Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

When Spanish explorers first saw the layers of hills northwest of what is now Austin, Texas, they named the land Balcones. These limestone hills and spring fed canyons make up most of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, located north of Lake Travis. The primary purpose of the refuge is to conserve the nesting habitat of the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo. The vegetation found in this area, known as the Texas Hill Country, includes various oaks, elm, and ashe juniper trees (commonly called cedar). The Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo depend on different successional stages of this vegetation. Both of these birds nest in Central Texas, the warbler exclusively