Birding in the Big Bend National Park
Over 450 different bird species have been identified within Big Bend National Park due to several factors. Big Bend National Park is on a migration route from South and Central America to the United States and Canada. Big Bend is also an overlap area within which Eastern US birds range west and Western US birds range east. Also the Big Bend National Park, at approximately 29° N latitude, falls within the northernmost range of many tropical species from the south. Big Bend also provides biological diversity in terms of habitat. There are basically five different habitats or eco regions ranging from floodplain to moist forest. I have combined the two forest types into one for a simpler presentation.Floodplain & Oasis
The Big Bend National Park is essentially within the Chihuahuan Desert, but there is water, with the most obvious being the 118 miles of the Rio Grande and it's narrow but relatively luxuriant floodplain. Along the river a rich plant community supports a wide variety of nesting or visiting species. There are mesquite thickets, Cottonwoods, cattails, cane thickets and a wide variety of other plants to provide food,cover and nesting materials. Also a number of the old ranches have wells or springs that support plant growth. On your way to Rio Grande Village it is a short trip off the paved road to check out one of these that can be seen from the distance, Dugout Wells. There are many other springs within the park, but they are in the backcountry and difficult to easily access. Any place in the park that you find water, you will find birds in abundance regardless of season. The birds listed below are fairly common to common species that you are likely to encounter while camping at Rio Grande Village or Castellon in the spring. Resident nesting birds are highlighted in bold. Associated image links are provided for some species.:
Great Blue Heron, Black & Turkey Vultures, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Green-winged Teal, Redtail Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Scaled Quail, American Coot, Sora, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, White-winged Dove, Inca Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Lesser Nighthawk, Poorwill, White-throated Swift, Blackchinned Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Ladderbacked Woodpecker; Western Wood Peewee, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe; Vermillion Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Bell's Vireo, Common Raven, Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Verdin, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, Canyon Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Bluegray Gnatcatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Hermit Thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, and the following warblers (Yellow, Yellowrumped, McGillavray's, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's), Summer Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Canyon Towhee, and the following sparrows (Chipping, Brewer's, Vespers, Lark, Lincolns, White-crowned), Northern Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, Varied Bunting, Eastern & Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Bronzed & Brown-headed Cowbirds, Orchard Oriole, Housefinch, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch and the Housesparrow.
White-winged Doves and Roadrunners will run around your campsite while the Turkey Vultures come to the Cottonwoods to nest at night. A short walk down to the nature trail and mosquito pond areas will yield many other species if you are patient and a good birder. You may see a rarity or an uncommon species not listed. Listen carefully at night to hear the fairly common but almost never seen Elf Owl and when visiting Boquillas or Santa Elena Canyons, listen for the Canyon Wren. Also all you have to do at Rio Grande Village campsite is walk away from the river and you are in the next habitat, the Chihuahuan Desert.
Desert
Basically this is most of the park or elevations up to 3,500 feet. Most of the species listed below can been seen in the desert areas surrounding Rio Grande Village or Castellon and indeed in most of the desert regions of the park. Make sure you know where you are going and keep your bearings. Take some water and a snack. Many of the species listed above, like the Turkey Vulture and the Northern Harrier, may also be seen flying above the desert. I tried not to re list those species here. The Prairie Falcon is uncommon but I think I spotted it once. Some of the other birds you are likely to spot in these dryer areas include the following: Common Poorwill, Lucifer Hummingbird, Cactus Wren, Black-chinned Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, and Scott's Oriole.
Grasslands/Foothills
This is mainly the area surrounding the Chisos Mountains or elevations from 3,500 to 5,000 feet above sea level. These areas were once ranched and have a variety of rich grasses. Sotol and agave plants let you know you are in this area. Actually the Basin Campground and the lower Green Gulch road area are good areas in which to look for the following species. If you like hummingbirds, get a lawn chair and sit near an agave (Century Plant) that is in bloom.
Again I have tried not to repeat any of the species listed above: Band-tailed pigeon, Bushtit, although listed above the Cactus Wren is more common here. The Green-tailed Towhee is fairly common in the spring and winter. You are more likely to see the Dark-eyed Junco and Scott's Oriole in these grassy areas. Although it is cooler and higher in this region, the birds are most easily found near any type of water source.
Forested Areas (above 5,000 feet)
There are basically
two types of woodlands, the most predominant by far is called the
Pinyon-oak-juniper woodlands (from 5,000 to almost 8,000 feet above
sea level). Very small pockets of Moist Woodlands also exist at the
higher elevations (mainly Boot and Pine Canyons). You will know you are
there when you start to notice Arizona Cypress, Texas Madrone, Douglas
Fir, and Arizona Pine. These are truly incredible environments and when
you are there you will feel you are in an enchanted world, the world of
the high Chisos. Remember that Mountain Lions and Black Bear are the
dominant mammals here. Don't mess with them. This is also home of the Peregrine Falcon. Trails leading to
this endangered specie's nesting areas are closed off seasonally to
make sure they are not disturbed. It is in this region that you will
hear and probably see the Mexican Jay
and the world famous (among birding folk) Colima Warbler. You may also see Hutton's Vireo, Tufted Timouse, Townsend's
Solitaire, Townsend's Warbler, the Painted Redstart, and the Western
Tanager. Many birds are accidental at these high elevations and with
patience there is no telling what you might spot. It is not uncommon to
be walking one of these mountain trails and notice at very close range
the Chisos Whitetail Deer. They appear very tame because you don't
resemble a Mountain Lion.