Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park

• One of the Valley's top birding hotspots, with over 350 species spotted.

• About 7 miles of trails and roads, some wheelchair accessible.

• Hawk observation tower, with daily hawk watches during migration (see park events). 

• 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Drive (FM 2062), Mission, TX 78572

• Park website

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands

• 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. 

• Free admission on the last Saturday and Sunday of each month.

• 714 Raul Longoria Rd, Edinburg, TX 78542

• Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center website

King Ranch

• 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.

• King Ranch Nature Tours website

McAllen Nature Center

• A 33-acre oasis in the city of McAllen with walking trails and natural habitats, including a butterfly garden, resaca, and cactus garden.

• Over 250 bird species have been recorded here.

• 4101 US-83 BUS. McAllen, Texas 78501

• McAllen Nature Center website

National Butterfly Center

• A 100-acre wildlife center and native species botanical garden, with trails, observation areas, educational exhibits, and a plant nursery.

• 200+ species of butterflies, including rarities, have been spotted at the Center.

• The Center also offers great bird-watching opportunities. Download the Center's birding checklist with almost 300 species!

• "The Center showcases live animals and plants, in wild and cultivated settings, with educational exhibits to enhance human understanding and appreciation.... In addition to the ever-growing gardens and trails, the Center now boasts an impressive, new Visitor's Pavilion, designed by Wendy Evans Joseph, principal architect of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, and the Women's Museum in Dallas, Texas."

• A project of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and study of wild butterflies in their native habitats.

• 3333 Butterfly Park Drive, Mission, TX 78572

• National Butterfly Center website

Quinta Mazatlán

• Birdwatching trails amid the lush tropical gardens and Tamaulipan thorn forest surrounding an historic hacienda in McAllen. About 300 species have been recorded here.

• Part of the World Birding Center network.

• 600 Sunset Drive, McAllen, TX 78503

• Quinta Mazatlán website

Santa Ana & Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuges

• These two abutting refuges in Alamo, TX, offer visitors a chance to see birds and other species only found in deep South Texas.

• "Established in 1943 for the protection of migratory birds, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is positioned along an east-west and north-south juncture of two major migratory routes for many species of birds. It is also at the northern-most point for many species whose range extends south into Central and South America. The refuge is right in the middle of all this biological diversity, which is what makes this 2,088-acre parcel the ‘jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge System.’"

• "The Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1979 with a management priority to protect biodiversity. As a wildlife corridor, the refuge follows the Rio Grande along the last 275 river miles. It connects isolated tracts of land managed by private landowners, non-profit organizations, the State of Texas, and two other National Wildlife Refuges: Laguna Atascosa and Santa Ana."

• Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge website; 3325 Green Jay Road Alamo, TX 78516

• Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge website; 
  7 Miles South Of Alamo, TX on FM 907

South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary

• Over 375 bird species have been recorded at this bay-front sanctuary, which features over 3,300 feet of boardwalks with strategically positioned bird blinds and a five-story viewing tower.

• 6801 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 78597

• SPI Birding Center website

South Padre Island Convention Center

• While this may not sound like a typical birding location, the convention center is surrounded by old-growth trees and brush, which makes it a prime resting spot for birds migrating over the Gulf of Mexico. Almost 400 species have been recorded here. It also has a boardwalk for viewing water species.

• 7355 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 78597

• SPI Convention Center website

South Padre Island Convention Center

• While this may not sound like a typical birding location, the convention center is surrounded by old-growth trees and brush, which makes it a prime resting spot for birds migrating over the Gulf of Mexico. Almost 400 species have been recorded here. It also has a boardwalk for viewing water species.

• 7355 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 78597

• SPI Convention Center website

Valley Nature Center

• 6-acre secret garden in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, dedicated to native plants, wildlife, and environmental education.

• The oldest nature center in the Valley, with native habitats, walking trails, ponds, gardens, and more.

• Almost 250 bird species have been recorded here.

• 301 S. Border Ave, Weslaco

• Valley Nature Center website