Texas Birds 2.0 Photo Gallery by Greg Lavaty at pbase.com

Texas Birds 2.0

I have posted here a variety of birds that one might encounter in the state of Texas and I if my memory serves me well all of these photos were taken here in Texas over the past few years. Many species of birds vary in appearance depending on a number of factors such as time of year, age, sex and other factors so a photo seen here is at best an idea of what a bird of its given species might look like when encountered in the field. Where available I have posted multiple photos of the different species I have encountered which might be worth checking out if you are using this page to help identify a bird you have found. I will try to include links to other photos as time allows but if there isn’t a link attached to a given photo I encourage you to browse my more complete photo list in my wildlife gallery.

I must say that I am very impressed with the variety of birds that can be found here in the state of Texas. Before I started looking for different birds I had no idea that such a variety could be found so close to my home. I hope that this page makes at least a small impression on others of what a great treasure we have all around us if we only take the time to look.

pages 1 2 3 4 5 ALL

Audubon's Oriole	Baltimore Oriole	Orchard Oriole	Streak-backed Oriole
Scott's Oriole	Bullock's Oriole	Yellow-headed Blackbird	Bobolink
Brown-headed Cowbird	Bronzed Cowbird	Brewer's Blackbird	Rusty Blackbird
American Goldfinch	Pine Siskin	Lesser Goldfinch	Purple Finch
House Sparrow	:: Texas Birds ::

pages 1 2 3 4 5 ALL

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Guest		18-Jul-2018 13:05
i am looking for an east texas bird i have never seen before.It is light brown with a black badge on its breast.

Anna		15-Jun-2018 01:21
we have one painted bunting living in the green area of pur back yard in Austin,Texas. The cardinals allow him to drink from our bird bath. Interesting to watch. The painted bunting appears at 7:30 pm to use the bird bath.

John Brooks		10-Jun-2018 18:45
I have some small black birds coming to mt water tank. They are very small like a Titmouse but are black all over except for their breast. It is very yellow from the neck down to the tail.I did not see them in you photographs. I have never seen any of them before.I have lived in Texas all my life 70 years and was wondering if you had any idea what they are?I will try and get a picture of you this coming week. They only come in the afternoon about 1300-1500 and eat from my feeders and drink from my dogs water tubb. Thank You

Guest		26-Apr-2018 00:30
bright blue head yellow beak red body blue wing with yellow on them??? what is it small like sparow.

Guest		23-Apr-2018 01:15
Today I saw a yellow headed blackbird in Hallettsvillle Texas. It let me get within 2-3 feet of it and I took 2 pics of it. It didn't appear to be frightened of me at all.

Nora		22-Apr-2018 04:29
I took a picture of a Yellow Breasted Chat in Harlingen, Texas on 4/20/18. I looked it up and found out they are uncommon to south Texas. It did look very tired because he did not fly away from us as we walked by him on the side walk at my work place. He finally did when a coworker tried to touch it.

Debbie		26-Feb-2018 18:57
Near Austin, TX, I saw a bird about the size of a Cardinal that was solid gray with a perfect white band around its neck and a solid black head with a crest like a titmouse. Does anyone know what it was?

trudy		09-Aug-2017 20:23
Truthomas Truthomas Aug 8, 14:02 MST There has been an orangish/redish bodied bird with a gray head and a beak similar to parrot at my birdbath. It has a white area between the wings, the wings are sorta grayish. It is a smaller bird, probably a perching bird. The gray head almost appears to be sans feathers but I have never been able to get close enough to verify this. It certainly looks worse for wear. It is definitely NOT a cardinal because the beak is not red. Can you identify this bird, please?

Scott Beck		03-Aug-2017 14:34
I was out in monahans Texas monahans sand hills state park .there was a black bird running up and down the dunes it had yellow stripes on it head otherwise all black do you have any idea to what it's name is.

Sarah Lee		22-Jul-2017 16:21
I have a bird feeder and I sit every morning and watch the birds eat. This is new to me but you have a wonderful collection and it is very informative.

Hennie & Lies Lammers		25-May-2017 10:28
Superb collection of beautiful photos. V

Bobby		16-May-2017 20:16
I observed a dead bird. It was all brown with dark brown spots on the torso. The wings had a single white chevron that was about one eighth of an inch wide. It had a short beak and I think it was a night bird or late evening bird.

Chris		15-May-2017 01:18
This is a small bird, the size of a sparrow, with red head and breast, nesting in the eaves of my carport. In northern Texas, the panhandle, I would think it is some kind of snowbird. What is it?

LEO ONEIL		25-Apr-2017 19:17
Great collection, my friend. I ID a bird in my Audubon Field Guide, then head for your site to see a better picture. Many thanks.

Anil Bhatt		23-Apr-2017 14:12
Wonderful collection of birds of Texas state. I wish when I come to Dallas I might get good number of lifer birds.

Lisa Velez		23-Apr-2017 00:59
Lisa -- El Paso, Texas-- I saw two beautiful yellow chested birds. One was larger and was hanging on the tel. wire the smaller in the tree earlier this week. They appeared to be lightish-gray and like I mentioned yellow in the front. Any ideas?

Melanie		18-Apr-2017 15:03
We have had 3 visits (just since yesterday) by a Great Blue Heron in our back yard in a subdivision in Katy, Texas. We have a small pond with gold fish, which the Heron found to be good eatings. He/She is huge -about 4' high. Awesome!

Amber L. Jones		10-Apr-2017 02:26
What beautiful birds. This must've taken forever. I was wondering if you might help me I'd a bird. I live at tail end of Lake Travis. On the feeder, not suet, just wild birdseed I photographed a down bill bird with white chest. My mom, a birder for many years doesn't know what it is. Looking through your pics, beak looks like thrasher, but no where near the color. Also saw a picture of a down bill hawk, but a hawk wouldnt be at feeder, I don't think. Many pretty birds here. Lots of roadrunner and water birds too. Great place to photograph..

johnathan a smith		24-Mar-2017 13:11
my grandson is planning to make bird houses and feeders for his eagle project in boy scouts in humble texas. what would be the best kind of bird house to build??

Tammy		12-Oct-2016 15:22
I live outside of Brady Texas. I have heard of a big black bird with white tail feathers that prey on baby goats, eating their eyeballs. Don't know the name, but once you see it that's the last you see it. I saw one the other evening but couldn't get a picture. Any idea what this is? I have been researching and come up empty handed. Thanks

Chaz		13-Sep-2016 20:13
First let me say I love the site! My comment is this; we live in the hill country of Texas about an hour north of San Antonio on the Guadalupe River. Saw a pair of small birds in the yard this afternoon in Rosemary that is in bloom. The male had a black back with a little white; the belly and throat were yellow. The female was more of a light brown and a small amount of white on its back with the belly and throat being a lighter yellow. I've had no luck finding a pic of these on the web or on this site. We've never seen a bird like this before. Any idea what they are?

CT		10-Sep-2016 15:37
Near a pond on a ranch near Krum, Texas, north of DFW, saw some birds that sound kind of like killdeer, Tweeeee-twee-tweee-tweee-tweee, but don't look like them. Roughly size of a large pigeon, brown with white underbelly and white under the wings, with pointed wings like a swift. When they fly at you, can see that the wings are very arched in flight, not flat. Medium length bill. They are thick around the ponds. They fly in short hops all around the pond, and are very acrobatic flyers. Any ideas?

anon		02-Jul-2016 19:23
Karl, Bill - It's likely a House Finch.

John		13-Jun-2016 17:06
Saw a bird on my feeder that looked a lot like a Cardinal , but had a black head with no crest and no black stripes. It had a large yellow beak. Can't find it in any pictures. Know what it is?

renzo		15-May-2016 18:43
I-m here right now outside Dallas and I'm very impressed of the quantity of birds that you can see around. Thanks at your website I can recognize several birds that I saw the 1st day

Guest		15-May-2016 14:30
Hope to get some help identifying a very small brown and yellow bird found dead in my yard in Farmers Branch. Soft brown with lovely yellow under small pointy bill. Undersides light yellow and more intense yellow under tail. I have not been able to see a picture like this little bird, though some have looked similar (vireos). Any ideas? A Hood County referenced birds in a "junk" tree feeding on red berries. Cedar Waxwings?

Mark Lewis		06-Mar-2016 16:05
Visiting Texas from Europe, this website is an excellent and easy to use way for the non-expert to identify the many (and to our eyes strange) species of bird to be seen.

mary schmerker		06-Feb-2016 01:58
Saw a bird today on the Texas City Dike that I could not identify. Found it on your site. wonderful pictures and very helpful .

Casey		05-Feb-2016 03:54
Large black 'raptor like' bird seen on toll road Rt 130 to Lockhart, TX. The bird was mostly black underneath with white wing bars on each wing. Any ideas?

P Baker		20-Nov-2015 18:07
I can't seem to find the bird I found dead in my yard today. larger than a dove, smaller than a pidgeon, black head, thin pale bill, medium grey body, white rump, light yellow green legs, toes with a feathery rudder on undersides. ??? west TX, near Lubbock

RaeLynne		06-Oct-2015 21:42
Awesome pics. Just found your page looking up a woodpecker I hadn't seen before. Just moved back to the country w/lots of trees & mama & I love bird-watching;)

J Hill		03-Sep-2015 17:58
I found your site and looked for a bird that I saw this AM. I have never seen a bird that had an all white head with a brown/blown body, about the size of a female cardinal. It looked like an eagle but I have never seen one out of the nest. It was not in your beautiful pictures, do you have any idea. Jerry

J Hill		03-Sep-2015 17:54
I was looking for one that I saw this AM that I have never seen. It looked like a baby eagle. It's

John		31-Jul-2015 20:37
Reall cool site! Main reason I was here was to try and figure out what I saw ... like everyone else. Turns out it was likely a Swallow Tailed Kite. It was flying around over the Spring TX area about 2 weeks ago, it's the first and only one I have ever seen, cool. John G

Jack		03-Jul-2015 14:41
I have seen a bird like Karl and Bill saw. Sparrow size with a very red hood. I live in Southwest Fort Worth close to Benbrook and there are large trees in our neighborhood.

Meli		30-May-2015 19:00
I have a lady bird that I cannot identify. She is larger than a cardinal and has made a sloppy nest in a ficus tree on my patio. She is grayish with slightly buff breast. Her wings are darker than her back and each has a white stripe on it and she has two wide bands of white down the middle of her tail. What can she be? I live in Brenham, TX. Thanks and I love your website!

Karl		23-May-2015 02:07
We have two birds like Bill saw; sparrow sized with red heads, one of them with almost fluorescent red breast. They area a little smaller than the sparrows. I will try to get pictures of them soon so I can identify them. They are feeding daily outside our window along with some sparrows and doves. This is in Buda, Texas.

bill		15-Apr-2015 00:20
I Saw a Bird the Size of a Sparrow Gray and Red Head

Guest		22-Mar-2015 22:46
i saw a bird with black body white head black crest white tips on wings and tail

guest		28-Feb-2015 17:23
I have a "junk" tree in my yard that currently has a lot of red berries on it. There is a flock of birds eating the berries. They have a yellow under belly, yellow tip on the tail, red on the tip of the wings. They are almost as big as a dove. What are they? Can't find a pic of them anywhere. ( Hood County).

Re: Heron		11-Feb-2015 03:19
No black herons around here, most likely you saw a rather dark little blue heron, some can look almost black, particularly in the right lighting.

Guest		29-Jan-2015 13:40
I have a picture taken on the Gulf Coast this last weekend that appears to be a pure black herron. I look for a picture in bird books and your site but do not find this bird. Could it be a black herron?

Guest		23-Aug-2014 08:37
I saw a bird the other day that I thought was a hummingbird but when the wings flapped it didn't make a sound it was small like one and it's a grayish browinsh color I know there's a name for it but I couldn't figure it out, anyone know?

roundtoit		19-Aug-2014 16:35
Is it possible a blackbird laid an egg in a cardinal's nest and was raised by the cardinal? I have pictures of a male cardinal feeding a blackbird on a feeder. Any explanation?

roundtoit		18-Aug-2014 16:24
I commented about the black red bird. Thanks for all your hard work, a great site.

Guest		18-Aug-2014 16:17
Ever see a black red cardinal, I saw a female feeding a black red bird on my mom's feeder and got a picture.

Guest		31-Jul-2014 23:57
I think I witnessed a Painted Bunting in my backyard in Springtown, Tx. This vibrant bird was quite small.

Jim		23-May-2014 00:13
Very Nice! I have a "nest" in my field and wondered what kind of bird was tending it....a Killdear. Jim

Guest		18-May-2014 20:10
thank you f1or all your work and input this is grea

Guest		04-May-2014 14:47
This is a great web site thank you

Guest		24-Apr-2014 17:03
Love this web site. Best bird pictures I have found. Also the only site which identifies each picture. Thank You.

Guest		03-Apr-2014 18:14
Are Common Redpolls ever seen in Texas? I live in central Texas and heard the most unusual chatter outside my window. When I looked, there were two birds the size of sparrows, one male, one female. The male was reddish orange breasted and his head was the same color, his back was brown with black stripes. Common Redpolls are the only birds that fit the description on all the sites I've seen. Any h

guest		31-Mar-2014 00:06
I just saw a bird I've never seen before all these many years in Texas. It was perched on a post on Hwy. 106 in-between Brenham and Navasota. I thought it was a vulture, many were circling over head but it wasn't at all. It's head was all white with black body and small tuffs of red feathers around its beak. Yellowish hawk like beak? If any one knows what this could be, please post a comment.

Guest		22-Mar-2014 22:23
Absolutely awesome. I was looking to identify one bird and stayed on your page forever. Isn't Texas amazing. Gwen

Christina		17-Mar-2014 20:33
Truly impressed with this page and in the number of birds here in Texas. I just began feeding birds about 2 months ago. I didn't realize just how much I would enjoy watching them and trying to figure out the different kinds. This page will be a great help to me. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

eva		06-Mar-2014 17:27
just an update from 8 months ago. the bird i saw was a sissor tail fly catcher i finally got close enough to see it well and of course there is no mistaking that tail

Steven Gordon		20-Oct-2013 13:08
I have some photos of a an unusual bird that hangs out on a wind chime on my porch! It arrives late at night and leaves at the crack of dawn. It's very small and is brown in color with very pretty blue spots on it's wings. I wish I could up load some pics here! I have no idea what it type or species it is?!?!?

Guest		08-Oct-2013 23:11
does anyone know what type of bird tears off the tips of an oak tree? My backyard is littered with this. It is a larger than average bird. Underbelly is grayish white. Has brown markings. Can't see his beak. They flit around very quickly on the limbs and have a pretty good wing span. Debbie

Lorane		09-Sep-2013 20:48
Hi! Just saw a bird at the bird bath sharing with wood pecker and others, but I could not identify it. They flew before I could grab my camera! It was black with white spots on its breast...looked up cowbird and grackle - nothing like that. Ran outside expecting to see a huge bunch of grackles, nothing...can you help identify it? Also, wow! Your photography is just fabulous. Thank you.

eva		26-Aug-2013 18:18
thank you for the photo gallery. I'm trying to identify a bird I saw this morning. It has a rust belly and white breast and head with brown/grey wings. the head appeared to shimmer with a little green. I didn't see anything like it in your photos. I live in central Texas about 50 miles NE of Bryan.

wen soo		18-Jul-2013 00:40
I just moved to Kerrville Texas and some of the birds that come to the feeder I've been able to identify. Great job posting the pictures and identifying the birds for us "novices".

Jody		15-Jul-2013 00:05
Your pictures are fantastic. This is the best resource I've found for identifying birds we see in our backyard in Austin, TX. My 3-year-old daughter and I enjoy finding out who is coming to our feeders. Thanks for all the great pics!

Carol Barrett		09-Jul-2013 21:31
Thoroughly awed by all the pictures captured. Did not notice a belted Kingfisher, but I may have overlooked it. I've seen one at my pond in 2012.

Guest		03-Jul-2013 15:22
Just identified a painted bunting I got to see in my backyard just west of Georgetown. Thanks for all your photos. They are fantastic.

Guest		01-Jul-2013 17:41
Im empressed by your extensive array of photographs. What a great resource for identifing birds. Thank you for your works!

Guest		25-May-2013 12:57
Hi, I am from India and Bird watcher there. I watched birds in and around my sons house in Carrollton and was thrilled to identify many of them from your pictures. Thanks sheila

JOHNNY D CRAWLEY		15-Dec-2012 03:37
Great photos. I'm jealous. It has relly helped me identify my South Tx birds.

Gerald Rozemeijer		04-Aug-2012 08:10
Fantastic album, great shots Greg !! thanks Gerald

Anis		13-Jul-2012 03:12
Amazing photos! Thanks for posting! Bookmarked :)

Anis		13-Jul-2012 00:02
Amazing photos! Thanks for posting! Bookmarked :)

Bari		29-Jun-2012 19:45
Oh, and I voted!!!!

Bari		26-Jun-2012 16:07
Am certainly enjoying your photos, Greg! Can't get enough. I live just north of Houston and am finding your Texas Birds just marvelous. Will visit often!!!!

Sandra Lemelin		25-Feb-2012 04:16
I will soon be moving from Michigan to Kyle. I was a bit concerned that there might not be a variety of birds. I've been "birding" for 47 years and didn't know what I might expect. Your amazing photos of such a great variety of birds has me excited. Thank you so much for sharing them with us. Sandra

Linda		14-Sep-2011 01:05
Due to all the wildfires around my area, a lot of new birds have appeared. One in particular caught my eye. He was trying to drink from my hummingbird feeder. He has been here for 2 days and I finally got a pretty good picture through my window. I have been trying to find out what kind of bird he is and finally saw him on this website. Thanks to you I know I have a Baltimore Oriole in my yard. I didn't even know these birds were around here. I live in Hockley, Tx and we were just allowed back into our house after being evacuated due to the fires.

Guest		13-Sep-2011 19:29
I found a very small bird on the ground that was being attacked by a large black bird. I tried to move it to a different location, but the black bird follwed trying to attack. The little bird is about 3 inches long, with olive green wings, a yellow face and belly. It is trying to fly, but is having trouble, otherwise it seems fine. Is there somewhere I can take it?

anne		08-Jul-2011 15:25
Beautiful photos -- I used to visit my grandfather in Mineola in East Texas in July, and today was thinking about the scissor tailed flycatchers and meadowlarks that I saw for the first time on one of my visits...

Guest		07-Jun-2011 20:14
We nailed up a cheap birdhouse but we thought no birds would come. But they actually did, only we can't identify the bird.

Karen B		06-Jun-2011 23:18
These are wonderful photos! I have tried looking up birds before and it never brought me to your site. I'm bookmarking this for sure for future reference. Thanks for putting this all together.

Marie		28-May-2011 22:22
We have a bird that is drinking from the hummingbird feeder. I've never seen anything but hummingbirds, so this is brand new to me. All I can tell is it has a brown body with a reddish head. Any idea what it is? We are near Tyler in East Texas.

Angie		27-May-2011 23:43
Thank you for this gallery, it helped me identify birds coming to my feeder and bath. I am having difficulty figureing out what a little brown bird is with a red head. Just love watching them and their antics.

Mattie		24-May-2011 15:32
I am in the county Goliad County and this morning I saw a bird I cannot identify. INeither do I see it on here. It had a solid black head with a long neck and light color of yellow low down in its breast and wings kind of like a mockingbird. Anybody have any ideas. I am going back out on the porch and see if i can get a pic.. Mattie

Jane Sanders		20-May-2011 19:37
Thank you so much for this site. I have an Eastern Phoebe nesting above my back porch and have been having difficulty identifying it. Your pictures have solved the mystery!

Spearsar		03-May-2011 12:45
These are all very nice pictures. However, I noticed there is no Mockingbird...

Muriah		04-Apr-2011 04:15
Excellent job! I will recommend to the Texans in my circle.

Lise De Serres		13-Jan-2011 13:13
Very nice gallery, love the varietey and evereyone is very well presented!!

Amy		18-Nov-2010 16:10
Greg - This is such a great collection! As good as any bird ID site I've seen! I've bookmarked it and will no doubt refer to it often.

Guest		27-Aug-2010 03:27
What a treasure of a site! My family and I just moved out here from Oregon and are amazed at the variety and diversity of birds in Texas. This site has helped us identify quite a few. Thank you for making our Texas experience richer! I. Stolms Austin, TX

Guest		20-Apr-2010 17:04
We have a small flock of what I believe might be indigo buntings. We live in Pasadena, TX near the ship channel. Do some buntings have yellow beaks? These birds are similar in looks to cardinals with a black mask and very yellow beaks. The feathers are very bright blue, with some grays in the wing and back area.

Bobby		16-Apr-2010 20:30
I saw Indigo Buntings and Red-Breasted Grosbeaks for the first time today. I live in League City, about 25 mi. south of Houston.

Jenifer		09-Apr-2010 15:32
I live at Lake Belton in Central Texas and have noticed a few birds at my house lately that I haven't seen before. They are tiny, brown and they have a beak much like a wren's. They also have a wide solid white throat - the white doesn't go down as far as the breast, but is at the neck, reaching from side to side. It loves to sing throughout the mornings, with a very loud trill that starts out high-pitched, then decends to a lower pitch. Would love to know what this bird is called. I love your pictures - thanks for everything!

Fyn Kynd		20-Mar-2010 14:53
Shirley it wouldn't be a northern waterthrush because I'm guessing that you live in Texas and they don't live in Texas. and It wouldn't be a Killdeer

linda		11-Feb-2010 23:03
Great pictures , with the major snow today I have enjoyed watching all the birds in our feeders in Keller, Texas... the images are great , helped me identify all the birds we seen. Thanks

Shirley		27-Dec-2009 22:21
Hi Greg, Love the pictures! I live east of McKinney, north of Hwy 380. For the past 3-4 weeks I have had flocks of ground birds of some sort eating in my back yard and pasture. They look alot like Northern Water thrush, except some of them, probably the males, have a yellow throat and belly. They remind me of killdeer the way they run around. Any ideas? I don't remember seeing them in this area before, and I feed birds year round and this is my first sighting of these.

Guest		06-Dec-2009 13:15
Hi Greg! Just wanna say, extremely good images! JanJ

Daniel Artz		22-May-2009 00:18
I've seen both a Male and Female Greater Roadrunner several times in the brushy are north of the North frontage road of U.S. 80 in Sunnyvale - East of Beltline Road, in the Samuel Farm North Park area. I didn't think Roadrunners made it this far East.

Marta Rivas		09-Feb-2009 00:49
The Audubon's Oriole is in my backyard, I live in Beeville, Texas. What other parts of Texas can this bird be found? I totally loved your bird photographs!!!!!

Guest		08-Sep-2008 16:29
excellent site my compliments V

Jeremy		09-Jul-2008 17:37
Great pics. Great resource! Thanks.

Robert Houde		08-Jul-2008 19:21
Very Good Work.

Pat Rathbun		06-Jun-2008 23:24
Great site!

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