Birding the Plateaus and Springs of the Texas Hill Country

Located in the northwestern portion of Balcones Canyonlands NWR, this tour offers a great chance to see and hear many wonderful bird species found in the dry, rocky upland savannas and shrublands of the Texas Hill Country. We will also visit Peaceful Springs, a cool, clear natural spring nestled within a beautiful, lush woodland area which attracts an interesting variety of songbirds, as well as other animals. In the woodlands, we will target the Federally Endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed vireos, Cooper’s Hawk, and Black-and-white Warbler. In the drier upland savannas and shrublands, we will target the Black-capped and Bell’s vireos, Crested Caracara, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo and Painted buntings, Scott’s Oriole, Scissor-tailed and Vermilion flycatchers, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Verdin, Common Ground-Dove, and Canyon Towhee. This tour will include birding from the van, as well as some walking, including some areas of uneven, rocky roads and trails.