In the middle of Corpus Christi, Texas is something that’s not supposed to be there. It’s called a Cattle Tyrant, and this yellow bird has been causing a stir ever since its arrival.
Cattle Tyrants are medium sized birds in the Flycatcher family. They can be identified by their light gray head, brown back and wings, yellow underside, and barely visible reddish-orange stripe on the top of their head. They are native to South America, so when one was found in the continental United States, a frenzy of birders were eager to try and see it.
This individual bird was first spotted by David Essian on November 12 of 2023 which happened to coincide with the Rio Grande Valley birding Festival, meaning hundreds of birders were within driving rage to see this out of place bird. From there, pictures and videos of the Cattle Tyrant hanging out in downtown Corpus Christi, hopping in and out of dumpsters, perching on the tops of buildings, and resting in palm trees circled around the internet with one instagram reel about it even garnering over 2 million views.
With so much media attention on this bird, the response from locals was mixed. Some people enjoyed having this new resident in town and loved pointing it out to birders looking to find it. Others weren’t a fan, disliking the commotion brought about by the hoards of people wandering the streets with cameras and binoculars.
Cattle Tyrant
Whether they like it or not, the natives of Corpus Christi may have their new guest around for a while longer as it’s now been over 3 months since it was first spotted and is still going about its business as usual, foraging in the streets and trees along the road as healthy and happy as ever. In their native range, Cattle Tyrants aren’t strangers to urban settings, such as the downtown areas of cities, and are normally fairly friendly, so this individual seems to feel right at home.
A few questions still remain about this particular Cattle Tyrant. First of all, how did it get here? Cattle Tyrants live in South America, and don’t have a track record of extreme vagrancy, so many think it’s unlikely that it got to the United States on its own. Another potential explanation is that somebody transported and released the bird. However, Cattle Tyrants aren’t known as a species typically displayed on farms or kept as pets. For these reasons, the prevailing idea is that it made its way over from South America on a ship. Once that ship arrived in Texas, the Cattle Tyrant flew off and started its new life in North America.
Another question is what the American Birding Association or ABA will decide about how to count this particular Cattle Tyrant. If it was assisted by a ship, and hopped on and off on its own, it would be countable for birder’s life lists. If it was released by humans then it wouldn’t. At this moment, the world of North American birding is still collectively awaiting the ABAs decision.
At the end of the day, whether countable or not, the Cattle Tyrants time spent in Chorpus Christi Texas has been an interesting event for a lot of people. For birders visiting the region, seeing this yellow bird has served as a unique experience in a city they may have otherwise never had a reason to go to. For locals, it has been both something worth appreciating, and something that has interrupted the flow of their daily lives. Only time will tell what the records committee will mark the Tyrant as or how long it will stay; but until it leaves, it will continue to be one of the biggest celebrities in the world of North American Birding. Have you seen the Cattle Tyrant? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below and Thanks for watching, we’ll see you next time, on Badgerland Birding.
Gulls are birds that prove to be controversial in the birding community. Some people despise them for how difficult they can be to identify, while others love them for the same reason.
Indiana is home to a wide variety of gull species. With the Lake Michigan to the North, there is ample habitat for gulls. Here are all of the expected gulls that can be found in Indiana along with some that are rare visitors. This article also includes identification tips and information on where to find them.
Herring Gull
Herring Gull
Identification
Herring Gulls are large birds with a white body and head, gray wings, black wing tips, a thick yellow bill, and pink legs. Adult Herring Gulls have a yellow eye while juveniles have a dark colored eye as well as a dark colored bill. Sometimes, sub-adult Herring Gulls will have a mostly yellow bill with black near the tip, making them similar in coloration to a Ring-billed Gull. Juvenile Herring Gulls are darker in color ranging from dark tan, to brown, to gray depending on their cycle.
Range
Herring Gulls are extremely wide spread across the United States. They winter in the Southeastern United States, along the Mississippi River, the Gulf Coast, the East Coast, and the West Coast along the oceans. They can be found year round along the Great Lakes, the Northeastern U.S. and Southeastern Alaska. During spring they migrate through the Great Plains and Western States to get to their breeding grounds in Canada and Central Alaska.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Herring Gulls feed on many different types of food and have a reputation of eating almost anything including trash, carrion, eggs, and even smaller birds. The majority of their diet however consists of aquatic creatures including fish, mussels, and other invertebrates. Herring Gulls are extremely opportunistic and as a result have an extremely varied diet and are therefore able thrive in wide variety of habitats.
Where to Find this Bird
Herring Gulls are one of the most abundant gull species in the state, especially in winter. Traveling to the ocean coastline in winter will all but guarantee a sighting of this particular species. For a more eclectic birding experience, searching out a landfill is also an easy way to find this species.
Ring-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Identification
Ring-billed Gulls can be identified by their white head and body, gray wings, black wing tips, yellow legs, and yellow bill with a black “ring” around it. Nonbreeding adults look mostly the same as breeding adults but with tan streaking on the head and neck.
Juvenile Ring-billed Gulls are white as a base color with brown and tan mottling. Their bills are pinkish as opposed to yellow and instead of a ring, they have a dark tip of the bill, making them bi-colored.
Range
Ring-billed Gulls are extremely widespread across the United States. They winter in the southern half of the country and migrate north to the Northern half of the country and into Canada, the Great Lakes states, and the Western States to breed. Some Ring-billed Gulls stick around the whole year near the Great Lakes.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Ring-billed Gulls are not picky about what they eat and will feed on fish, insects, worms, trash, and food given to them by people. Like other gulls they often forage near the water but this species also forages in open fields nowhere near water.
Where to Find this Bird
Ring-billed Gulls are extremely common and easy to find provided it is the right time of the year. In southern states, the winter will be the best time to see this species, and in northern states the summer will be the best. Look for Ring-billed Gulls on beaches, in parking lots and soaring overhead surveying for easy to forage food.
The Bonaparte’s Gull is a small gull species with a very thin, petit bill. They have a white body, gray wings, black wing tips, and reddish pink legs. In breeding plumage, Bonaparte’s Gulls have a black head with white eye crescents, while in nonbreeding plumage they have a white head with a black spot behind their eyes and light pink legs.
Range
Bonaparte’s Gulls winter in much of the southern United States in addition to the Bahamas, Cuba, and Northeastern Mexico. They also winter along the Northwestern coast of Mexico all the way up to the coast of Washington in the West and all the way up to Maine in the East. In spring, this species makes its way North over the United States and ends up in Canada and Alaska where they nest.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Bonaparte’s Gulls eat a variety of different food items with most of their diet being found in or around water. Some of the things they eat include small fish and medium sized insects in addition to surprisingly small creatures such as zooplankton and tiny invertebrates. These sleek gulls often forage in flocks and dip their bills in the water to catch prey on the fly. They will also forage in both dry and flooded fields and pick through the shallow water or sub-straight.
Where to Find this Bird
Bonaparte’s Gulls can be found in flooded fields and lake shores where they often congregate in large groups. In flight, Bonaparte’s gulls are sleek and acrobatic, looking tern-like as they maneuver through the air. They will also forage and rest along ocean coastlines where they flock with other gulls.
Glaucous Gull
Alan Schmierer Photo
Susan Young Photo
Identification
Glaucous Gulls are unique because they are one of the few gulls species that does not have black wing tips but rather white. They are the second largest gull species in the world and in some categories may outclass the larger Great Black-backed Gull such as weight. Adult breeding plumage Glaucous Gulls are very clean looking birds with a white head, white underside, gray wings, a yellow bill, and pink legs.
In nonbreeding plumage Glaucous Gulls look very similar to breeding plumage birds but have brownish streaking on their neck and head.
Juvenile Glaucous Gulls are even paler than the adults with a creamy white color covering their bodies with light brown patterning. Second winter Gloucaous Gulls can show as almost entirely white with very little brown mottling. Sub adult birds will have a pink colored bill with darker brown or black on the tip of it, making it bi-colored.
Range
Glaucous Gulls are very at home in the Arctic, with the most sightings of them taking place in Greenland, Iceland, Northern Europe, Northern Canada, and Alaska. In winter they travel south spending time in the Northeastern United States, the Northern Pacific Coast, and the Great Lakes. They can also be found inland from large bodies of water from time to time.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Glaucous Gulls are extremely opportunistic feeders. With their large size, they can eat a wide variety of food including fish, aquatic invertebrates, eggs, other birds, carrion, and trash. In the northern part of their range Glaucous Gulls have been known to feed on the remains of polar bear kills a are also recorded as eating the chicks (and also adults) of many different sea dwelling bird species.
Where to Find this Bird
Glaucous Gulls are at home near large bodies of water such as ocean coastlines and the Great Lakes. They can be found loafing on ice or beaches with other species in the winter months (which are the best times to see these large arctic gulls). The coasts aren’t the only places to see Glaucous Gulls however as they can also be seen in inland lakes and landfills.
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Identification
The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull species in the world and even when compared with other large species such as Glaucous and Herring Gulls look noticeably larger. They have a white head, tail, and underside with a namesake black back as well as black wings and black primary feathers. Great Black-backed Gulls have a robust yellow bill and light pink legs.
Young Great Black-backed Gulls look similar to adults but with dark streaking on the head and underside as well as more of a checkered black and white pattern on the wings as opposed to the solid dark gray or black of an adult. Additionally, Great Black-backed Gulls have dark colored bills as opposed to the bright yellow of adults, but they do still have pink legs.
Range
Great Black-backed gulls are birds of the Atlantic Coasts. They can be found in many northwestern European countries as well as Iceland, Greenland, Eastern Canada, and the Eastern United States. In the U.S. Great Black-backed Gulls are seen most often in winter and typically move out of the continental U.S. during summer although there are some places along the Atlantic Coast where they are found year round.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Simply speaking, Great Black-backed Gulls will eat anything they can fit in their most including trash, crabs, fish, eggs, carrion, and other birds. They have been known to steal food from other species and eat the chicks of other sea dwelling birds.
Where to Find this Bird
Great Black-backed Gulls are most common in winter when they can be seen loafing on docks, beaches, and ice on the Great Lakes. They can also be seen frequently at landfills. In all of these places they stand out due to their impressive size.
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Lesser black-backed Gull (Ott Rebane Image)
Identification
Lesser Black-backed Gulls can be identified by their white head and body, dark gray to black wings, yellow bill, yellow legs, and dark primary feathers. They look similar in appearance to Great Black-backed Gulls but will be smaller overall and have yellow legs as opposed to the pink legs of the Great Black-backed Gull.
Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls will be pale white or cream with black mottling on their body, head and neck. They have black bills when young and beginning of a dark back forming will typically be evident.
Range
The Range of the Lesser Black-backed Gull spans several continents including Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America. Most of the sightings of this species occur in Western Europe in addition to many sightings occurring in Northern Canada and the United States. In the U.S. Lesser Black-backed Gulls winter in the Eastern half of the country with the most individuals being found near the Atlantic Ocean, but many other sightings occurring inland as well as near the Great Lakes.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Lesser Black-backed Gulls eat almost anything ranging from fish, to crustaceans, to carrion, to plant matter. Like most other large North American Gull species, Lesser Black-backed Gulls take advantage of human habitation by eating scraps of food and garbage left by humans. They will forage in the water on the fly or walk along beaches, even flipping over rocks and sticks in hopes of finding a meal.
Where to Find this Bird
Lesser Black-backed Gulls are most commonly seen in winter, and are a fairly normal sight along the Atlantic Ocean all the way from the Gulf of Mexico to Maine. They can also be found near the Great Lakes in winter where they flock with other Northern Gull species such as Great Black-backed and Glaucous Gulls.
Iceland Gull (Rare)
Iceland Gull
Identification
Out of all The North American Gull species, Iceland Gulls are probably the most vexing when it comes to identification. This species consists of what was once two separate species; the Iceland Gull and the Thayer’s Gull. The “Iceland” type Iceland Gull is fairly easy to identify as they have gray wings and back, white head and underside, a yellow bill, and white wing tips. They are smaller and more dainty looking than Glaucous Gulls but clearly discernible from Herring Gulls due to the white primary feathers on the wings. The trouble comes mostly from the “Thayer’s” type Iceland Gulls which can be widely variable in appearance and be extremely close in appearance to Herring Gulls. Thayer’s Iceland Gulls are slightly smaller than Herring Gulls and have a thinner bill. The diagnostic white wing tips of other Iceland Gulls are not present in Thayer’s types but instead are replaced by dark wing tips with lighter undersides of the wing tips, a feature that can be very difficult to see. If unsure about the identification about a Thayer’s type Iceland Gulls, consulting an expert on the individual bird in question is the best choice.
Juvenile Iceland type Iceland Gulls have a white base color with dark mottling while juvenile Thayer’s type Iceland Gulls may be darker overall and will typically have dark wing tips.
Range
Iceland Gulls spend the summer in the Arctic Circle in Northern Canada, Iceland, and Greenland. In winter they move south into Northwestern Europe and the Northeastern United States. This species also shows up along the Great Lakes in winter.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Iceland Gulls eat mostly fish but will also eat other marine creatures such as crustaceans, carrion, zooplankton, and trash. Like other gull species, they are extremely opportunistic and will eat eggs and young of other birds as well as plant matter.
Where to Find this Bird
Iceland Gulls are most easy to find in winter in the United States where they live on ocean shores and large inland lakes. Another less glamorous place to find them is landfills where they can be found in winter along with many other gull species.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Rare)
Black-legged Kittiwake (Nonbreeding) (Photo by Bill Grossmeyer)
Black-legged Kittiwake with Chicks (Robin Corcoran Photo)
Identification
Adult breeding plumage Black-legged Kittiwake’s have a white body and head with gray wings. They have black wing tips, a slightly curved yellow bill, and namesake black legs. Overall ,the Black-legged Kittiwake is a relatively small gull species.
In nonbreeding plumage adults look almost the same as those in breeding plumage but with black on the back of their head.
Immature Black-legged Kittiwake’s have the same white body and gray wings but have a few extra markings that adults don’t have. Juveniles will show a black spot on their head, a white stripe on their neck, and a black “M” marking on their wings that looks like a black stripe when their wings are folded. Juvenile Black-legged kittiwakes also differ from adults by having a black bill as opposed to yellow.
Range
Black-legged Kittiwakes are birds of ocean coastlines. They can be found along the ocean in Western Europe, Iceland, Greenland, the Eastern United States, Eastern Canada, the Pacific coast of the United States, Alaska, and the Eastern parts of Russia and Japan. Black-legged Kittiwakes are most commonly seen in the United States in winter but can be found in Alaska in summer, and also turn up as rarities in inland states.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Black-legged Kittiwake’s diet largely consists of small fish in addition to other small marine creatures like jellyfish, zooplankton, and squid. This species has been known to feed near whales and boats where they they can be seen looking for scraps left behind. It’s worth noting that Black-legged Kittiwakes are not known for visiting landfills like many other North American Gull species are.
Where to Find this Bird
Black-legged Kittiwakes are rare in most inland states in the U.S. They are easier to find along the oceans but juveniles will turn up from time to time in the Great Lakes and other bodies of water. Look for a bird that looks somewhat like a non-breeding Bonaparte’s Gull or Little Gull but with the extra black markings.
Laughing Gull (Rare)
Nonbreeding Laughing Gull (Alan Schmierer Photo)
Laughing Gull
Identification
Laughing Gulls are medium sized gulls with a whit underside, gray wings, dark wing tips and a relatively large, deep red, slightly curved bill. In adult breeding plumage this species has a black head with thin white eye crescents.
In nonbreeding plumage, Laughing Gulls look similar but have a darker bill, a white head, and only a small patch of black on their head.
This species can be difficult to distinguish from Franklin’s Gulls but can be done with a little knowledge about what ID features to look at. For more information on this, you can check out our post titled Franklin’s Gulls vs. Laughing Gull. You can also watch our video about the topic below.
Range
Laughing Gulls winter in Northern South America, Central America, Mexico, and some of the Southern states in the United States such as Florida. While many Laughing Gulls reside on the Southeastern Coasts of the United States year round in addition to Cuba and the Bahamas, others migrate north during breeding season ending up in the Northeastern United States and the Great Lakes.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Laughing Gulls diet’s consist of many different food items including invertebrates, fish, squid, small fruits, carrion, and scraps left by people. They can be seen congregating in places with many humans waiting for free handouts or discarded food.
Where to Find this Bird
Laughing Gulls are extremely common along the Atlantic Coast of the United States and can be seen in high numbers on public beaches, often associating with other species of gulls and terns. To see these birds, simply head to a beach on the ocean and you will have an extremely high chance of seeing them.
Franklin’s Gull
Nonbreeding Franklin’s Gull (Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren Photo – CC by 2.0)
Breeding Franklin’s Gull
Identification
Breeding plumage Franklin’s Gulls have a white neck and underside, gray back and wings, a black hood, and deep red bill. Some of the extra identification features about them to note are the large white spots on their folded black primary feathers, their large white eye crescents, and sometimes a pink wash on their chest and underside (other gull species can show this pink wash as well).
Nonbreeding Franklin’s Gulls look ver similar to breeding plumage birds but instead of a completely dark hood they have a partial faded looking black hood that often still shows their white eye crescents.
Range
Franklin’s Gulls have an interesting range compared to most other North American Gull species. They spend the winter along the Western coast of South America and migrate north in spring. Franklin’s Gulls are not as common along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts as they are in states such as Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, but they can still be found along the coasts in migration. This species spends the summer in Southcentral Canada, Montana, and North Dakota.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
While Franklin’s Gulls eat mostly invertebrates such as insects. They will also consume worms, mollusks, small fish, and other small aquatic creatures. Franklin’s Gulls have some interesting foraging habits including twirling in the water to stir up food items, as well as following farming equipment to catch insects.
Where to Find this Bird
Franklin’s Gulls are an uncommon but expected migratory bird in most states with the peak time to view them typically being the later weeks of May or first weeks of June. They are more common in the Great Plains states where they occur in fairly large numbers. Look for Franklin’s Gulls in mixed flocks of gulls and terns in farm fields and along lake shores.
Little Gull
Little Gull (Photo by Ekaterina Chernetsova – CC by 2.0)
Nonbreeding Little Gull (Andrew Cannizzarro Photo – CC by 2.0)
Identification
The Little Gull is aptly named as it has the distinction of being the smallest gull species in the world. In breeding plumage, This species has a white underside, light gray wings, dark underwings, red legs, a black hood, and a tiny black bill.
In nonbreeding plumage Little Gulls look the same but without a full black hood and instead just a dark spot on the side of the head and black smudging on the top of the head.
Range
Little Gulls are actually more of a Eurasian species than they are a North American Species. Most of the population resides in Europe year round, moving to Northern Europe to breed. In the United States, there is a small breeding population occurs in Canada and around the Great Lakes. This species is rare in most parts of the United States.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Unlike larger gulls, Little Gulls are more limited by the type of food they can eat simply due to their size. Their diet consists mostly of small fish, insects, and other invertebrates that can be found near water. Little Gulls behave more like terns when foraging, often hovering above the water and swooping in to catch flying insects or to scoop fish from the surface.
Where to Find this Bird
Little Gulls can only be found in a few regions of the United States. They can sometimes be found wintering on the Atlantic Coast, especially in New England. In the Midwest they can be found sparingly on the Great Lakes. Otherwise, these small gulls show up irregularly in most other parts of the continental United States and are a big-time rarity.
Sabines Gull
Sabine’s Gull (Peter Pearsall Image)
Identification
Sabine’s gulls are a very interesting looking gull species with a white body, gray wings, and a black head. The head is not quite the same as other dark-headed gulls however as it has a darker edge to it looking like it has a ring of black separating the head and neck. The bill of the Sabine’s gull is also unique as it is black with a yellow tip. In flight, Sabine’s gulls show black primaries and white secondaries, making it look like they have two white triangles on their wings along with one large gray triangle.
Juvenile Sabine’s gulls do not have a black heads but rather smudges of grayish brown on their head, neck, and back. In flight, Juvenile Sabine’s gulls show a similar pattern to those of the adults but with the more muted brown tones instead of the gray back of the adults. Additionally, juvenile Sabine’s gulls will show a black stripe on their tail while in flight.
Range
Sabine’s Gulls spend most of their time In the arctic, breeding in Northern Canada and Alaska. During migration, this species moves along the Pacific Coast of the United States. It’s worth noting that Sabine’s gulls are also found in Western Europe. For most people in the continental U. S., the best time to see this species is during fall migration.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Sabine’s gulls eat insects, small fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates. They feed in a variety of places including tide pools, around fishing boats, and in snow drifts. They also feed in a variety of different ways from catching prey mid air, to foraging along the shore and picking through debris to find insects.
Where to Find this Bird
Since Sabine’s Gulls breed in the arctic tundra they are difficult to see most of the year with the exception of migration. For the best chance to see one of these gulls, a pelagic on the west coast is going to give you the best chance. Otherwise, keeping an eye out for them on lakes and rivers during migration can also turn one up.
Slaty-backed Gull (Rare)
Slaty-backed Gull
Identification
Slaty-backed Gulls have a white underside and head, namesake slate colored back, pink legs, and a yellow bill. Nonbreeding adults have dark streaking on their neck and head. The key identification feature of this species is the white markings on the wing tips leading to what many call the “string of pearls” look on the wings in flight.
Range
Slaty-backed Gulls are most common in Japan, South Korea, Eastern Russia, and Alaska.. With the exception of Alaska, they are rare in the rest of the United States, but they do show up on the Pacific Coast, the East Coast, and the Great Lakes more often than in other parts of the country.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Slaty-backed Gulls are large bodied, oceanic predators that feed on many different food items including fish, crustaceans, carrion, trash, and really anything they can fit in their mouth. This species will eat eggs and nestlings of other bird species in addition to eating smaller seagoing bird species.
Where to Find this Bird
Slaty-backed Gulls are quite rare in the continental United States but do show up from time to time. Look for this species along the Great Lakes where they can sometimes be found in groups with other gulls and in landfills, Note that this is a species that seems to be more common around the Great Lakes than it used to be, but be aware that they can sometimes get confused with “Great Lakes Gulls” which are hybrids between Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls.
Slaty-backed Gulls are extremely rare in Indiana but there are records of this species from the state.
California Gull (Rare)
California Gull (Alan Schmierer Photo)
Identification
California Gulls look very similar to Herring Gulls with a white body and head, gray wings and back, black wing tips with white spots when folded, and a yellow bill. One big difference between Herrings Gulls and California Gulls is that California Gulls have yellow legs while Herring Gulls have pinkish legs.
Nonbreeding adults look virtually the same but with more streaking on the necked head.
Range
California Gulls winter along the Pacific coast from southern Mexico to Washington state. In summer, California Gulls breed in Southwestern Canada and some of the states in the northwestern U.S. including Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, and northern California. They live year round in states like Idaho and Washington. California Gulls are migratory and will occasionally show up in states in the Midwest and Northeast. However, they are considered rare in most places east of the North and South Dakota.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
California Gulls are omnivorous and eat pretty much anything ranging from fish, to insects, to fruit, to garbage. They forage on land, in the water, and in flight.
Where to Find this Bird
California Gulls can easily be found along the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington where they are quite common. They can also be seen inland during the spring and summer. Look for California Gulls around lakes and rivers along with more urban environments. Another place California Gulls can be found is at garbage dumps.
California Gulls are very rare in Indiana. They often associate with other gull species and can be hard to identify, especially if their feet aren’t visible.
Summary
Gulls can be both frustrating and exciting species to find and identify. Indiana has a fairly wide variety of gulls to find, and we hope that this article helped shed some light on how to find and ID them.
Egrets are elegant looking wading birds in the same family as herons. There are a four different species of Egrets that live in the North America, each with a different set of features, habits, and lifestyles.
Cattle Egret
Cattle Egret
Identification
Cattle egrets are medium sized white birds with a yellow bill, yellow legs and feet, and yellowish green coloration behind their eye. Breeding adults have peach coloration on their head, wings, and underside while nonbreeding adults are pure white.
Range
Cattle Egrets are actually native to Africa but at some point made their way over to South America and then eventually spread north into Central America, Mexico, and the United States. In the US, they can be found year round in the Gulf Coast and some of the Southwestern states. In spring, they migrate north and breed in the Southeastern United States as well as seemingly random other parts of the country. Some of these more strange breeding locations are parts of the Dakotas, Idaho, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin, and even parts of Southern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Cattle Egrets have a widely varied diet which includes small mammals, amphibians, lizards, and even other birds. The majority of their diet however, is comprised of insects. Cattle Egrets have a habit of spending time near heards of cattle that kick up insects such as crickets and grasshoppers as they graze. The Egrets will also forage near heavy machinery in farm fields for the same reason. This species will feed alone or in large groups.
Where to Find This Bird
Cattle Egrets can be found in open fields, typically near grazing cattle. They can also be found on the edges of marshes and swamps. Sometimes, extremely large numbers of Cattle Egrets gather together to forage or roost.
Great Egret
Great Egret
Identification
Great egrets are large heron-shaped birds with a long neck. They are pure white with black legs. a yellow bill, and green coloration from the bill to the eye. They can also have more of a yellowish color behind their eye. Out of all of the egret species that live in the state, the aptly named Great Egret is the largest.
Range
Great Egrets live in South and Central America year round. They are also year long residents of the coasts of Mexico, both the Gulf Coast and the East Coast of the United States, and parts of California. In spring, they migrate north and breed in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri along with other states in the region in addition to parts of Oregon.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Great Egrets are wading birds which means they will walk in shallow water and search for food. Their preferred food sources are small fish, frogs, small mammals, aquatic invertebrates, and essentially any living creature that they can get down their throat.
Where to Find This Bird
Great Egrets can be found in places with slow moving or even standing water. They can be readily spotted standing on the edges of ponds, in shallow marshes, and in coastal estuaries. They are also common in man-made canals and in lakes.
Reddish Egret
Reddish Egret (Dark Morph)
Reddish Egret (White Morph)
Identification
Reddish Egrets come in two different color variations, a white morph and a dark morph. The white morph is clean white while dark morph birds have a rusty neck and a dark gray body. Both morphs have a pink bill with a black tip.
Range
Reddish Egrets are year-round residents of the coasts of Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and the coasts of Florida. They migrate through the rest of the Gulf Coast states as well.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Reddish Egrets are extremely active hunters compared to most other herons and egrets. They will chase after prey, stir up the substrate with their feet and even create shadows on the water with their wings. Their typical prey is small minnows but they will also eat crabs, shrimp, and other invertebrates.
Where to Find This Bird
Look for Reddish Egrets along coastal beaches, salt flats, around barrier islands, and in other saltwater environments with shallow water. In their native range they are fairly common, but they don’t often stray from the ocean, making them a good bird to find in the states bordering the gulf.
Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret
Identification
Snowy Egrets are relatively small wading birds that are clean white with a black bill and black legs. They have yellow behind the bill and also have distinctive and noticeable yellow feet. They are significantly smaller than Great Egrets, so if the two are in the same vicinity, they are easy to tell apart based on size.
Range
Snowy Egrets are year round residents of South America, the Carribean Islands, Cuba, the coasts of Mexico, the Southwestern United States, The Gulf Coast, and the Southeastern Coast of the United States. Some of the population migrates north into the United States, most notably farther up the Atlantic Coast, and the Southwestern states. During migration, Snowy Egrets can be found in a wide variety of places in the United States including the Midwest.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Snowy Egrets feed primarily on aquatic creatures such as fish, frogs, and crustaceans among others. They will feed in both marine and freshwater environments, and typically catch prey by wading into the water and stirring up small creatures with their feet.
Where to Find This Bird
The best places to find Snowy Egrets are along ocean coastlines with shallow water. These birds can typically be seen wading into the water and searching for food. They can also be found inland in marshes and other places with shallow water and mudflats.
Summary
Egrets are quite beautiful birds that can be fun to observe as they go about their daily lives. Knowing the species that are expected in your state can be instrumental in identifying which one you’re looking at. Hopefully, this article has helped to answer some questions about the egrets of North America.
Orioles are beautiful birds well known for their bright coloration. There are many different oriole species that live in North America and seven of them are regular visitors to Texas. Here is everything you need to know about these seven species.
Altamira Oriole
Altamira Oriole – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Altamira Orioles are extremely bright orange to the degree that they almost appear to be glowing. They have a black mask as well as a black chin. and black tail. The wings of the Altamira Oriole are black with a white wing bar, white edging, and an orange mark on the shoulder.
Range
Altamira Orioles can be found year round in Eastern Mexico, parts of Southern Mexico, and Central America. Their range does however, barely make it into the United States in the most southern portion of Texas..
Diet and Foraging Habits
Altamira Orioles feed on Insects, fruits, and nectar. They will search for insects both high and low in trees and will visit feeding stations where they consume fresh fruit such as oranges.
Where to Find This Bird
Altamira Orioles reside year round in the Rio Grande Valley, essentially the only place in the United States to see this species in the wild. Look for these colorful birds in dry forests, riparian areas, and suburbs near woods. As mentioned, they will come to feeding stations if their desired foods are available.
Audubon’s Oriole
Audubon’s Oriole – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Unlike many other oriole species, the Audubon’s Oriole is bright yellow as opposed to orange. They have a black head with the black extending into the upper chest as well. They have black wings and a black tail along with white edging on the wings.
Range
Audubon’s Orioles can be found year round in parts of Mexico such as the Southwestern and Eastern portions of the country. In the United States, this species naturally occurs in Southern Texas.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Audubon’s Orioles mostly feed on insects and fruit. They will visit orchards and eat fruit such as apples and pitted fruits like plums. Additionally, these birds also eat nectar from time to time. At bird feeders, Audubon’s Orioles are fond of sunflower seeds.
Where to Find This Bird
In the United States, Audubon’s Orioles can only be found in Southern Texas in areas with brush. They often times live in edge habitat and dry forests. Audubon’s Orioles will visit bird feeders in backyards with enough vegetation to make them feel comfortable.
Baltimore Oriole
Male Baltimore Oriole – Photo by USFWS Midwest Region
Female Baltimore Oriole – Photo by Judith Jackson
Identification
Male Baltimore Orioles have a bright orange chest, underside, tail, and patch on the shoulder. They have black wings with white wing bars and a black hood extending slightly into the upper chest. Females are slightly less colorful with a yellowish orange body and gray wings with white wing bars.
Range
Baltimore Orioles spend the winter in Northern South America, Central America, Southern Mexico and much of Florida. In spring they migrate north and summer throughout the Eastern United States and Southeastern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Baltimore Orioles eat a variety of foods and their diet varies seasonally. In spring and fall they readily feed on fruit and nectar but during summer they feed primarily on protein rich food items such as insects and other invertebrates. Baltimore Orioles are known to come to bird feeders if jelly or orange slices are placed out and may even come to hummingbird feeders.
It’s worth noting that there is debate over whether or not jelly is good for birds due to the high sugar content.
Where to Find This Bird
Look for Baltimore Orioles high up in deciduous trees. They prefer more open areas such as edge habitat and small groves of trees to thick forests. Also keep an eye out for orioles at bird feeding stations. To attract them, orange slices are often enough to entice them in.
Bullock’s Oriole
Bullock’s Oriole – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Adult Male Bullock’s Orioles are a yellowish orange with black markings under the bill to the chin, a black stripe through the eye, and a black stripe on the head. They have black wings with a large white patch on them and black on the tail. Females have orange on the head, chest, and tail with gray wings and a light underside.
Range
Bullock’s Orioles winter throughout most of Mexico, moving north during migration. In summer, this specie scan be found throughout the western half of the United States from Montana, and Colorado, all the way to California and Washington. Bullock’s Orioles can also be found in Southwestern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Bullock’s Orioles feed on Insects, spiders, nectar, and fruit. They readily forage for insects on trees such as caterpillars and other invertebrates. They have also been known to pierce fruits and flowers with their bills and then drink the juice and nectar that spill out.
Where to Find This Bird
Bullock’s Orioles can be found in thin woodlands near open areas as well as riparian habitats. They often live and nest in tall trees such as cottonwoods.This species is generally found in the more arid parts of the Western United States.
Hooded Oriole
Hooded Oriole – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Adult male Hooded Orioles are a bright yellowish orange color with black wings, a black tail, and a black patch by their face extending from the base of the bill and eye down to the chin. This species has white on the edges of some of their wing feathers as well as a white wing bar near the shoulder. Females are pale yellow with gray wings and white wing bars.
Range
Hooded Orioles can be found year round in some parts of Mexico including the Eastern side as well as Baja California. Their winter range includes the Western side of Mexico. In spring, this species expands north ending up in many of the Southwestern states including Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California among others.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Hooded Orioles feed on fruit, nectar, insects, and other invertebrates. They will make appearances to feeding stations with fruit as well as hummingbird feeders.
Where to Find This Bird
Hooded Orioles live in dry habitats with few trees. Some trees to keep an eye out that this species often lives near are cottonwoods, palms, and sycamores. While Hooded Orioles can be found in a handful of southern states, California and Texas are two of the places they are most often reported.
Orchard Oriole
Male Orchard Oriole
Female Orchard Oriole – Photo by Andrew Weitzel
Identification
Adult male Orchard Orioles are a deep burnt orange color with a black head, back, wings, and tail. They have white edging on some of their wing feathers. Female Orchard Orioles are yellow with dark gray wings and look vastly different than the adult males.
Range
Orchard Orioles winter in Northern South America, Central America, and Southern Mexico. In spring, they start their migration north with their range expanding into much of the Eastern United States and a small portion of South-central Canada. Some part of the population summers in North-central Mexico.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Orchard Orioles eat many different types of foods including insects, fruit, and nectar. They have been known to dip their heads into flowers, feed at hummingbird feeders, and even priece certain types of flowers to get a meal.
Where to Find This Bird
Orchard Orioles are at home in open areas such as oak savannas, forest edges, and woodlands near prairies. They typically reside in the tree tops where it is sometimes easier to hear them than it is to see them. Listen for this species’ melodic song that sounds somewhat similar to an American Robin or Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Scott’s Oriole
Scott’s Oriole – Photo by Alan Schmierer
Identification
Male Scott’s Orioles are bright yellow with a black head, chest, back, wings, and tail. They have white wing bars and yellow on the shoulder area of the wing. Females are a duller shade of yellow with dull gray wings and white wing bars.
Range
Scott’s Orioles have a year-round range in Central Mexico and Baja California. In summer they move north into Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States in states like Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona among others.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Scott’s Orioles are known to forage in all different parts of their habitat including the tops of palms or even on the ground. In addition to insects, this species will also feed on fruits and nectar from flowers.
Where to Find This Bird
Scott’s Orioles can be found in arid and mountanous habitats. They prefer areas with taller trees such as palms and Joshua trees. Look for the bright yellow of the males and listen for their frequently made calls.
Summary
Orioles are bright and exciting birds to see while out birding or while watching your bird feeder. Knowing which species to expect in your region can be incredibly useful in identifying these charismatic birds. Hopefully, this article has helped to answer some of your questions about the orioles of Texas.
Egrets are elegant looking wading birds in the same family as herons. There are a four different species of Egrets that live in the United States and all four species that can be found in Texas.
Cattle Egret
Cattle Egret
Identification
Cattle egrets are medium sized white birds with a yellow bill, yellow legs and feet, and yellowish green coloration behind their eye. Breeding adults have peach coloration on their head, wings, and underside while nonbreeding adults are pure white.
Range
Cattle Egrets are actually native to Africa but at some point made their way over to South America and then eventually spread north into Central America, Mexico, and the United States. In the US, they can be found year round in the Gulf Coast and some of the Southwestern states. In spring, they migrate north and breed in the Southeastern United States as well as seemingly random other parts of the country. Some of these more strange breeding locations are parts of the Dakotas, Idaho, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin, and even parts of Southern Canada.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Cattle Egrets have a widely varied diet which includes small mammals, amphibians, lizards, and even other birds. The majority of their diet however, is comprised of insects. Cattle Egrets have a habit of spending time near heards of cattle that kick up insects such as crickets and grasshoppers as they graze. The Egrets will also forage near heavy machinery in farm fields for the same reason. This species will feed alone or in large groups.
Where to Find This Bird
Cattle Egrets can be found in open fields, typically near grazing cattle. They can also be found on the edges of marshes and swamps. Sometimes, extremely large numbers of Cattle Egrets gather together to forage or roost.
Great Egret
Great Egret
Identification
Great egrets are large heron-shaped birds with a long neck. They are pure white with black legs. a yellow bill, and green coloration from the bill to the eye. They can also have more of a yellowish color behind their eye. Out of all of the egret species that live in the state, the aptly named Great Egret is the largest.
Range
Great Egrets live in South and Central America year round. They are also year long residents of the coasts of Mexico, both the Gulf Coast and the East Coast of the United States, and parts of California. In spring, they migrate north and breed in parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri along with other states in the region in addition to parts of Oregon.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Great Egrets are wading birds which means they will walk in shallow water and search for food. Their preferred food sources are small fish, frogs, small mammals, aquatic invertebrates, and essentially any living creature that they can get down their throat.
Where to Find This Bird
Great Egrets can be found in places with slow moving or even standing water. They can be readily spotted standing on the edges of ponds, in shallow marshes, and in coastal estuaries. They are also common in man-made canals and in lakes.
Reddish Egret
Reddish Egret (Dark Morph)
Reddish Egret (White Morph)
Identification
Reddish Egrets come in two different color variations, a white morph and a dark morph. The white morph is clean white while dark morph birds have a rusty neck and a dark gray body. Both morphs have a pink bill with a black tip.
Range
Reddish Egrets are year-round residents of the coasts of Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and the coasts of Florida. They migrate through the rest of the Gulf Coast states as well.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Reddish Egrets are extremely active hunters compared to most other herons and egrets. They will chase after prey, stir up the substrate with their feet and even create shadows on the water with their wings. Their typical prey is small minnows but they will also eat crabs, shrimp, and other invertebrates.
Where to Find This Bird
Look for Reddish Egrets along coastal beaches, salt flats, around barrier islands, and in other saltwater environments with shallow water. In their native range they are fairly common, but they don’t often stray from the ocean, making them a good bird to find in the states bordering the gulf.
Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret
Identification
Snowy Egrets are relatively small wading birds that are clean white with a black bill and black legs. They have yellow behind the bill and also have distinctive and noticeable yellow feet. They are significantly smaller than Great Egrets, so if the two are in the same vicinity, they are easy to tell apart based on size.
Range
Snowy Egrets are year round residents of South America, the Carribean Islands, Cuba, the coasts of Mexico, the Southwestern United States, The Gulf Coast, and the Southeastern Coast of the United States. Some of the population migrates north into the United States, most notably farther up the Atlantic Coast, and the Southwestern states. During migration, Snowy Egrets can be found in a wide variety of places in the United States including the Midwest.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Snowy Egrets feed primarily on aquatic creatures such as fish, frogs, and crustaceans among others. They will feed in both marine and freshwater environments, and typically catch prey by wading into the water and stirring up small creatures with their feet.
Where to Find This Bird
The best places to find Snowy Egrets are along ocean coastlines with shallow water. These birds can typically be seen wading into the water and searching for food. They can also be found inland in marshes and other places with shallow water and mudflats.
Summary
Egrets are quite beautiful birds that can be fun to observe as they go about their daily lives. Knowing the species that are expected in your state can be instrumental in identifying which one you’re looking at. Hopefully, this article has helped to answer some questions about the egrets of Texas.
Gulls are birds that prove to be controversial in the birding community. Some people despise them for how difficult they can be to identify, while others love them for the same reason.
Texas is home to a wide variety of gull species. With the Gulf of Mexico to the Southeast, there is ample habitat for gulls. Here are all of the expected gulls that can be found in Texas along with some that are rare visitors. This article also includes identification tips and information on where to find them.
Herring Gull
Herring Gull
Identification
Herring Gulls are large birds with a white body and head, gray wings, black wing tips, a thick yellow bill, and pink legs. Adult Herring Gulls have a yellow eye while juveniles have a dark colored eye as well as a dark colored bill. Sometimes, sub-adult Herring Gulls will have a mostly yellow bill with black near the tip, making them similar in coloration to a Ring-billed Gull. Juvenile Herring Gulls are darker in color ranging from dark tan, to brown, to gray depending on their cycle.
Range
Herring Gulls are extremely wide spread across the United States. They winter in the Southeastern United States, along the Mississippi River, the Gulf Coast, the East Coast, and the West Coast along the oceans. They can be found year round along the Great Lakes, the Northeastern U.S. and Southeastern Alaska. During spring they migrate through the Great Plains and Western States to get to their breeding grounds in Canada and Central Alaska.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Herring Gulls feed on many different types of food and have a reputation of eating almost anything including trash, carrion, eggs, and even smaller birds. The majority of their diet however consists of aquatic creatures including fish, mussels, and other invertebrates. Herring Gulls are extremely opportunistic and as a result have an extremely varied diet and are therefore able thrive in wide variety of habitats.
Where to Find this Bird
Herring Gulls are one of the most abundant gull species in the state, especially in winter. Traveling to the ocean coastline in winter will all but guarantee a sighting of this particular species. For a more eclectic birding experience, searching out a landfill is also an easy way to find this species.
Ring-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Identification
Ring-billed Gulls can be identified by their white head and body, gray wings, black wing tips, yellow legs, and yellow bill with a black “ring” around it. Nonbreeding adults look mostly the same as breeding adults but with tan streaking on the head and neck.
Juvenile Ring-billed Gulls are white as a base color with brown and tan mottling. Their bills are pinkish as opposed to yellow and instead of a ring, they have a dark tip of the bill, making them bi-colored.
Range
Ring-billed Gulls are extremely widespread across the United States. They winter in the southern half of the country and migrate north to the Northern half of the country and into Canada, the Great Lakes states, and the Western States to breed. Some Ring-billed Gulls stick around the whole year near the Great Lakes.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Ring-billed Gulls are not picky about what they eat and will feed on fish, insects, worms, trash, and food given to them by people. Like other gulls they often forage near the water but this species also forages in open fields nowhere near water.
Where to Find this Bird
Ring-billed Gulls are extremely common and easy to find provided it is the right time of the year. In southern states, the winter will be the best time to see this species, and in northern states the summer will be the best. Look for Ring-billed Gulls on beaches, in parking lots and soaring overhead surveying for easy to forage food.
The Bonaparte’s Gull is a small gull species with a very thin, petit bill. They have a white body, gray wings, black wing tips, and reddish pink legs. In breeding plumage, Bonaparte’s Gulls have a black head with white eye crescents, while in nonbreeding plumage they have a white head with a black spot behind their eyes and light pink legs.
Range
Bonaparte’s Gulls winter in much of the southern United States in addition to the Bahamas, Cuba, and Northeastern Mexico. They also winter along the Northwestern coast of Mexico all the way up to the coast of Washington in the West and all the way up to Maine in the East. In spring, this species makes its way North over the United States and ends up in Canada and Alaska where they nest.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Bonaparte’s Gulls eat a variety of different food items with most of their diet being found in or around water. Some of the things they eat include small fish and medium sized insects in addition to surprisingly small creatures such as zooplankton and tiny invertebrates. These sleek gulls often forage in flocks and dip their bills in the water to catch prey on the fly. They will also forage in both dry and flooded fields and pick through the shallow water or sub-straight.
Where to Find this Bird
Bonaparte’s Gulls can be found in flooded fields and lake shores where they often congregate in large groups. In flight, Bonaparte’s gulls are sleek and acrobatic, looking tern-like as they maneuver through the air. They will also forage and rest along ocean coastlines where they flock with other gulls.
Glaucous Gull (Rare)
Alan Schmierer Photo
Susan Young Photo
Identification
Glaucous Gulls are unique because they are one of the few gulls species that does not have black wing tips but rather white. They are the second largest gull species in the world and in some categories may outclass the larger Great Black-backed Gull such as weight. Adult breeding plumage Glaucous Gulls are very clean looking birds with a white head, white underside, gray wings, a yellow bill, and pink legs.
In nonbreeding plumage Glaucous Gulls look very similar to breeding plumage birds but have brownish streaking on their neck and head.
Juvenile Glaucous Gulls are even paler than the adults with a creamy white color covering their bodies with light brown patterning. Second winter Gloucaous Gulls can show as almost entirely white with very little brown mottling. Sub adult birds will have a pink colored bill with darker brown or black on the tip of it, making it bi-colored.
Range
Glaucous Gulls are very at home in the Arctic, with the most sightings of them taking place in Greenland, Iceland, Northern Europe, Northern Canada, and Alaska. In winter they travel south spending time in the Northeastern United States, the Northern Pacific Coast, and the Great Lakes. They can also be found inland from large bodies of water from time to time.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Glaucous Gulls are extremely opportunistic feeders. With their large size, they can eat a wide variety of food including fish, aquatic invertebrates, eggs, other birds, carrion, and trash. In the northern part of their range Glaucous Gulls have been known to feed on the remains of polar bear kills a are also recorded as eating the chicks (and also adults) of many different sea dwelling bird species.
Where to Find this Bird
Glaucous Gulls are at home near large bodies of water such as ocean coastlines and the Great Lakes. They can be found loafing on ice or beaches with other species in the winter months (which are the best times to see these large arctic gulls). The coasts aren’t the only places to see Glaucous Gulls however as they can also be seen in inland lakes and landfills.
Great Black-backed Gull (Rare)
Great Black-backed Gull
Identification
The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull species in the world and even when compared with other large species such as Glaucous and Herring Gulls look noticeably larger. They have a white head, tail, and underside with a namesake black back as well as black wings and black primary feathers. Great Black-backed Gulls have a robust yellow bill and light pink legs.
Young Great Black-backed Gulls look similar to adults but with dark streaking on the head and underside as well as more of a checkered black and white pattern on the wings as opposed to the solid dark gray or black of an adult. Additionally, Great Black-backed Gulls have dark colored bills as opposed to the bright yellow of adults, but they do still have pink legs.
Range
Great Black-backed gulls are birds of the Atlantic Coasts. They can be found in many northwestern European countries as well as Iceland, Greenland, Eastern Canada, and the Eastern United States. In the U.S. Great Black-backed Gulls are seen most often in winter and typically move out of the continental U.S. during summer although there are some places along the Atlantic Coast where they are found year round.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Simply speaking, Great Black-backed Gulls will eat anything they can fit in their most including trash, crabs, fish, eggs, carrion, and other birds. They have been known to steal food from other species and eat the chicks of other sea dwelling birds.
Where to Find this Bird
Great Black-backed Gulls are most common in winter when they can be seen loafing on docks, beaches, and ice on the Great Lakes. They can also be seen frequently at landfills. In all of these places they stand out due to their impressive size.
In Texas, this species is quite rare and is not a regular visitor in any part of the state.
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Lesser black-backed Gull (Ott Rebane Image)
Identification
Lesser Black-backed Gulls can be identified by their white head and body, dark gray to black wings, yellow bill, yellow legs, and dark primary feathers. They look similar in appearance to Great Black-backed Gulls but will be smaller overall and have yellow legs as opposed to the pink legs of the Great Black-backed Gull.
Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls will be pale white or cream with black mottling on their body, head and neck. They have black bills when young and beginning of a dark back forming will typically be evident.
Range
The Range of the Lesser Black-backed Gull spans several continents including Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America. Most of the sightings of this species occur in Western Europe in addition to many sightings occurring in Northern Canada and the United States. In the U.S. Lesser Black-backed Gulls winter in the Eastern half of the country with the most individuals being found near the Atlantic Ocean, but many other sightings occurring inland as well as near the Great Lakes.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Lesser Black-backed Gulls eat almost anything ranging from fish, to crustaceans, to carrion, to plant matter. Like most other large North American Gull species, Lesser Black-backed Gulls take advantage of human habitation by eating scraps of food and garbage left by humans. They will forage in the water on the fly or walk along beaches, even flipping over rocks and sticks in hopes of finding a meal.
Where to Find this Bird
Lesser Black-backed Gulls are most commonly seen in winter, and are a fairly normal sight along the Atlantic Ocean all the way from the Gulf of Mexico to Maine. They can also be found near the Great Lakes in winter where they flock with other Northern Gull species such as Great Black-backed and Glaucous Gulls.
Iceland Gull (Rare)
Iceland Gull
Identification
Out of all The North American Gull species, Iceland Gulls are probably the most vexing when it comes to identification. This species consists of what was once two separate species; the Iceland Gull and the Thayer’s Gull. The “Iceland” type Iceland Gull is fairly easy to identify as they have gray wings and back, white head and underside, a yellow bill, and white wing tips. They are smaller and more dainty looking than Glaucous Gulls but clearly discernible from Herring Gulls due to the white primary feathers on the wings. The trouble comes mostly from the “Thayer’s” type Iceland Gulls which can be widely variable in appearance and be extremely close in appearance to Herring Gulls. Thayer’s Iceland Gulls are slightly smaller than Herring Gulls and have a thinner bill. The diagnostic white wing tips of other Iceland Gulls are not present in Thayer’s types but instead are replaced by dark wing tips with lighter undersides of the wing tips, a feature that can be very difficult to see. If unsure about the identification about a Thayer’s type Iceland Gulls, consulting an expert on the individual bird in question is the best choice.
Juvenile Iceland type Iceland Gulls have a white base color with dark mottling while juvenile Thayer’s type Iceland Gulls may be darker overall and will typically have dark wing tips.
Range
Iceland Gulls spend the summer in the Arctic Circle in Northern Canada, Iceland, and Greenland. In winter they move south into Northwestern Europe and the Northeastern United States. This species also shows up along the Great Lakes in winter.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Iceland Gulls eat mostly fish but will also eat other marine creatures such as crustaceans, carrion, zooplankton, and trash. Like other gull species, they are extremely opportunistic and will eat eggs and young of other birds as well as plant matter.
Where to Find this Bird
Iceland Gulls are most easy to find in winter in the United States where they live on ocean shores and large inland lakes. Another less glamorous place to find them is landfills where they can be found in winter along with many other gull species.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Rare)
Black-legged Kittiwake (Nonbreeding) (Photo by Bill Grossmeyer)
Black-legged Kittiwake with Chicks (Robin Corcoran Photo)
Identification
Adult breeding plumage Black-legged Kittiwake’s have a white body and head with gray wings. They have black wing tips, a slightly curved yellow bill, and namesake black legs. Overall ,the Black-legged Kittiwake is a relatively small gull species.
In nonbreeding plumage adults look almost the same as those in breeding plumage but with black on the back of their head.
Immature Black-legged Kittiwake’s have the same white body and gray wings but have a few extra markings that adults don’t have. Juveniles will show a black spot on their head, a white stripe on their neck, and a black “M” marking on their wings that looks like a black stripe when their wings are folded. Juvenile Black-legged kittiwakes also differ from adults by having a black bill as opposed to yellow.
Range
Black-legged Kittiwakes are birds of ocean coastlines. They can be found along the ocean in Western Europe, Iceland, Greenland, the Eastern United States, Eastern Canada, the Pacific coast of the United States, Alaska, and the Eastern parts of Russia and Japan. Black-legged Kittiwakes are most commonly seen in the United States in winter but can be found in Alaska in summer, and also turn up as rarities in inland states.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Black-legged Kittiwake’s diet largely consists of small fish in addition to other small marine creatures like jellyfish, zooplankton, and squid. This species has been known to feed near whales and boats where they they can be seen looking for scraps left behind. It’s worth noting that Black-legged Kittiwakes are not known for visiting landfills like many other North American Gull species are.
Where to Find this Bird
Black-legged Kittiwakes are rare in most inland states in the U.S. They are easier to find along the oceans but juveniles will turn up from time to time in the Great Lakes and other bodies of water. Look for a bird that looks somewhat like a non-breeding Bonaparte’s Gull or Little Gull but with the extra black markings.
Laughing Gull
Nonbreeding Laughing Gull (Alan Schmierer Photo)
Laughing Gull
Identification
Laughing Gulls are medium sized gulls with a whit underside, gray wings, dark wing tips and a relatively large, deep red, slightly curved bill. In adult breeding plumage this species has a black head with thin white eye crescents.
In nonbreeding plumage, Laughing Gulls look similar but have a darker bill, a white head, and only a small patch of black on their head.
This species can be difficult to distinguish from Franklin’s Gulls but can be done with a little knowledge about what ID features to look at. For more information on this, you can check out our post titled Franklin’s Gulls vs. Laughing Gull. You can also watch our video about the topic below.
Range
Laughing Gulls winter in Northern South America, Central America, Mexico, and some of the Southern states in the United States such as Florida. While many Laughing Gulls reside on the Southeastern Coasts of the United States year round in addition to Cuba and the Bahamas, others migrate north during breeding season ending up in the Northeastern United States and the Great Lakes.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Laughing Gulls diet’s consist of many different food items including invertebrates, fish, squid, small fruits, carrion, and scraps left by people. They can be seen congregating in places with many humans waiting for free handouts or discarded food.
Where to Find this Bird
Laughing Gulls are extremely common along the Atlantic Coast of the United States and can be seen in high numbers on public beaches, often associating with other species of gulls and terns. To see these birds, simply head to a beach on the ocean and you will have an extremely high chance of seeing them.
Franklin’s Gull
Nonbreeding Franklin’s Gull (Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren Photo – CC by 2.0)
Breeding Franklin’s Gull
Identification
Breeding plumage Franklin’s Gulls have a white neck and underside, gray back and wings, a black hood, and deep red bill. Some of the extra identification features about them to note are the large white spots on their folded black primary feathers, their large white eye crescents, and sometimes a pink wash on their chest and underside (other gull species can show this pink wash as well).
Nonbreeding Franklin’s Gulls look ver similar to breeding plumage birds but instead of a completely dark hood they have a partial faded looking black hood that often still shows their white eye crescents.
Range
Franklin’s Gulls have an interesting range compared to most other North American Gull species. They spend the winter along the Western coast of South America and migrate north in spring. Franklin’s Gulls are not as common along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts as they are in states such as Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota, but they can still be found along the coasts in migration. This species spends the summer in Southcentral Canada, Montana, and North Dakota.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
While Franklin’s Gulls eat mostly invertebrates such as insects. They will also consume worms, mollusks, small fish, and other small aquatic creatures. Franklin’s Gulls have some interesting foraging habits including twirling in the water to stir up food items, as well as following farming equipment to catch insects.
Where to Find this Bird
Franklin’s Gulls are an uncommon but expected migratory bird in most states with the peak time to view them typically being the later weeks of May or first weeks of June. They are more common in the Great Plains states where they occur in fairly large numbers. Look for Franklin’s Gulls in mixed flocks of gulls and terns in farm fields and along lake shores.
In Texas, Franklin’s Gulls are regular from March to May and October to September.
Little Gull (Rare)
Little Gull (Photo by Ekaterina Chernetsova – CC by 2.0)
Nonbreeding Little Gull (Andrew Cannizzarro Photo – CC by 2.0)
Identification
The Little Gull is aptly named as it has the distinction of being the smallest gull species in the world. In breeding plumage, This species has a white underside, light gray wings, dark underwings, red legs, a black hood, and a tiny black bill.
In nonbreeding plumage Little Gulls look the same but without a full black hood and instead just a dark spot on the side of the head and black smudging on the top of the head.
Range
Little Gulls are actually more of a Eurasian species than they are a North American Species. Most of the population resides in Europe year round, moving to Northern Europe to breed. In the United States, there is a small breeding population occurs in Canada and around the Great Lakes. This species is rare in most parts of the United States.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Unlike larger gulls, Little Gulls are more limited by the type of food they can eat simply due to their size. Their diet consists mostly of small fish, insects, and other invertebrates that can be found near water. Little Gulls behave more like terns when foraging, often hovering above the water and swooping in to catch flying insects or to scoop fish from the surface.
Where to Find this Bird
Little Gulls can only be found in a few regions of the United States. They can sometimes be found wintering on the Atlantic Coast, especially in New England. In the Midwest they can be found sparingly on the Great Lakes. Otherwise, these small gulls show up irregularly in most other parts of the continental United States and are a big-time rarity.
Sabines Gull (Rare)
Sabine’s Gull (Peter Pearsall Image)
Identification
Sabine’s gulls are a very interesting looking gull species with a white body, gray wings, and a black head. The head is not quite the same as other dark-headed gulls however as it has a darker edge to it looking like it has a ring of black separating the head and neck. The bill of the Sabine’s gull is also unique as it is black with a yellow tip. In flight, Sabine’s gulls show black primaries and white secondaries, making it look like they have two white triangles on their wings along with one large gray triangle.
Juvenile Sabine’s gulls do not have a black heads but rather smudges of grayish brown on their head, neck, and back. In flight, Juvenile Sabine’s gulls show a similar pattern to those of the adults but with the more muted brown tones instead of the gray back of the adults. Additionally, juvenile Sabine’s gulls will show a black stripe on their tail while in flight.
Range
Sabine’s Gulls spend most of their time In the arctic, breeding in Northern Canada and Alaska. During migration, this species moves along the Pacific Coast of the United States. It’s worth noting that Sabine’s gulls are also found in Western Europe. For most people in the continental U. S., the best time to see this species is during fall migration.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Sabine’s gulls eat insects, small fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates. They feed in a variety of places including tide pools, around fishing boats, and in snow drifts. They also feed in a variety of different ways from catching prey mid air, to foraging along the shore and picking through debris to find insects.
Where to Find this Bird
Since Sabine’s Gulls breed in the arctic tundra they are difficult to see most of the year with the exception of migration. For the best chance to see one of these gulls, a pelagic on the west coast is going to give you the best chance. Otherwise, keeping an eye out for them on lakes and rivers during migration can also turn one up.
Slaty-backed Gull (Rare)
Slaty-backed Gull
Identification
Slaty-backed Gulls have a white underside and head, namesake slate colored back, pink legs, and a yellow bill. Nonbreeding adults have dark streaking on their neck and head. The key identification feature of this species is the white markings on the wing tips leading to what many call the “string of pearls” look on the wings in flight.
Range
Slaty-backed Gulls are most common in Japan, South Korea, Eastern Russia, and Alaska.. With the exception of Alaska, they are rare in the rest of the United States, but they do show up on the Pacific Coast, the East Coast, and the Great Lakes more often than in other parts of the country.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Slaty-backed Gulls are large bodied, oceanic predators that feed on many different food items including fish, crustaceans, carrion, trash, and really anything they can fit in their mouth. This species will eat eggs and nestlings of other bird species in addition to eating smaller seagoing bird species.
Where to Find this Bird
Slaty-backed Gulls are quite rare in the continental United States but do show up from time to time. Look for this species along the Great Lakes where they can sometimes be found in groups with other gulls and in landfills, Note that this is a species that seems to be more common around the Great Lakes than it used to be, but be aware that they can sometimes get confused with “Great Lakes Gulls” which are hybrids between Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls.
Slaty-backed Gulls are extremely rare in Texas but there are records of this species from the state.
California Gull (Rare)
California Gull (Alan Schmierer Photo)
Identification
California Gulls look very similar to Herring Gulls with a white body and head, gray wings and back, black wing tips with white spots when folded, and a yellow bill. One big difference between Herrings Gulls and California Gulls is that California Gulls have yellow legs while Herring Gulls have pinkish legs.
Nonbreeding adults look virtually the same but with more streaking on the necked head.
Range
California Gulls winter along the Pacific coast from southern Mexico to Washington state. In summer, California Gulls breed in Southwestern Canada and some of the states in the northwestern U.S. including Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, and northern California. They live year round in states like Idaho and Washington. California Gulls are migratory and will occasionally show up in states in the Midwest and Northeast. However, they are considered rare in most places east of the North and South Dakota.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
California Gulls are omnivorous and eat pretty much anything ranging from fish, to insects, to fruit, to garbage. They forage on land, in the water, and in flight.
Where to Find this Bird
California Gulls can easily be found along the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington where they are quite common. They can also be seen inland during the spring and summer. Look for California Gulls around lakes and rivers along with more urban environments. Another place California Gulls can be found is at garbage dumps.
California Gulls are rare in Texas. They often associate with other gull species and can be hard to identify, especially if their feet aren’t visible.
Summary
Gulls can be both frustrating and exciting species to find and identify. Texas has a fairly wide variety of gulls to find, and we hope that this article helped shed some light on how to find and ID them.
Kingfishers are fascinating birds that specialize in catching and eating fish. Texas has some of the most unique kingfisher species in all of North America. Here is everything you need to know about those species.
Belted Kingfisher
Male Belted Kingfisher (Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Southwest Region)
Female Belted Kingfisher (Photo by USFWS Midwest Region)
Identification
Belted Kingfishers are short, compact birds with large pointed bills. Males are grayish blue with a large crest, a white underside, and a grayish blue band across their chest. Females look similar to the males but have rust on their sides and a second band (rust colored) underneath the blue chest band. Both males and females have a white spot near their eye on each side of the head.
Range
Belted Kingfishers winter in Northern South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Southern United States. In spring they migrate north throughout most on the United States, Canada, and Alaska where they spend the summer. Some Belted Kingfishers stay in the Northern United States year round provided there is open water.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Belted Kingfishers are primarily fish-eaters, choosing to eat fish that are on the medium to small side such as sticklebacks and various minnows. They find and catch prey by sitting high on a perch and scanning for fish by sight. Once they spot something they want, they dive in head first and use their bill to grab onto the food item. In addition to fish, Belted Kingfishers will also eat amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, and small mammals.
Where to Find This Bird
Belted Kingfishers can be found near water including rivers, ponds, streams, and lakes. Clear water is most optimal for kingfishers as they need to be able to see prey in order to catch it. Listen for this species making its rattling call and look for them swooping low as they fly from perch to perch.
Green Kingfisher
Female Green Kingfisher (Photo by Justin LeClaire)
Identification
Green Kingfishers are relatively small birds with comparatively large bills. They are aptly named for their emerald green color on their head, back, wings, and tail. Males have bright Buffy orange on their chest and females have a dark green strap across their chest. Both males and females have a white color from their chest to the back of their neck.
Range
Green Kingfishers live year round in most of South America, Central America, and Mexico. In the continental United States, the Southern most portions of Arizona and Texas are some of the few places to find this species.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Unlike other species of kingfishers that hunt from high perches, Green Kingfishers hunt from low perches near the waters edge and dive diagonally into the water to catch fish. The majority of this species diet consists of small freshwater fish which they swallow whole. Green Kingfishers frequent small streams and areas with tangled branches more than othe kingfisher species.
Where to Find This Bird
Green Kingfishers can be found near slow moving or still water. They prefer clear water as they are sight hunters and need to see the fish to be able to catch them. Look for areas with tangles and branches just above the surface of the water and keep an eye out for one of these small green birds.
Ringed Kingfisher
Male Ringed Kingfisher
Female Belted Kingfisher (Photo by Justin LeClaire)
Identification
Ringed Kingfishers look something like an oversized belted Kingfisher as they have a blue head, crest, back, and tail. Unlike Belted Kingfishers, the underside of the Ringed Kingfisher is a reddish brown color. Almost the entire underside of male ringed kingfishers is this chestnut color while females have a blue bib lined in white in addition to chestnut. Both males and females have a white ring around their neck and a noticeable blue crest.
Range
Ringed Kingfishers are year round residents throughout most of South and Central America (with the exception of the Western coastline). This species can also be found in the Eastern part of Mexico and the most southern parts of Texas in the Rio Grande Valley.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Ringed Kingfishers specialize in catching small fish but will also eat crustaceans, reptiles, amphibians, and even small mammals. Most of the Ringed Kingfishers hunting occurs in shallow fresh water where they will dive from rather high up perches to grab prey.
Where to Find This Bird
Look for Ringed Kingfishers in clear, slower moving water with perches above the water for them to sit on These perches can be natural or manmade as Ringed Kingfishers have few qualms about living near humans. Larger bodies of water will be better suited to this species than small streams.
Summary
Kingfishers are unique birds that occupy a very specific niche in the ecosystem. Hopefully this post has helped answer some of your questions about the Kingfishers of Texas.
Falcons are the stealth fighter jets of the bird world. Recording some of the fastest speeds of all winged animals, these dynamic flyers are captivating to watch.
There are six species of falcons that can be found in Texas on an annual basis with some being common, and others quite rare. Here is everything you need to know about those six species.
American Kestrel
American Kestrel
Identification
The American Kestrel is a small and colorful bird. Males have a rusty colored back as well as a lighter rusty colored underside. They have blue on their wings and the top of their head along with black markings near their eye. Females are lighter overall with rusty orange barring on their wings, back, and tail.
Range
American Kestrels live in both South America and North America. In North America, Kestrels are migratory and reside in Mexico in winter, then move into Canada during the breeding season. Throughout much of the United States, American Kestrels can be found year round.
Diet and Foraging Habits
American Kestrels eat small creatures including insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and rodents. In terms of the insects they eat, some of the most commonly consumed are grasshoppers, dragonflies, and cicadas.
Where to Find this Bird
American Kestrels are a common sight along roadsides and in open fields. They can be seen on telephone poles and wires or perched on dead trees and other structures. Kestrels can also be found in urban parks, pastures, and farm fields.
Aplomado Falcon (Rare)
Aplomado Falcons
Identification
Aplomado Falcons are sleek looking Falcons with a long black and white barred tail, dark gray to black wings, and rust on their underside near their legs. This species has intricate facial patterning with white cheeks, a white throat, and white stripe behind the eye with dark gray or black in between.
Range
Aplomado Falcons live throughout much of South America with the exception of the rainforests of Brazil. In the United States, this species can only be found in the most southern part of Texas. Aplomado Falcons are generally non-migratory and will stay in the same area year round.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Aplomado Falcons eat many different small creatures including insects, lizards, rodents, and other birds. They are fast moving and hunt actively, often taking prey out of the air.
Where to Find this Bird
Aplomado Falcons are at home in desert and grasslands near coastlines. In the United States, the best place to see them is in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, but finding one isn’t always easy. There are nest boxes placed around the valley that can prove to be good places to find this species. In these areas check the nest boxes, power-lines, and fence posts to see if you can spot this colorful raptor.
Crested Caracara
Crested Caracara
Identification
Crested Caracaras are large birds sometimes referred to as “Mexican Eagles.” In spite of this nickname, these birds are actually members of the falcon family and are easily identified by their white face and neck, black crest, brown body and wings, white undertail, and bi-colored gray and orange bill. In flight, Crested Caracaras show white markings near the wing tips.
Range
Crested Caracaras live year round in most of South and Central America with the exception of much of the rainforest in Brazil. Additionally, they can be found in parts of Mexico, and the United States. In the US, Florida, Texas, and Arizona are all states that this species can be seen in.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Crested Caracaras are extremely opportunistic feeders and will eat insects, reptiles, birds mammals, and carrion. They can often be seen in places with other carrion feeders such as vultures, gulls, and blackbirds. Crested Caracaras have been known to follow farm vehicles while they are clearing fields. They will pick off the insects and rodents as they flee from the equipment.
Where to Find this Bird
Crested Caracaras can be found soaring or perched in open areas with little ground cover. They will also sit on the ground so it pays to keep an eye out both high and low. Places with consistent concentrations of food such as agricultural fields or garbage dumps are excellent places to find Crested Caracaras.
Merlin
Merlin (Bill Thompson photo)
Identification
Merlins are very small members of the falcon family looking similar in size to a Mourning Dove. They have a blueish gray to black back, wings, and head, and a buffy to brown streaked underside. Merlins can differ in color based on region but always maintain a somewhat similar appearance. Most of the time they will have a white eye brow stripe.
Range
Merlins winter in Northern South America, Central America, Mexico, the Southeastern United States, and most of the Western United States. In spring they migrate north ending up in only the most Northern parts of the U.S. and much of Canada and Alaska. There is an area from the Northwestern part of the United States to the Southwestern part of Alaska where Merlins live year round. Some individuals stay all winter in Northern states as well.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Merlins primarily eat small birds such as waxwings, sparrows, and even shorebirds. In addition to birds, they also eat insects and rodents.
Where to Find this Bird
Merlins can be tricky to find as encountering one typically seems like a matter of luck. They can be found in wooded areas as well as in open areas where they will be surveying for food. Sometimes the easiest way to see them is in flight when they will be moving at high speeds.
Personal Experience: It seems like if I ever go out intentionally trying to find Merlins there aren’t any around. Each year I typically find one by chance while out birding. It seems that even though they aren’t necessarily supposed to winter in the northern U.S. that is when I see them most.
Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon (Betsy Matsubara Photo – CC by 2.0)
Identification
Peregrine Falcons are iconic birds with a dark back, wings, head, and neck. They have a light underside with dark barring and noticeable bright yellow legs. This species has interesting facial markings that some people refer to as “sideburns” and are essentially dark coloration coming down below the eye onto the cheeks of the bird.
Range
The Peregrine Falcon’s range in North America is complicated with a general pattern of wintering in the Southeastern United States and Mexico, summering in Northern Canada, and migrating throughout the rest of the continent. However, there are many places in the continental United States that Peregrine Falcons breed in during summer (such as along Lake Superior) and live year round (such as most of the Pacific Coast, and around the Great Lakes).
This species not only lives in North America, but every other continent as well with the exception of Antarctica.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Peregrine Falcons are the fastest fliers in the entire animal kingdom reaching normal speeds of around 70 miles per hour and a diving speed of around 200 miles per hour. They use this incredible speed to hunt medium sized birds such as doves and ducks, but they have been observed taking on an extremely wide array of different bird species. Peregrine Falcons will also eat fish, and mammals.
Where to Find this Bird
Peregrine Falcons have adapted well to human habitation and use skyscrapers as nesting sites. In more wild areas they will use cliffs as nest sites. Peregrine Falcons can be reliable sights in places where people have placed nest boxes specifically for the species to breed in. Often times these places have corresponding nest cams that can be viewed online.
Prairie Falcons have a light brown back, wings, and head with a white underside barred with brown. They have a different facial pattern than the Peregrine Falcon with a brown teardrop marking below the eye that contrasts the pure white of the cheeks and chin.
Range
Prairie Falcons are birds of the Western United States, living year round in most states west of Minnesota and Louisiana. They also live in parts of Mexico and Southwestern Canada year round. In winter, some individuals move east into more of the Great Plains states.
Diet and Foraging Habits
Prairie Falcons eat many different small mammals in addition to insects and birds. Like most falcons, they have quite a varied diet in terms of the bird species they eat.
Where to Find this Bird
True to their name, Prairie Falcons live in open spaces such as grasslands, fields, tundra, and farmland. They nest in places with bluffs and cliffs but are most easily seen hunting. Prairie Falcons are often on the move and cruise the open spaces looking for food. They can also sometimes be seen perched on branches or telephone poles.
Summary
Falcons are always entertaining to see, and knowing which ones to expect in your state can be a key part of correctly identifying the bird you are seeing.
Geese can be loud, but also beautiful birds that can be found in Texas. Since there are only a handful of species that live there, geese can be a good group to start with if you’re just beginning to learn bird identification. Both males and females of these species look the same as far as plumage, and they do not have different colorations in different seasons.
The geese species below are grouped by those that are annual visitors, those that are vagrants (they occasionally show up), and finally, those that are domesticated escaped birds that can sometimes be found in parks or other urban areas.
Geese that can be Annually Found in Texas (8 Species)
Canada Goose
Canada Goose
Identification
Adult Canada Geese are large birds with a black head and neck, white cheek, brown back and sides, black feet and legs, with a white stomach and rump. They are larger, have a longer neck, and a longer bill than the closely related Cackling Goose. It’s worth noting that there are many different subspecies of Canada Geese that can vary slightly in size and appearance.
Range
Common year-round throughout much of North America, the Canada Goose migrates south in the winter and north throughout the Northern U.S., Canada and Alaska in the summer. Once seen as a majestic migratory bird, many Canada Geese have spread to urban environments and can be seen hissing at those that get too close to them or their young. Due to their ability to survive in urban environments, this species can be seen year round in Texas. Whether some of these birds are considered “wild” or not is up for debate.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
During spring, Canada Geese feed mostly on grasses, and during the fall and winter, they eat mostly seeds and berries.
Where to Find this Bird
Look for Canada Geese near water, in open or grassy fields often in large flocks. They can also be found in and near urban ponds. Look for them flying overhead making the classic goose “honk” and flying in a “V” formation.
Listen to the Canada Goose Call – Jonathan Jongsma (CC by 3.0)
A flock of birds illustrating the “V” formation flight pattern (Mussi Katz photo)
Snow Goose
Snow Geese (2 blue morph left and 1 white morph, right) (Bill Grossmeyer photo)
Blue morph Snow Goose (Bill Grossmeyer photo)
Identification
Snow Geese are majestic birds that come in different color morphs. The adult white morph Snow Goose has an all white body, black wingtips, and a pinkish-orange bill with a black “grin patch”. A “grin patch” is a visible space between the upper and lower mandible of the bird seen when the bird’s bill is closed. A “blue morph” Snow Goose is the same size as the white morph with the same bill color, however the body is dark in coloration with variable amounts of white and darker colors along with a white head.
Range
Snow Geese breed in northern North America and migrate through much of North America. They winter in select areas of the United States and Central America, often in large flocks. Snow Geese can be seen in Texas mostly in the winter, early spring and late fall, however sometimes they can show up throughout the year.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Snow Geese are vegetarians that feed on grasses, shrubs, seeds, berries and more. Sometimes they will eat entire plants.
Where to Find this Bird
Snow Geese can be found in large flocks, mixed in with Ross’s Geese, Canada geese, and Cackling Geese. They are often seen in or near water, or in fields. Keep an eye out for mixed flocks flying overhead in a “V” formation.
Ross’s Goose
Ross’s Goose (Bill Grossmeyer photo)
Identification
Along with Snow Geese, Ross’s Geese also have multiple color morphs. Adult white morph Ross’s Geese have an all white body, black wingtips, and a pinkish-orange bill with a small or absent “grin patch”. A blue morph Ross’s Goose will be the same size as the white morph with the same bill color, however the body will be dark in coloration with variable amounts of white and darker colors along with a white head. A true blue morph Ross’s Goose is very rare, and many are actually hybrid Snow and Ross’s Geese. Keep on the lookout for signs of hybridization such as a bird with a small, triangular bill but a large, dark grin patch. Overall, Ross’s Geese will be smaller than Snow Geese with a smaller, triangular bill that has a gray-blue base, and a stubbier neck.
Range
Ross’s Geese breed in northern North America in colonies and migrate through much of central and western North America. They winter in select areas of the United States and Central America, often in large flocks. Ross’s Geese can be seen in Texas mostly in the winter, early spring and late fall, however sometimes they can show up throughout the year.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Ross’s Geese are vegetarians that feed on grasses, shrubs, seeds, berries and more. Sometimes they will eat entire plants.
Where to Find this Bird
Ross’s Geese can be found in large flocks, mixed in with Snow Geese, Canada, and Cackling Geese. They are often seen in or near water, or in fields. Keep an eye out for mixed flocks flying overhead in a “V” formation.
Cackling Goose
Cackling Goose (front) with Canada Goose (behind)
Identification
Adult Cackling Geese look very similar to Canada Geese, but with some key identification differences. They have similar color patterns with a black head and neck, white cheek, brown back and sides, black feet and legs, with a white stomach and rump, however they are smaller (about Mallard duck sized) with a stubbier neck, steep forehead, and smaller, more triangular shaped bill. They will often flock with Canada Geese, along with other geese species. These flocks can be extremely large during migration.
The Cackling Goose spends winter in the central U.S. and Central America, with some populations near the East and West coasts. Their migratory route spans the central U.S. and west coast, and they migrate to northern North America to breed. Cackling Geese can be seen in Texas mostly in the winter, early spring and late fall, however sometimes they can show up throughout the year.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Cackling Geese feed mostly on plants and plant material such as grasses, sedges, seeds, and berries.
Where to Find this Bird
Look for Cackling Geese near water, in open or grassy fields, and in mixed flocks. Also look for them flying overhead with other goose species, and keep an eye out for noticeable smaller birds, compared to Canada Geese.
Adult Greater White-fronted Geese (sometimes called Speckled Geese, or Speckle-belly Geese) are brown in color with a white rump, white stripe on their side, white forehead, black spots on their stomach and a bright pinkish-orange bill and legs. They can look similar to Greylag Geese, which are a domesticated species that can sometimes be seen in urban parks, but Greylag Geese will have a thicker bill, be larger and more stout, and have a striped neck.
Range
Greater White-fronted Geese breed in northern North America in colonies, and on the Alaskan tundra, and migrate through much of central and western North America. They winter in select areas of the western and southern United States and central America, often in large, mixed flocks. Greater White-fronted Geese can be seen in Texas mostly in the winter, early spring and late fall, however sometimes they can show up throughout the year.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Greater White-fronted Geese feed mostly on plant material such as grasses, berries, sedges, emergent vegetation, and tubers.
Where to Find this Bird
Greater White-fronted Geese can be found in large flocks, mixed in with Ross’s, Snow, Canada, and Cackling Geese. They are often seen in or near water, or in fields. Keep an eye out for mixed flocks flying overhead in a “V” formation.
Check out this video to see 5 Goose species in their natural habitats
Geese that do not Breed in North America but Show Up on Occasion (2 Species)
Brant
Brant
Identification
The Brant is a medium-sized goose that is smaller than a Canada Goose, but larger than a Mallard duck. They have a black head, stubby black bill, black neck and upper chest, with a brown and white body, white rump, and black wingtips. They have a characteristic white mark on their neck that can be variable in size and shape.
Range
Brants normally migrate through parts of the western and northeastern United States and parts of Canada, with some wintering populations on the east coast and in Alaska. They nest in the arctic wetlands of northern North America.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Brants feed mostly on vegetation such as grasses, sedges, and aquatic plants. In the winter, they eat mainly eelgrass and algae, although in some areas they will also eat other grasses if eelgrass is not available.
Where to Find this Bird
The Brant is rare in most midwestern states. Keep an eye out for this bird in flocks of other goose species, normally found near water or in open grassy areas or farm fields.
Watch us search for a Brant in Wisconsin, along with another rare bird, the Spotted Towhee
Barnacle Goose (Rare)
Barnacle Goose (Photo by Caleb Putnam)
Identification
The Barnacle Goose can be identified by its white face, black top of the head and neck, gray stomach, and gray, white, and black back.
Range
Barnacle Geese breed in the arctic North Atlantic islands. They are not native to the United States but sometimes they show up as vagrants, especially in the northeastern U.S. and parts of Canada. Additionally, sometimes domesticated birds escape and are seen, therefore there should be some deliberation in considering whether the bird is wild or not.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Barnacle Geese feed mostly on vegetation such as grasses and aquatic plants.
Find this Bird
Barnacle Geese are extremely rare in North America. Keep an eye out for this bird in flocks of other goose species, normally found near water or in open grassy areas and farm fields.
Domestic Geese (4 Species)
These are birds that are not vagrant to North America but are likely escaped pets that may live year round in public spaces.
Greylag Goose (Domestic)
Domestic Greylag Goose
Identification
Greylag Geese are brown and white with pinkish orange feet and bill. They look similar to Greater White-fronted Geese but are larger, with a striped neck, and a more stout body. Graylag Geese also lack the prominent white forehead seen on the Greater White-fronted Goose.
Range
Greylag Geese are not native to North America, however some domesticated individuals have ended up at parks or urban ponds. They are normally non-migratory and will sometimes even beg for food.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Greylag Geese feed mostly on grasses and plant material.
Where to Find this Bird
Domesticated Greylag Geese are not “countable” from a listing perspective in the United States, but can be an interesting bird to see in parks or urban ponds.
Egyptian Goose (Domestic)
Domestic Egyptian Goose (Alan Schmierer photo)
Identification
Egyptian Geese are brown, white, and gray with pinkish feet and a spectacled appearance.
Range
Egyptian Geese are not native to North America, however some domesticated individuals have ended up at parks or urban ponds. They are normally non-migratory and will sometimes even beg for food. Egyptian Geese are native to central and southern Africa.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Egyptian Geese feed mostly on grasses and other plant material such as aquatic vegetation.
Where to Find this Bird
Domesticated Egyptian Geese are not “countable” from a listing perspective in the United States, but can be an interesting bird to see in parks or urban ponds.
Swan Goose (Domestic)
Domestic Swan Geese (Wildlife Terry photo)
Domestic Swan Goose (Chinese White Goose Variety) (Wildlife Terry photo)
Identification
Swan Geese have a brown back, tan stomach, white stripe down their sides, brown top of head extending down the top of the neck, white and tan side of their neck, pinkish feet, and a black bill. Some birds may also have a knob on their forehead. Swan Geese have also been bred to be all white, and may also be referred to as “Chinese White Geese”.
Range
Swan Geese are not native to North America, however some domesticated individuals have ended up at parks or urban ponds. They are normally non-migratory and will sometimes even beg for food. Swan Geese are native to Asia.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Swan Geese are thought to be herbivorous and feed mostly on grasses and other plant material such as aquatic vegetation.
Where to Find this Bird
Domesticated Swan Geese are not “countable” from a listing perspective in the United States, but can be an interesting bird to see in parks or urban ponds. Sometimes they associate with domestic Greylag Geese.
Bar-headed Goose (Domestic)
Bar-headed Goose (Daniel Engelvin photo)
Identification
The Bar-headed Goose is quite striking, with its white head and neck strips, brown throat, gray back, white rump and chest, with tow black lines on its head, and an orange bill.
Range
Bar-headed Geese are not native to North America, however some domesticated individuals have ended up at parks or urban ponds. They are normally non-migratory and will sometimes even beg for food. Bar-headed Geese are native to East and South Asia.
Diet and Foraging Behavior
Bar-headed Geese are mostly herbivorous and feed mostly on grasses, seeds, tubers, and other plant material such as aquatic vegetation.
Where to Find this Bird
Domesticated Bar-headed Geese are not “countable” from a listing perspective in the United States, but can be an interesting bird to see in parks or urban ponds.
Which of these species have you seen? Leave a comment below and thanks for reading!
