South Texas
Nine winter days from Corpus Christi to McAllen combine a coastal boat search for Whooping Cranes with subtropical birding along the Lower Rio Grande.
About this tour
Start on the Texas coast, with wetlands around Corpus Christi and Rockport and a boat outing on the Intracoastal Waterway. Watch for Whooping Crane, Reddish Egret and Roseate Spoonbill. South Padre Island offers a chance of Aplomado Falcon before the route moves inland to the Lower Rio Grande.
The valley brings birds such as Green Jay, Altamira and Audubon’s Orioles, Buff-bellied Hummingbird and Hook-billed Kite. Farther upriver, bird around Salineño and the drier Falcon area for species such as Morelet’s Seedeater, Greater Roadrunner, Vermilion Flycatcher and Black-throated Sparrow. The program can be paired with the winter Arizona tour.
Planning a wider trip? Read our birdwatching guide to United States.
Itinerary
Day 1
Meet in Corpus Christi
At 6:30 p.m., gather in the hotel lobby to go to dinner together. If you arrive early, you can walk along the beach. Overnight in Corpus Christi.
Day 2
Corpus Christi to Rockport
Begin at Hazel Bazemore Park for wintering raptors, Great Kiskadee and Olive Sparrow. Continue toward Rockport via Goose Island State Park and Copano Bay. Scan for American Oystercatcher, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt and Piping Plover, and look for Whooping Cranes near the Big Tree. Stay in Rockport or Fulton.
Day 3
Coastal boat trip and transfer to Brownsville
Take a boat from Rockport along the Intracoastal Waterway. Look for Whooping Crane, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Skimmer, pelicans and coastal herons, including Reddish Egret, Little Blue Heron and Tricolored Heron. After lunch, drive south past King Ranch and watch for Harris’s Hawk, White-tailed Kite and flocks of Snow and Ross’s Geese. Stay in Brownsville.
Day 4
Port Isabel and South Padre Island
Head toward the coast to search for Aplomado Falcon and look for Mottled Duck, Least Grebe, Sora and Clapper Rail. In the evening check parrot roosts for Red-crowned Parrot and Green Parakeet. Overnight in Brownsville.
Day 7
Days 5 to 7 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley
Visit several valley preserves, including Sabal Palm Sanctuary for Plain Chachalaca, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Least Grebe and possibly Gray-crowned Yellowthroat. Frontera Audubon Thicket and Estero Llano Grande can produce Clay-colored Thrush and occasional specialties such as Golden-crowned Warbler, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Tropical Parula and Rose-throated Becard.
At Santa Ana, look for Altamira Oriole, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Ringed and Green Kingfishers and Hook-billed Kite. Bentsen adds a chance of White-tipped Dove, Blue Bunting, Gray Hawk and Common Pauraque. The plan can change for reports of unusual birds. A Brownsville stop for Tamaulipas Crow depends on current sightings. Stay in McAllen or Mission.
Day 8
Salineño and the Falcon area
Begin along the river at Salineño for Ringed Kingfisher, Zone-tailed Hawk, Audubon’s Oriole, Morelet’s Seedeater, Red-billed Pigeon and Muscovy Duck. Brown Jay is also a possibility in some winters. Continue to Falcon State Park for Greater Roadrunner, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia and sparrows of dry country. Return to McAllen or Mission.
Day 9
Depart McAllen
Breakfast is available. Leave from McAllen or take the ride back to Corpus Christi, where the planned arrival is around midday.
Locations & map
Availability & pricing
Availability is confirmed after your inquiry.
Included
- All accommodation (Good, comfortable)
- All meals & soft drinks
- Ground transportation (15-passenger vans)
- Half-day boat ride in intercoastal water
- All park, conservation and entrance fees
- 4 - 8 participants with one leader, 9 - 12 participants with two leaders
Not included
- Flights to and from start/ end location
- Travel Insurance
- Items of a personal nature
- Alcoholic beverages
Send inquiry
Ask about this tour before booking. Your preferred date is optional and availability will be confirmed after your inquiry.