Store and Community Events
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. Below is a list of local tours, talks, and other events sponsored by us or organizations we collaborate with.
Interested in adding your organization's birding or nature event? Give us a call.
To hear about new events, check back here, subscribe to our emails (button below), and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Happy birding!
FREE TALK:
Birding 101 with Keith Hackland | Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, 2–3 p.m.
About the FREE Talk
The Rio Grande Valley is a birding hot spot, attracting birders from around the world. But the Valley’s birding bonanza is open to ANYONE and ALL AGES—starting right in your own backyard! You don’t need lots of gear. All you really need is the desire to look, listen, and learn about the amazing and beautiful birds that surround us. And with the fall bird migration underway, it’s the perfect time to jump into this fun, relaxing hobby!
So come join us for this FREE event on the basics of birding. Our expert guest speaker, Keith Hackland, will lead a multi-media, interactive talk covering the ABCs of bird watching/identification, what makes the Valley a special place for birds, and much more.
Start reconnecting with the natural world today through birding—it’s something the whole family can enjoy together. Once you learn to I.D. common backyard birds, you can go on to explore the hundreds of different bird species that frequent the RGV’s many fantastic reserves, including several birds that don’t show up anywhere else in the U.S.A. Happy birding!
About Our Expert Speaker
Keith Hackland founded Alamo Inn B&B, Gear and Tours, in Alamo, Texas, in 1999—it’s the largest birder lodge in the United States. Keith is also the founder of BirdersOnTheRoad.com, a streaming video service that showcases local and international birding videos from professional guides. He’s had a long career involving wildlife and nature conservation and tours, including work with Friends of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Originally hailing from South Africa, Keith has lived and birded in Africa, Central and Southern Europe, Scandinavia, Britain, Canada, California, and Texas, where he’s been a resident of the Lower Rio Grande Valley for more than 27 years. Keith is also an avid photographer and backyard bird feeder.
FREE TALK:
Spooky Spiders of South Texas with Joseph Connors | Saturday, October 12, 2024, 2–3 p.m.
About the FREE Talk
Kid-friendly, and featuring live spiders, this talk with get the family into the Halloween spirit with a captivating exploration of the spiders that inhabit the Rio Grande Valley—some of the real-life ghosts, goblins, pirates, and ogres in our area. From the common to the extraordinary, discover fascinating facts, behaviors, adaptations, and where to find these misunderstood eight-legged wonders. Bring your curiosity, questions, and enthusiasm!
About Our Guest Speaker
Joseph Connors, a lifelong Valley resident, enjoys sharing his passion for our often-overlooked wildlife through his skillful macro photography. As a member of the South Texas Border Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist, Joseph can often be found on night hikes, enthusiastically pointing out spiders and other nocturnal creatures. He is also a frequent contributor to the citizen science project, iNaturalist, helping to document the incredible diversity of South Texas wildlife.
Native Plant Tours
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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.
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Led by local birding whiz Tiffany Kersten, featured in Texas Monthly magazine.
Free Admission to Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
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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
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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.
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Home to the U.S.' largest known population of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls.
- Locations vary by tour.
FREE Plant Swap: Saturday, May 18, 2024
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See flyer below for details.
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Hosted by Hidalgo County Master Gardener Association.
- South Texas MG Educational Garden, 509 E. Earling Rd., San Juan, Texas (map)
FREE: Earth Day—Meet the Creatures Event
Please join us at this FREE family fun event. And don't forget your binoculars—there's some great birding there!
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Saturday, April 20, 2024, 9 a.m.—2 p.m.
- Activities for kids, including interacting with resident animals.
- Please stop by the WBU McAllen table to say hi and pick up free samples (while supplies last) and enter our raffle.
- Congrats to our raffle winner Michelle Leija, who won a small tube feeder ($17.99 value); a 2-lb. bag of seed ($8.99 value); and a small reusable WBU bag made from recycled material.
- National Butterfly Center, 3333 Butterfly Park Drive, Mission, TX
March 23, 2024: Run for the Refuge 5K 2024, Sponsorship and Raffle
WBU staff with Gloria Galindo (right)
from Friends of the Wildlife Corridor
- WBU McAllen was a proud sponsor of the 2nd Annual Run for the Refuge 5K on March 23, 2024, at the Santa Ana & Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuges in Alamo, TX.
- We were on site giving out samples of bird seed and live mealworms. It was great to meet so many fellow RGV nature lovers!
- Thanks to the fantastic refuge staff and to the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor for inviting us to help sponsor and attend the race. This was our first event with them and we look forward to many more! This group of Lower RGV citizens is doing key work to help protect the habitats that our native and migratory RGV wildlife depend on.
- Congrats to our raffle winner Chris Markham, who won "The Joy of Bird Feeding," the ultimate reference book for backyard bird watchers ($29.99 value); a small tube feeder ($17.99 value); a 2-lb. bag of seed ($8.99 value.
March 11, 2024: Grand Opening Raffle
- Was open late February through March 10th, one entry per customer, with in-store purchase.
- Drawing was held March 11th. Winners were contacted and announced here (with permission).
- 1st prize went to IRENE MOHUN: Free Seed for a Year ($600+ value), defined as one 20-lb. bag of our high-quality No-Mess No Millet Blend per month for 12 months
- 2nd prize went to MARK PEREZ: Advanced Pole System® Hanging System ($94.99 value) -- our exclusive, patented hanging system that's the perfect beginning to your ultimate bird feeding station
- 3rd prize went to MARISELA PEREZ: $50 WBU McAllen Shopping Spree ($50 Gift Card)
- 4th prize went to JESUS "MICHAEL" LIGUEZ: "The Joy of Bird Feeding" ($29.99 value), the ultimate reference book for backyard bird watchers
March 8-10, 2024: Grand Opening—Free Nature Talks
About the Speakers
Friday, March 8, 2024, 2 p.m.: Benito and Toni Treviño on Native Plants
Native plants help attract and support the RGV's spectacular bird life. Come meet speakers Benito and Toni Treviño of Rancho Lomitas Native Plant Nursery and Tours in Rio Grande City. Benito, an ethnobotanist, was recently featured in an article by American Forests for the important work he’s doing on habitat restoration in the Valley, where the The Valley Land Fund estimates that "less than five percent of the original native habitat remains.”
We hope you’ll stop in to enjoy the talk and chat with our staff about how you can turn your yard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat to attract and support your birds.
Saturday, March 9, 2024, 2 p.m.: Tiffany Kersten on Birding
We'll hear from our local big year celebrity and pro bird guide, Tiffany Kersten. Tiffany and her Nature Ninja Birding Tours crew run birding retreats and tours in the RGV and beyond—a treat for any bird lover! Tiffany's riveting, record-breaking story was featured by Texas Monthly, and she’ll share some of her experiences and expertise with us.
While you're in the store, see for yourself why we think our Vortex binoculars range is a great value for birders. They offer clear, bright imaging, plus a lifetime guarantee!
Sunday, March 10, 2024, 2 p.m.: Veronica Guzmán on Purple Martins
Veronica Guzmán, Environmental Education Coordinator for the beautiful Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center, will talk to us about these charming and entertaining birds and best practices for hosting your own thriving colony.
If you're having trouble attracting Purple Martins to your yard, chat with our staff about strategies that can help. And be sure to check out our range of high-quality Purple Martin systems selected for their ease of use, durability, and “curb appeal.”