Birding Across West Texas: From the Hill Country to the Davis Mountains and Back
Updated: Oct 8
March 31- April 5, 2026
This journey was part scouting trip and part return to a region we love birding. Our route wasn't identical to our upcoming Birding Across West Texas tour, but it took us through many of the same landscapes, habitats, and birding areas that make this part of Texas so remarkable. It also helped us shape the itinerary we'll be sharing with our guests starting in 2027, bringing together some of our favorite birding areas into one journey across West Texas.
West Texas has a way of revealing itself gradually. Travel west from the greener parts of the state and the landscape begins to open. Trees become fewer, horizons stretch farther, and eventually the familiar gives way to desert basins, rugged mountains, spring-fed oases, grasslands, and isolated pockets of woodland.
Over six days, our journey carried us from the brush country around Uvalde into the Chihuahuan Desert and Big Bend, then north through the Christmas Mountains and into the higher elevations of the Davis Mountains. Along the way, we birded river corridors, desert springs, mountain woodlands, grasslands, lakes, and quiet desert oases—each habitat bringing a different community of birds and another reminder of just how ecologically diverse Texas can be.
Day 1 — Uvalde: Where the Landscape Begins to Change. Our first day was primarily a travel day, but one of the pleasures of driving across Texas is watching the landscape—and the birdlife—change along the way. As we moved southwest, mesquite thickets, huisache, open pasture, and increasingly dry country began replacing the greener landscapes closer to home. Crested Caracaras perched along the roadside, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers flashed their salmon-colored underwings, and Turkey Vultures rode the warming air.
By late afternoon we reached Uvalde, a particularly interesting place geographically. Hill Country limestone lies to the north, South Texas brush country extends to the south, and the influence of the desert begins to appear farther west. We spent the remaining daylight birding the surrounding brushlands, where Green Jay, Bewick's Wren, Verdin, Couch's Kingbird, Olive Sparrow, and Long-billed Thrasher provided our first real introduction to the birds of the journey.
It was a gentle beginning: warm evening light, wide skies, and the feeling that the landscape was about to become considerably bigger.
Day 2 — Into the Chihuahuan Desert. The transition into the Chihuahuan Desert is one of the most striking parts of traveling through West Texas. Vegetation thins. The horizon widens. Ocotillo begins rising from the gravel flats, and mountains that first appear as faint blue shapes eventually dominate the landscape. By the time we reached Big Bend National Park, there was no mistaking that we had entered a very different part of Texas.
Our first stops included Panther Junction and Dugout Wells. Dugout Wells is a wonderful example of how important even a small amount of water and vegetation can be in the desert. A historic windmill, mesquite grove, and small spring create an oasis in an otherwise dry landscape. Here we found Ash-throated Flycatcher, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Black-throated Sparrow, and Ladder-backed Woodpecker. We also heard the distinctive calls of Elf Owl and Western Screech-Owl.
From there we continued toward Terlingua. The drive itself is part of the experience. Creosote and ocotillo dominate the desert while volcanic hills begin gathering into increasingly dramatic formations. By late afternoon, the lowering sun was throwing warm light across the ridges and desert floor. Terlingua would be our base for the next two nights, giving us easy access to several very different habitats within Big Bend.
As darkness settled over the desert, the enormous West Texas sky took over.
Day 3 — Canyons, Mountains & Desert Oases. We left Terlingua early for a full day exploring Big Bend National Park. Our first destination was Santa Elena Canyon, where massive limestone walls rise abruptly above the Rio Grande. The river changes everything here. Mesquite, huisache, cottonwoods, and riparian vegetation create habitat dramatically different from the surrounding desert. Canyon Wrens echoed from the rock walls while Black Phoebe, Pyrrhuloxia, Bell's Vireo, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and Greater Roadrunner were among the birds we encountered.
From Santa Elena, we continued to Cottonwood Campground, another green pocket in an otherwise arid landscape. Towering cottonwoods provide shade and important habitat, and the campground was active with birds. Vermilion Flycatcher, Lucy's Warbler, Lark Sparrow, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, and Swainson's Hawk were among our sightings.
Then the landscape changed again. We climbed from the desert floor into the Chisos Basin, where pinyon, oak, and juniper replaced the desert vegetation within a remarkably short distance. Surrounded by desert on all sides, the Chisos Mountains form a true ecological island. The higher elevation brings cooler temperatures and an entirely different bird community. The mountains are famous among birders for Colima Warbler, but our visit was simply too early in spring for a dedicated search. Instead, we concentrated on the birds present during our brief stay, including Mexican Jay, Acorn Woodpecker, Black-crested Titmouse, Cactus Wren, and Common Raven.
Later, descending from the Basin, pinyon and oak disappeared and the desert returned. Our next destination looked almost impossibly green against it. At Rio Grande Village, tall cottonwoods and dense riparian vegetation follow the river through the desert. Despite the afternoon heat, bird activity remained excellent—and we found two birds we had particularly hoped to see: Common Black Hawk and Gray Hawk. We finished the day with another visit to Dugout Wells before returning to Terlingua.
In a single day we moved through river corridor, canyon, desert, mountain woodland, and oasis. That diversity is one of the things that makes Big Bend so fascinating for birders.
Day 4 — From Terlingua to the Davis Mountains. We left Terlingua early the next morning and headed north. The deep desert gradually began giving way to higher country, but first we had one particularly memorable stop to make: Christmas Mountains Oasis. Approaching the oasis through rugged desert terrain makes its sudden appearance even more striking. Cottonwoods, water, shade, and birds emerge from a landscape dominated by rock and desert vegetation.
Water is always valuable in the Chihuahuan Desert, and places like this can concentrate an impressive amount of bird activity. Among our highlights were Lucifer Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, White-crowned Sparrow, Scaled Quail, and Canyon Towhee. We spent a generous part of the morning simply letting the birds come to us.
From there, we continued north toward Alpine. The basins broadened, grasslands became more prominent, and the temperature gradually cooled as we gained elevation. Between Alpine and Fort Davis, pinyon-juniper woodland began appearing on the slopes. Along the way we added birds including Phainopepla, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cassin's Sparrow, and Lincoln's Sparrow.
By late afternoon we reached Fort Davis, nearly 5,000 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Davis Mountains. After several days in the desert, the cooler mountain air felt like arriving in an entirely different region. This location would be our base for the next two nights.
Day 5 — Sky Islands, Desert Springs & an Evening with Owls. We began our final full day of birding at Davis Mountains State Park. At first light, the pinyon-juniper woodland and oak-lined washes were already alive with birds. Northern Harrier, Acorn Woodpecker, Say's Phoebe, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, Bushtit, Pine Siskin, Chipping Sparrow, and Spotted Towhee were among the morning's sightings. We also completed a particularly satisfying trio of target raptors with a Zone-tailed Hawk.
From the state park, we headed onto the Davis Mountains Scenic Loop. This is one of those drives where it is difficult to decide whether to watch for birds or simply stare at the scenery. Grasslands, volcanic ridges, juniper-covered slopes, distant desert basins, and enormous skies unfold mile after mile. Near McDonald Observatory, the high-elevation landscape feels particularly isolated, a genuine sky island rising above the surrounding desert. We continued toward Madera Canyon and the Davis Mountains Preserve, stopping periodically to bird the changing habitats. Additional species along the loop included Western Bluebird, Chihuahuan Meadowlark, Northern Flicker, Ruddy Duck, and Killdeer.
Then we descended again. The temperature rose, mountain woodland disappeared, and desert vegetation returned as we traveled toward Balmorhea State Park. The park's spring-fed water creates another remarkable pocket of habitat in the desert. Belted Kingfisher, Black Phoebe, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, and Yellow Warbler were among the birds around the water and surrounding vegetation.
Nearby Balmorhea Lake gave us yet another completely different birding environment. Open water, shoreline, mudflats, and agricultural edges produced an impressive assortment of waterbirds and shorebirds, including Canada Goose, American Avocet, Wilson's Phalarope, Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Western and Clark's Grebes, American White Pelican, Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon, and several species of sandpiper.
But one of our favorite moments of the entire trip was still ahead. We returned to Davis Mountains State Park as daylight began to fade. Near a known wooden pole cavity, we waited. Eventually the soft chatter of an Elf Owl followed by its tiny silhouette appeared at the cavity entrance, pausing briefly in the fading light, and then launching into the darkness. As darkness settled over the mountains, another sound drifted from the grassy slopes: Montezuma Quail. We never saw them, but we didn't need to. Their distinctive calls carried through the cool mountain air as we stood listening in the growing darkness. A Common Poorwill calling in the distance added one more voice to the nighttime chorus. It was one of those wonderfully simple birding moments—standing quietly in the dark, listening to birds you might easily miss at any other time.
By the time we returned to Fort Davis, the sky was filled with stars. It was a fitting end to a day that had taken us through mountain woodland, high grasslands, desert springs, wetlands, and back into the mountains after dark.
Day 6 — Watching Texas Unfold in Reverse. The next morning, it was time to head home. Because this had been our own scouting trip rather than the exact itinerary we'll use for our future tour, our journey ended differently. Instead of continuing west toward El Paso, we turned east for the long drive home. And in some ways, that gave us one final opportunity to appreciate what we had just experienced.
The landscapes we had crossed during the previous five days began appearing again—but in reverse. The Davis Mountains receded behind us. High grasslands gave way to open desert basins. The country around the Pecos became increasingly rugged before gradually softening into the limestone hills and oak-juniper woodland farther east.
We weren't quite finished birding, though. By midday we reached Fort Clark Springs in Brackettville, where enormous live oaks, shade, and spring-fed water created one last green oasis. It proved to be an excellent final stop. Green Jay, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Black-capped Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Bell's Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Summer Tanager, Clay-colored Thrush, Purple Martin, Lesser Goldfinch, Yellow-breasted Chat, Orange-crowned Warbler, Hooded Oriole, and Nashville Warbler were among the birds we encountered.
Eventually, however, the binoculars had to be put away. As we continued east, the desert disappeared. Small towns and ranchland passed by, the landscape became greener, humidity returned, and the birds along the roadside became increasingly familiar. By the time we reached home, we had crossed an extraordinary range of Texas landscapes in just six days.
Desert basins. Mountain forests. Grasslands. Canyons. River corridors. Springs. Lakes. Brush country. Hill Country woodland. The drive home allowed us to watch Texas unfold in reverse, habitat by habitat, until the landscapes of West Texas were once again behind us.
What Makes Birding West Texas So Special? Looking back on the trip, it wasn't any single bird or location that defined the experience. It was the constant change in the landscape. In West Texas, a relatively short drive can take you from open Chihuahuan Desert to a cool mountain woodland. A patch of cottonwoods can become an oasis filled with birds. A climb in elevation can completely change the species around you. And a spring or river corridor can create a ribbon of green through an otherwise arid landscape.
Of course, there were memorable birds: Lucifer Hummingbird, Common Black Hawk, Gray Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Elf Owl, and the Montezuma Quail calling after dark. But just as memorable was seeing how those birds fit into the landscape. That's one of the things we love most about birding this part of Texas.
PHOTO GALLERY
Lucifer Hummingbird Common Black Hawk Greater Roadrunner Gray Hawk Scaled Quail Lucy's Warbler Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Zone-tailed Hawk Phainopepla Rock Wren Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Acorn Woodpecker
All Photos ©Oscar Carmona
Experience West Texas With Us
The upcoming tour is not a duplicate of the scouting trip described here. It follows a longer, more comprehensive itinerary, with additional time in the Hill Country focused on finding regional specialties such as the Golden‑cheeked Warbler. Also the Birding Across West Texas tour starts in San Antonio and ends in El Paso. This itinerary was designed specifically for our guests while still exploring many of the same landscapes, habitats, and birding regions that make this part of Texas so exceptional.
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