Deep In The Rio Grande Valley Is A Hidden Gem State Park That May Be Texas's Best Spot For Birdwatching

If you were looking for the best parks in America for bird lovers, you might think of the country's marquee wildlife destinations, like the Florida Everglades or the Rocky Mountains. These are certainly great places to spot small winged creatures, but the spot in the U.S. with one of the highest avian bio-diversity is Texas' Gulf Coast. Nearly 250 species of feathered friends call this region home, and there are plenty of opportunities to witness them soaring, snap some pictures, and soak in their calming songs on a trip there. A branch of the World Birding Center is actually located in the southern tip of Texas, in a small State Park in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Estero Llano Grande State Park (which translates roughly to 'a wet place on a large plain') is a 230-acre protected area thriving with bird life, wetlands, and other interesting species. Due to the location of the park sitting in the Rio Grande Valley, many tropical birds migrate to the mud-flats, ponds, and native plants that have been carefully crafted by local biologists and park rangers. This has left a family-friendly haven full of fun activities, hiking, and, of course, birding, right in the southern tip of Texas. 

The Estero Llano Grande State Park has reported visits of upwards of 500 bird species since the park opened in 2006. These have ranged from geese and duck to hawks and waxwings. If you're coming from far, you may be interested in spotting the bright pink tones of the roseate spoonbill, a species common in the park in all seasons, who are joined by ruby-throated hummingbirds in spring, fall, and winter, and the northern cardinal, also present year round. If you're used to these species and are hoping for something more exciting, the park is also home to some rare and exotic species for the location, which are perfect for adding to your 'life list.' These species include red-lored parrots, canvasback geese, sandhill cranes, and merlin falcons. Even more special are the species you can only find inside the Rio Grande Valley, like the black-bellied whistling-duck, plain chachalaca, and green jay. 

Every week there are tours of the park with staff from the World Birding Center, who are experts at seeking out these species. The tours are included with your park fee, which, at the time of writing, is $5 for adults and free for children. The tours are typically from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. with the park opening daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you plan your trip for the summer, you can combine it with a visit to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. This five-day event in Harlingen, a 25-minute drive from the park, is full of talks from birding experts, guided tours, photography workshops, and more. 

To delve into your birding fantasies at the Estero Llano Grande State Park, you first need to make your way to southern Texas. There are a few airports near-by. The closest major one in the United States is San Antonio International Airport that services flights from all across the country. Much closer by miles is the Valley International Airport in Harlingen, which mainly receives flights from Minnesota, Colorado, Illinois, and other cities in Texas, but is just 30 minutes from the park in a private car or taxi. That's not to say that the four-hour drive from San Antonio isn't worth the trip. Along the way you can pass the most breath-taking beaches in Texas,  charming southern towns, and award-winning rest stops. 

Wherever you're coming from, there's so much to do in the park even if birding isn't your bag (yet). There are 5 miles of hiking trails, two of which are wheelchair accessible, around stunning ponds bathed in birdsong. For something on the chill side, try the Wader's Trail, which is dog-friendly and gives you a sampling of many of the park's ponds. If you're after something more high-key, there is the 1.5-mile Llano Grande Hiking Trail that traverses the park's southern perimeter. Geocaching is also a great family day out, in which you hunt down little treasures using coordinates, maps, and sometimes riddles. It's also exciting to leave little presents behind for other geocachers to reward themselves with.