  (monotypic)
   
   
6. Brown Pelican (r/wTX) ______ tx
   Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis
   
   
7. Great Blue Heron ______ tx
   Ardea herodias fannini
   
   
8. Great Egret ______ tx
   Ardea alba egretta
   
   
9. Snowy Egret ______ tx,mx
   Egretta thula brewsteri
   
   
10. Cattle Egret ______ tx,mx
    Bubulcus i. ibis
    
    
11. Green Heron ______ tx,nm
    Butorides virescens anthonyi
    
    
12. Black-crowned Night-Heron ______ nm
    Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli
    
    
13. White-faced Ibis ______ tx,nm
    Plegadis chihi  (monotypic)
    
    
14. Wood Duck ______ tx
    Aix sponsa  (monotypic)
    
    
15. "Mexican" Mallard ______ tx,mx
    Anas platyrhynchos diazi
    
    
16. Gadwall ______ tx
    Anas s. strepera
    
    
17. Northern Pintail ______ tx
    Anas acuta  (monotypic)
    
    
18. Blue-winged Teal ______ tx,nm
    Anas discors  (monotypic)
    
    
19. Northern Shoveler ______ tx,nm,mx
    Anas clypeata  (monotypic)
    
    
20. American Wigeon ______ tx,mx
    Anas americana  (monotypic)
    
    
21. Ring-necked Duck ______ nm
    Aythya collaris  (monotypic)
    
    
22. Redhead ______ tx
    Aythya americana  (monotypic)
    
    
23. Bufflehead ______ tx
    Bucephala albeola  (monotypic) 
    
    
24. Ruddy Duck ______ tx
    Oxyura jamaicensis rubida
    
    
25. Turkey Vulture ______ tx,nm.mx
    Cathartes aura meridionalis (said by some to C. a. aura)
    
    
26. Black Vulture ______ tx
    Coragyps atratus (has been said now to be monotypic)
    
    
27. Osprey ______ tx
    Pandion haliaetus carolinensis
    
    
28. Cooper's Hawk ______ tx
    Accipiter cooperi  (monotypic)
    
    
29. Broad-winged Hawk ______ nm
    Buteo p. platypterus
    
    
30. Swainson's Hawk ______ tx,nm
    Buteo swainsoni  (monotypic, but with light & dark morphs)
    
    
31. Red-tailed Hawk ______ tx,nm
    Buteo jamaicensis calurus
    
    
32. Golden Eagle ______ tx,nm
    Aquila chrysaetos canadensis
    
    
33. Northern Harrier ______ tx  (considered conspecific with Hen Harrier of Eurasia)
    Circus cyaneus hudsonicus  
    
    
34. Common Black Hawk ______ tx
    Buteogallus a. anthracinus
    
    
35. Harris' (or Bay-winged) Hawk ______ tx
    Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi
    
    
36. American Kestrel ______ tx
    Falco s. sparverius
    
    
37. Common Pheasant (i) ______ nm
    Phasianus colchicus
    
    
38. Wild Turkey ______ tx,nm
    Meleagris gallopavo
    
    
39. Gambel's Quail ______ tx
    Callipepla g. gambelii
    
    
40. Scaled Quail ______ tx,nm
    Callipepla squamata pallida 
    
    
41. Montezuma (or Harlequin) Quail ______ tx
    Cyrtonyx montezumae mearnsi
    
    
42. American Coot ______ tx,nm
    Fulica a. americana
    
    
43. Snowy Plover ______ tx (was conspecific with the Kentish Plover of the Old World)
    Charadrius nivosus
    
    
44. Semipalmated Plover ______ tx
    Charadrius semipalmatus  (monotypic)
    
    
45. Killdeer ______ tx,nm,mx
    Charadrius v. vociferus
    
    
46. Black-necked Stilt ______ tx (has been said by some to be conspecific with the nearly-cosmopolitan Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus)
    Himantopus mexicanus
    
    
47. American Avocet ______ tx
    Recurvirostra americana (monotypic)
    
    
48. Greater Yellowlegs ______ tx
    Tringa melanoleuca (monotypic)
    
    
49. Lesser Yellowlegs ______ tx
    Tringa flavipes (monotypic)
    
    
50. Spotted Sandpiper ______ tx,nm
    Actitis macularius 
    
    
51. Willet ______ tx
    Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus
    
    
52. Long-billed Curlew (nt) ______ tx
    Numenius americanus (2 subspecies in the western US: N. a. parvus & N. a. americanus)
    
    
53. Western Sandpiper ______ tx
    Calidris mauri  (monotypic)
    
    
54. Least Sandpiper ______ tx
    Calidris minutilla  (monotypic)
    
    
55. Baird's Sandpiper ______ tx
    Calidris bairdii  (monotypic)
    
    
56. Long-billed Dowitcher ______ tx
    Limnodromus scolopaceus  (monotypic)
    
    
57. Stilt Sandpiper ______ tx
    Calidris (formerly Micropalama) himantopus 
    
    
58. Wilson's Phalarope ______ tx
    Phalaropus tricolor  (monotypic)
    
    
59. Ring-billed Gull ______ tx
    Larus delawarensis  (monotypic)
    
    
60. Forster's Tern ______ tx
    Sterna forsteri  (monotypic)
    
    
61. Least Tern ______ tx
    Sterna antillarum athalassus
    
    
62. Feral Pigeon (i) ______ tx,nm
    Columba l. livia
    
    
63. Eurasian Collared-Dove (i) ______ nm
    Streptopelia d. decaocto
    
    
64. White-winged Dove ______ tx,nm,mx
    Zenaida asiatica mearnsi
    
    
65. Mourning Dove ______ tx,nm
    Zenaida macroura marginella
    
    
66. Inca Dove ______ tx
    Columbina (formerly Scardafella) inca  (monotypic)
    
    
67. Common Ground-Dove ______ tx
    Columbina passerina pallescens
    
    
68. Greater Roadrunner ______ tx
    Geococcyx californianus  (monotypic)
    
    
69. Barn Owl ______ tx 
    Tyto alba pratincola
    
    
70. Great Horned Owl ______ tx,nm
    Bubo virginianus pallescens
    
    
71. Elf Owl ______ tx
    Micrathene w. whitneyi
    
    
72. Western Screech-Owl ______ tx
    Megascops (formerly Otus) kennicottii suttoni
    
    
73. Lesser Nighthawk ______ tx,nm
    Chordeiles acutipennis texensis
    
    
74. Common Poorwill ______ tx,nm
    Phalaenoptilus n. nuttallii
    
    
75. White-throated Swift ______ tx,nm 
    Aeronautes s. saxatalis
    
    
76. Lucifer Hummingbird ______ tx
    Calothorax lucifer  (monotypic)
    
    
77. Black-chinned Hummingbird ______ tx,nm
    Archilochus alexandri  (monotypic)
    
    
78. Broad-tailed Hummingbird ______ tx,nm
    Selasphorus platycercus  (monotypic)
    
    
79. Belted Kingfisher ______ tx,nm
    Megaceryle alcyon  (monotypic)
    
    
80. Acorn Woodpecker ______ tx
    Melanerpes f. formicivorus
    
    
81. Golden-fronted Woodpecker ______ tx
    Melanerpes a. aurifrons
    
    
82. Red-naped Sapsucker ______ tx
    Sphyrapicus nuchalis  (monotypic)
    
    
83. Ladder-backed Woodpecker ______ tx,nm
    Picoides scalaris cactophilus
    
    
84. Northern Flicker ______ tx
    Colaptes auratus collaris ("Red-shafted Flicker")
    
    
85. Western Wood-Pewee ______ tx
    Contopus sordidulus
    (2 subspecies in western US: C. s. veliei & C. s. saturatus) 
    
    
86. Gray Flycatcher ______ tx
    Empidonax wrightii  (monotypic)
    
    
87. Cordilleran Flycatcher ______ tx,nm  (this & Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis, were formerly Western Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis) 
    Empidonax occidentalis hellmayri
    
    
88. Black Phoebe ______ tx,nm,mx
    Sayornis n. nigricans
    
    
89. Say's Phoebe ______ tx,nm,mx
    Sayornis s. saya
    
    
90. Vermilion Flycatcher ______ tx,nm
    Pyrocephalus rubinus mexicanus
    
    
91. Ash-throated Flycatcher ______ tx,nm
    Myarchus c. cinerascens
    
    
92. Cassin's Kingbird ______ tx
    Tyrannus v. vociferans
    
    
93. Western Kingbird ______ tx,nm,mx
    Tyrannus verticalis  (monotypic)
    
    
94. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ______ nm
    Tyrannus forficatus  (monotypic)
    
    
95. Loggerhead Shrike ______ tx,nm
    Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides
    
    
96. Bell's Vireo ______ tx,nm
    Vireo bellii arizonae
    
    
97. Gray Vireo ______ tx
    Vireo vicinior  (monotypic)
    
    
98. Plumbeous (formerly part of Solitary) Vireo ______ tx
    Vireo p. plumbeus
    
    
99. Hutton's Vireo ______ tx
    Vireo huttoni carolinae
    
    
100. Western Scrub Jay ______ tx
     Aphelocoma californica woodhouseii
     
     
101. Mexican Jay  ______ tx
     Aphelocoma ultramarina couchii
     
     
102. Chihuahuan Raven ______ tx,nm
     Corvus cryptoleucus (monotypic)
     
     
103. Northern Raven ______ tx
     Corvus corax sinuatus
     
     
104. Horned Lark ______ tx
     Eremophila alpestris occidentalis
     
     
105. Purple Martin ______ tx
     Progne subis arboricola
     
     
106. Violet-green Swallow ______ tx,nm
     Tachycineta t. thalassina
     
     
107. Northern Rough-winged Swallow ______ tx,mx
     Stelgidopteryx s. serripennis
     
     
108. American Cliff Swallow ______ tx,nm
     Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (5 subspecies summer in North America, at least 4 of them occur in Texas)
     
     
109. Cave Swallow ______ nm
     Petrochelidon fulva pallida
     
     
110. Barn Swallow ______ tx,nm,mx
     Hirundo rustica erythrogaster
     
     
111. Mountain Chickadee ______ tx
     Poecile g. gambeli
     
     
112. Black-crested Titmouse ______ tx (was part of Tufted Titmouse)
     Baeolophus atricristatus 
     
     
113. Verdin ______ tx
     Auriparus flaviceps ornatus
     
     
114. (Common) Bushtit ______ tx
     Psaltriparus minimus plumbeus  (the "Lead-colored Bushtit")
     (Another subspecies occurs in Texas P. m. dimorphicus):
     
      
115. White-breasted Nuthatch ______ tx
     Sitta carolinensis nelsoni
     
     
116. Cactus Wren ______ tx,nm
     Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus guttatus
     
     
117. Rock Wren ______ tx,nm
     Salpinctes o. obsoletus
     
     
118. Canyon Wren ______ tx,nm
     Catherpes mexicanus conspersus
     
     
119. Bewick's Wren ______ tx,nm
     Thryomanes bewickii eremophilus
     
     
120. House Wren ______ tx
     Troglodytes aedon parkmanii
     
     
121. Marsh Wren ______ tx
     Cistothorus palustris plesius
     
     
122. Ruby-crowned Kinglet ______ tx
     Regulus c. calendula
     
     
123. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ______ tx,nm
     Polioptila caerulea obscura
     
     
124. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher ______ tx
     Polioptila m. melanura
     
     
125. Western Bluebird ______ tx
     Sialia mexicana jacoti
     
     
126. Mountain Bluebird ______ tx
     Sialia currucoides  (monotypic)
     
     
127. Townsend's Solitaire ______ tx
     Myadestes t. townsendi
     
     
128. Hermit Thrush ______ tx
     Catharus guttatus auduboni
     
     
129. Northern Mockingbird ______ tx,nm
     Mimus p. polyglottos
     
     
130. Curve-billed Thrasher ______ tx,nm
     Toxostoma curvirostre oberholseri
     
     
131. Crissal Thrasher ______ tx
     Toxostoma c. crissale
     
     
132. American Pipit ______ tx (also called Buff-bellied Pipit)
     Anthus rubescens alticola
     
     
133. Phainopepla ______ tx,nm
     Phainopepla n. nitens
     
     
134. European Starling (i) ______ tx,nm
     Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi
     
     
135. Orange-crowned Warbler ______ tx,nm
     Vermivora celata orestera
     
     
136. Nashville Warbler ______ tx
     Vermivora ruficapilla ridgwayi
     
     
137. Colima Warbler (nt) ______ tx
     Vermivora crissalis (monotypic)
     
     
138. Yellow Warbler ______ tx,nm
     Dendroica petechia 
     
     
139. "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler ______ tx,nm,mx
     Dendroica coronata auduboni
     
     
140. Townsend's Warbler ______ tx
     Dendroica townsendi  (monotypic)
     
     
141. Painted Redstart ______ tx
     Myioborus p. pictus
     
     
142. MacGillivray's Warbler ______ nm
     Oporornis tolmiei monticola
     
     
143. Common Yellowthroat ______ tx,nm
     Geothlypis trichas chryseola  (other subspecies also occur in Texas & New Mexico) 
     
     
144. Wilson's Warbler ______ tx,nm,mx
     Wilsonia p. pileolata 
     
     
145. Yellow-breasted Chat ______ tx,nm 
     Icteria virens auricollis
     
     
146. Hepatic Tanager ______ tx
     Piranga hepatica
     
     
147. Summer Tanager ______ tx,nm
     Piranga rubra cooperi
     
     
148. Western Tanager ______ tx
     Piranga ludoviciana  (monotypic)
     
     
149. Northern Cardinal ______ tx,nm,mx
     Cardinalis cardinalis canicaudus
     
     
150. Pyrrhuloxia ______ tx,nm
     Cardinalis s. sinatus
     
     
151. Black-headed Grosbeak ______ tx
     Pheucticus m. melanocephalus
     
     
152. Blue Grosbeak ______ tx,nm
     Guiraca caerulea interfusa
     
     
153. Indigo Bunting ______ tx
     Passerina cyanea  (monotypic)
     
     
154. Varied Bunting ______ tx,nm
     Passerina v. versicolor
     
     
155. Painted Bunting ______ tx,mx
     Passerina ciris pallidior
     
     
156. Green-tailed Towhee ______ tx,nm
     Pipilo chlorurus  (monotypic)
     
     
157. Spotted Towhee ______ tx
     Pipilo maculatus montanus
     
     
158. Canyon (formerly Brown) Towhee ______ tx,nm
     Pipilo fuscus texanus
     
     
159. Rufous-crowned Sparrow ______ tx,nm
     Aimophila ruficeps scottii
     
     
160. Cassin's Sparrow ______ tx
     Aimophila cassinii  (monotypic)
     
     
161. Chipping Sparrow ______ tx,nm
     Spizella passerina arizonae
     
     
162. Clay-colored Sparrow ______ tx
     Spizella pallida  (monotypic)
     
     
163. Brewer's Sparrow ______ tx,nm
     Spizella b. breweri  
     
     
164. Black-chinned Sparrow ______ tx
     Spizella atrogularis evura
     
     
165. Vesper Sparrow ______ tx
     Pooecetes gramineus confinis
     
     
166. Lark-Sparrow ______ tx,nm
     Chondestes g. grammacus
     
     
167. Black-throated Sparrow ______ tx,nm
     Amphispiza bilineata opuntia
     
     
168. Lark-Bunting ______ tx
     Calamospiza  melanocorys  (monotypic)
     
     
169. Savannah Sparrow ______ nm
     Passerculus sandwichensis rufofuscus
     
     
170. Baird's Sparrow ______ tx
     Ammodramus bairdii  (monotypic)
     
     
171. LeConte's Sparrow (r/wTX) ______ tx
     Ammodramus leconteii  (monotypic)
     
     
172. Song Sparrow ______ tx
     Melospiza melodia
     
     
173. Lincoln's Sparrow ______ tx
     Melospiza l. lincolnii 
     
     
174. White-crowned Sparrow ______ tx,nm
     Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii
     
     
175. "Gray-headed" Dark-eyed Junco ______ tx
     Junco hyemalis caniceps
     
     
176. Western Meadowlark ______ tx,nm
     Sturnella neglecta  (monotypic)
     
     
177. Eastern Meadowlark ______ tx
     Sturnella magna hoopesi
     
     
178. Red-winged Blackbird ______ tx,nm
     Agelaius phoeniceus sonoriensis
     
     
179. Yellow-headed Blackbird ______ tx,nm
     Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus  (monotypic)
     
     
180. Brewer's Blackbird ______ tx,nm
     Euphagus cyanocephalus  (monotypic)
     
     
181. Great-tailed Grackle ______ tx,nm,mx
     Quiscalus mexicanus monsoni
     
     
182. Common Grackle ______ tx,nm
     Quiscalus quiscula versicolor
     
     
183. Brown-headed Cowbird ______ tx,nm,mx
     Molothrus ater artemisiae
     
     
184. Bronzed Cowbird ______ tx
     Molothrus a. aeneus
     
     
185. Orchard Oriole ______ tx,nm
     Icterus s. spurius
     
     
186. Bullock's Oriole ______ tx (formerly considered conspecific with Baltimore Oriole, and was then called Northern Oriole)
     Icterus cucullatus (now monotypic)
     
     
187. Hooded Oriole ______ tx,mx
     Icterus c. cucullatus
     
     
188. Scott's Oriole ______ tx,nm
     Icterus parisorum  (monotypic)
     
     
189. House Finch ______ tx,nm,mx
     Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis
     
     
190. Pine Siskin ______ tx
     Carduelis p. pinus
     
     
191. Lesser Goldfinch ______ tx,mx
     Carduelis p. psaltria 
     
     
192. American Goldfinch ______ tx
     Carduelis tristis pallida
     
     
193. House Sparrow (i) ______ tx,nm,mx
     Passer domesticus

Mammals:

1. Mexican (or Brazilian) Free-tailed Bat ______ nm
   Tadarida brasiliensis
   
   
2. Big Free-tailed Bat ______ nm
   Nyctinomops macrotis
   
   
3. Western Pipistrelle ______ tx
   Pipistrellus hesperus 
   
   
4. Ringtail ______ tx
   Bassariscus astutus
   
   
5. Striped Skunk (rk) ______ tx
   Mephitis mephitis
   
   
6. North American Porcupine (rk) ______ tx
   Erethizon dorsatum 
   
   
7. Bobcat ______ tx
   Lynx rufus
   
   
8. Coyote ______ tx
   Canis latrans 
   
   
9. Kit Fox ______ tx
   Vulpes macrotis
   
   
10. Desert Cottontail ______ tx,nm
    Sylvilagus audubonii
    
    
11. Black-tailed Jackrabbit ______ tx,nm
    Lepus californicus
    
    
12. Texas Antelope Squirrel ______ tx
    Ammospermophilus leucurus
    
    
13. Mexican Ground Squirrel ______ nm
    Spermophilus mexicanus
    
    
14. Variegated Ground Squirrel ______ tx,nm  (has been called Rock Squirrel)
    Spermophilus variegatus
    
    
15. Collared Peccary  ______ tx,mx  (also called Javelina)
    Pecari tajacu (formerly Pecari angulatus)
    
    
16. Pronghorn (Antelope) ______ tx
    Antilocapra americana
    
    
17. Mule/Black-tailed Deer ______ tx,nm
    Odocoileus hemionus
    
    
18. Whitetail Deer ______ tx
    Odocoileus virginianus
    

(rk): roadkill only 

Reference for this mammal list is the new book: "Mammals of North America" by Roland W. Kays & Don E. Wilson, published by Princeton Univ Press, 2002. 

Other Wildlife:

"Glow-worms" ______ tx

Big Bend Slider ______ tx (turtle)

Chihuahuan Greater Earless Lizard ______ tx

Sonoran Gopher Snake ______ tx

The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest North American desert.

Typical plants & succulents of the Chihuahuan Desert include:
agave, prickly pear, chollas (the most common in the Big Bend area is the Cane Cholla), ocotillo, creosote bush, tarpaper bush, lechuguilla (Spanish for "little lettuce"), whitethorn acacia, peyote cactus, yucca, sotol, candelilla, and crucifixion thorn.

Over 70 species of cacti occur in Big Bend National Park. Among them: Southwestern Barrel Cactus, Devil's Claw (or "Horse Crippler"), and Strawberry Cactus.

250 species occur throughout the Chihuahuan Desesrt. Lacking are the various columnar cacti associated with the Sonoran Desert (of Arizona).


Typical trees of the Guadalupe Mountains include:
Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir, Quaking Aspen, Chokeberry, and Pinon.

In the sheltered canyons:
Big-tooth Maple, Walnut, Chinquapin Oak, Alligator Juniper, and the beautiful & rare Texas Madrone.

The Chisos Mountains woodlands are dominated by:
pinyon, oak, and juniper.
The Drooping Juniper occurs outside of Mexico only in the Chisos. Also there, and  not normally outside of Mexico, are: Chinquapin Oak and the Coahuila Scrub Oak.

  
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