Store and Community Nature Events
Scroll for the list of local tours, talks, and other events sponsored by us or organizations we collaborate with.
Sharing the joy of birds and nature is at the core of Wild Birds Unlimited. Here at your locally owned WBU McAllen store, we're committed to helping our fellow Rio Grande Valley residents and visitors connect with the unique ecology and wildlife the Valley has to offer.
 |
Looking to Partner? Give us a call if you're interested in:
|
 |
Join Our Flock! Subscribe to our emails (button below) and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to be the first to hear about our nature events and great promos.
|
 |
Build the Backyard of Your Dreams Relax with the birdsong and beautiful colors of our amazing Rio Grande Valley birds right in your yard. Stop by for a chat with one of our friendly Certified Birdfeeding Specialists.™ Our webshop offers free shipping within 150 miles on orders over $75 for bird food and other core products.
|
— PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR LAST-MINUTE CHANGES AND UPDATES —
NATIVE PLANT SALES
Multiple Dates
Don't miss our popular NATIVE PLANT SALES! Sales typically start right after the day's free nature talk (see below) unless otherwise specified, and supplies are limited. (Supplies vary and may differ from the plants shown in photo.)
Upcoming SATURDAY plant sales:
• Nov. 15 at 3:30–6 p.m.
• Nov. 22, Dec. 6 and 13 at 3–6 p.m.
Why plant natives? Because it's good for local wildlife AND for you! Win-win! Texas-native plants:
- Provide essential food and shelter for resident and migratory birds, butterflies, and other pollinators
- Beautify your yard
- Typically require less water and are better at withstanding the RGV's climate and native pests
FILM SCREENING
November 15, 2025
"Ancient Landscapes of South Texas: Hiding in Plain Sight" | In-Store | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
What an honor! We're going to be joined in-store by wonderful educators from UTRGV's Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools (CHAPS) Program. They're going to introduce their fascinating short documentary film exploring the natural landscapes of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). Much of its remarkable history is "hiding in plain sight": ancient beaches and drowned shorelines, evidence of a large volcanic eruption that changed Earth’s climate, shifting sand, giant oysters and mammoths, petrified forests and thousand-year-old living trees, tiny zircon crystals, and a mighty river. This landscape shaped the lives of the Valley's earliest humans, and we're reshaping the landscape and its ecosystems today.
- Refreshments provided.
- Book signing after the film. (The companion book will be available for sale.)
- PLUS, stay after for a NATIVE PLANT SALE! Details above.
Be sure to also check out the CHAPS website for maps of notable landscape spots, audio guides and more!
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
The CHAPS Program at UTRGV is a consortium of anthropologists and archaeologists, biologists, historians, geologists, and geoarchaeologists who embrace a locally focused, place-based STEAM research approach (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) to tell the story of a largely unknown region of the United States and make it accessible to K–17 educators, the public, and scholars, with bilingual maps, books, exhibits, films, traveling trunks, and scholarly publications. The efforts of the CHAPS Program have been recognized locally, nationally, and internationally.
The team that developed, produced and directed this film includes:
- Gerardo “Bull” Sanchez—Film Director
- Juan L. González—Professor of Geology for UTRGV College of Science, School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences (SEEMS); CHAPS Program Co-Director; documentary film executive producer.
- Christopher L. Miller—Professor of History for UTRGV College of Liberal Arts; CHAPS Program Associate Director; documentary film associate producer.
- Russell K. Skowronek—Professor of History and Anthropology for UTRGV College of Liberal Arts; CHAPS Program Director; documentary film associate producer.
- Roseann Bacha-Garza—Lecturer II Anthropology for College of Liberal Arts; CHAPS Program Manager; documentary film associate producer.
BIRDING
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Free* Guided Bird Walk | Mission, TX | 9–11:00 a.m.
We have another great day of bird spotting and learning lined up for you!
In the morning, we'll be meeting at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, where park staff will be leading us on a free guided bird walk. (Small park fee applies.) This park is one of the Valley's top birding and wildlife hotspots, with over 350 birding species having been spotted there.
- PARK FEE: The guided walk itself is free, but there is a small park admission fee you must pay. See the park's website for fees.
- Meet at the visitor center.
- Some parts of the trail may be unpaved—wear suitable footwear.
- Bring water, hat, sunscreen, insect repellant, etc.
- Don't forget your binoculars! If you're looking to buy or upgrade your binoculars, we carry some fantastic options for birders. Stop in to check them out! The park may also have some for rent.
- Location: Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Drive (FM 2062), Mission, TX 78572
Then in the afternoon, the park superintendent, Thomas Forwood, will be joining us back in our store for a FREE nature talk—see flyer below.
NATURE TALK
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Life After Migration: What Do Our Birds Do When They Aren't Here? | In-Store | 2–3:00 p.m.
Our afternoon in-store talk caps off another great day of bird spotting and learning, after the morning's guided bird walk (details above).
The Rio Grande Valley is deservedly famous for birding. Along with our amazing year-round resident birds, we're lucky to get so many fantastic overwintering birds, too. Have you ever thought about what the rest of the year is like for those birds that just winter in the Valley? Several species end up in extremely different locales living a very different life during the long days of summer. Join us as we learn more!
PLUS, stay after for a NATIVE PLANT SALE! Details above.
ABOUT OUR EXPERT SPEAKER
Thomas Forwood is Superintendent at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, one of the Valley's top birding and wildlife hotspots. Originally from Pennsylvania, Tom fell in love with birds while working as an interpretive park ranger with Montana State Parks, and continues to serve as an eBird reviewer for that area. He's been with Texas State Parks for the past several years, first in Big Bend and now here in the Valley, where he spends most of his free time birding and enjoying other naturalist pursuits, as well as also traveling for birding.
BIRDING
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Free* Guided Bird Walk & Coffee Tasting | Weslaco, TX | 9–11:00 a.m.
Kick off your weekend with our free guided bird walk and coffee tasting in Weslaco! Come meet your fellow local bird lovers and WBU enthusiasts as we explore the Valley's oldest nature center together.
- PARK FEE: The guided walk itself is free, but you must pay a small fee to enter the park. See their website for fees.
- Meet at the visitor center.
- 9–9:30 a.m.: We'll be sampling the delicious ABA Save the Songbirds coffee, a certified Bird Friendly® coffee that the American Birding Association (ABA) has created in partnership with Thanksgiving Coffee Company. A portion of the proceeds from each package benefits the mission, programs, and conservation efforts of the ABA.
- 9:30–11:00 a.m.: Our WBU McAllen team member Laura will lead a guided bird walk in the park.
- Wear suitable footwear for gravel and dirt paths.
- Bring water, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.
- Don't forget your binoculars! If you're looking to buy or upgrade your binoculars, we carry some fantastic options for birders. Stop in to check them out!
- Location: Valley Nature Center, 301 South Border Ave., Weslaco, TX
Then in the afternoon, come in to the store for more events—see below.
ABOUT OUR GUIDE
Laura Brush is a Rio Grande Valley native and bird enthusiast. Along with sharing her love of birds and nature with the community through her work at Wild Birds Unlimited in McAllen, Laura has over seven years of experience in environmental education and also currently serves as an educator at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center.
*** TENTATIVE ***
NATURE TALK
Saturday, December 6, 2025
The Legacy of Robert Runyon (1881–1968), Prominent Local Botanist, Photographer and Politician | In-Store | 2–3:00 p.m.
Details coming soon—stay tuned!
NATURE TALK
Saturday, December 13, 2025
What AI and Bioacoustics Reveal About Bird Migration | In-Store | 2–3:00 p.m.
Calling all "bird nerds"! Come hear about an exciting new way that cutting-edge tech is being used to monitor and study bird migration and vocal behavior here in the Lower Rio Grande Valley—and how you may be able to get involved!
Nocturnal bird migration in the RGV is a critical part of North American bird conservation, yet it remains poorly documented. So Dr. Contina and his team developed and deployed the Southern Ornithology Network for Applied Research (SONAR). SONAR uses a network of acoustic recording nodes along with AI to monitor and make sense of bird calls by both day and night. Dr. Contina will share some of what he's learned so far and about expansion plans for the network, which depends on finding more collaborators to host the SONAR nodes.
PLUS, stay after for a NATIVE PLANT SALE! Details above.
ABOUT OUR EXPERT SPEAKER
Dr. Andrea Contina is Principal Investigator at the Contina Lab, which conducts research in the School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), where he is an Assistant Professor. He studies avian communities and their movements across North and Central America using advanced technologies, to help inform conservation plans and increase wildlife protection, sustainable resource management, and opportunities for interdisciplinary education in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Native Plant Tours
-
Run by ethnobotanist Benito Treviño (featured by American Forests) and wife Toni.
- 621 W La Sagunada Rd., Rio Grande City, TX 78582
Birding Tours and Retreats
- Nature Ninja Birding Tours offers exceptional guided tours and all-inclusive birding retreats in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.
-
Led by local birding whiz Tiffany Kersten, featured in Texas Monthly magazine.
Free Admission to Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
-
Last Saturday and Sunday of each month
- A 40-acre wetlands oasis in the heart of Edinburg where you can spot birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.
- Part of the World Birding Center network.
- 714 Raul Longoria Rd, Edinburg, TX 78542
King Ranch Nature Tours
-
Recognized as an Internationally Important Bird Area, the King Ranch offers guided bird watching and wildlife tours through their diverse South Texas habitats where nearly 400 species of birds have been recorded.
-
Home to the U.S.' largest known population of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls.
- Locations vary by tour.
For older events, please see our Past Events page.