The Rio Grande Valley is an exciting place to bird at any time of the year, but during spring migration the region becomes a true birding paradise. Sitting at the crossroads of all the major North American migratory flyways, an incredible diversity of migrating passerines, raptors, and shorebirds pass through on their migration northward joining the resident South Texas specialties.
Sanctuaries along the coast provide shelter and food for hundreds of passerines including buntings, orioles, tanagers, and warblers. We can observe over 20 species of warblers in a short period of time, along with other spring migrants including Painted Bunting, Orchard Oriole, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Scarlet Tanager, and Blackburnian Warbler. The skies above the region are also filled with thousands of migrating raptors like Broad-winged Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, and Mississippi Kite.
In addition to this spring spectacle, inland birding locations such as Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, and Salineño host a wide variety of Valley specialties including Green Jay, Plain Chachalaca, Brown Jay, Muscovy Duck, Morelet’s Seedeater, Hook-billed Kite, and Altamira Oriole, among others.
The opportunity to observe a rare species from south of the border is always present, enhancing the birding experience in the Rio Grande Valley during this unique time of the year. This tour showcases why Spring in the Valley offers one of the most exciting birding opportunities in North America.
Look for desert species such as Black-throated Sparrow, Scaled Quail, Cactus Wren and Greater Roadrunner at Falcon State Park.
Marvel at the variety of tropical bird species that reach their northernmost range in this region including Green Jay, Altamira Oriole, Ringed Kingfisher, Plain Chachalaca, Morelet’s Seedeater and Hook-billed Kite.
Observe large numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds at South Padre Island and the possibility of spring migrant passerines.
Spot several raptor species including Gray Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Harris’s Hawk, Crested Caracara, Hook-billed Kite and Aplomado Falcon.
Welcome the possibility of seeing rare vagrant birds from south of the border.
Dates: March 18-24, 2026
April 22-28, 2026
Price: $3,115 per person (DBL)
$540 single supplement
Deposit: $300 per person
Starts/Ends:
Harlingen, Valley International Airport (VIA)
Each tour is limited to 8 participants
Status: OPEN
The package includes all meals from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 7, ground transportation during the tour, entrance fees to parks/preserves, accommodations as stated in the itinerary, and guided services provided by the tour leader(s). It does not include travel expenses including but not limited to airfare to and from the tour destination, travel insurance, extended stays (before and/or after the tour), alcoholic beverages, gratuities, and items/expenses of personal nature.
TROY HIBBITTS (March 18-24, 2026)
CAMERON COX (April 22-28, 2026)
Moderate (2-3 miles of daily walking). Field time each day is typically between 7-10 hours (weather permitting). Most of the birding is done on trails, boardwalks, beaches and along the road as we drive to various birding locations. Walking on uneven, soggy terrain, or in the rain is possible. Days start with breakfast at the hotel and departure for the field between 6:30 to 7:00 am. We bird throughout the morning, take a break for lunch and resume birding until 5:00 pm followed by dinner at a local restaurant.
While we cannot guarantee sightings of the birds listed below, we believe that encountering these species is quite likely during this tour.
Day 1: Arrive at Harlingen Valley International Airport (VIA) before 2 pm. After meeting everyone at the airport, we drive west to McAllen to check in to our hotel. If time allows, we try to get in a few hours of birding at local sites before the evening orientation session and welcome dinner. Overnight: Home2 Suites, McAllen.
Day 2: Santa Margarita Rach, Zapata, and Falcon State Park. Today we head to the western end of the Rio Grande Valley to bird the arid thorn scrub and riparian areas along the Rio Grande River. Our first stop is Santa Margarita Ranch, which is a private ranch located downriver from Falcon Dam. This location offers a unique birding experience as you stand on high bluffs overlooking the Rio Grande River and the riparian woodlands of the property. Currently, the ranch is the only location in the United States where you can reliably see Brown Jay. In addition to the jays, we have a good chance to see Muscovy Duck, Red-billed Pigeon, Hook-billed Kite, Ringed Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher and a large number of wintering ducks in the river below. There have also been a number of rare birds seen in recent years on the ranch including Crane Hawk, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron and Mottled Owl. Next, we visit a local park in Zapata to look for the highly localized Morelet’s Seedeater which always proves a challenge to see. Our final stop of the day is Falcon State Park, which sits on the shores of Falcon Lake with opportunities to see Black-throated Sparrow, Cactus Wren, Pyrrhuloxia, Greater Roadrunner and other desert birds. The lake can also be a good place to see American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant and a variety of wintering ducks. Overnight: Home2 Suites, McAllen.
Day 3: Salineño, Fronton, and Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. We return to the upper Valley to pick up where we left off to explore Salineño, Fronton and a brief visit to Roma Bluffs. We will concentrate on any upper Valley specialties we may have missed on our first day as well as targeting any rarities that may be present in the area. In Salineño, volunteers often maintain bird feeding stations which allow us to get great views of various specialty birds including Audubon’s Oriole and Green Jay. The Rio Grande River at Salineño is an ideal location to scan the water and sky for Muscovy Duck and Red-billed Pigeon, while the surrounding upland areas may yield Scaled Quail, Rock Wren and Lark Bunting. Later in the day we drive east to visit Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, which has hosted many rarities in the past including Masked Tityra, Stygian Owl and Collared Forest-Falcon. Here we have a chance to see an extensive list of Valley specialties including White-tipped Dove, Olive Sparrow, Altamira Oriole, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet and more. The hawk watch tower is an excellent place to scan the treetops and sky above the park for both Hook-billed Kite and Gray Hawk. We end the day in McAllen to look for Green Parakeets returning to their roosting sites, we may also see Bronzed Cowbird among the hundreds of Great-tailed Grackles. Overnight: Home2 Suites, McAllen.
Day 4: Anzalduas County Park, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, and Estero Llano Grande State Park. Today we focus our efforts in the mid-Valley region visiting Anzalduas County Park, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, and Estero Llano Grande State Park. Located right on the Rio Grande River, Anzalduas County Park is a great location to look for mixed species flocks which often include Tropical Parula and Black-throated Gray Warbler. The grassy fields near the entry of the park make it an optimal location to look for sparrows and Sprague’s Pipit. We continue downriver to the iconic Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge has a long history of being one of the top birding spots in the country and has hosted such rarities as Crane Hawk and Bat Falcon. We spend a few hours exploring the subtropical woodlands and ponds in the refuge where we may see Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Least Grebe. Like Bentsen State Park, Santa Ana also has a hawk watch tower which we visit to get a bird’s eye view of the park’s canopy and open skies. Our final destination for the day is Estero Llano Grande State Park. This small park offers a variety of habitats and with that a large array of bird species. We can see Common Pauraque and Plain Chachalaca in the wooded areas as well as White-tailed Kite, Least Bittern and Black-bellied Whistling-Duck in the open fields and wetlands. Overnight: Hampton Inn and Suites, Harlingen.
Day 5: Laguna Vista Nature Trail, South Padre Island, and Brownsville. We drive to the eastern end of the Valley and bird the coastal areas including Laguna Vista Nature Trail, South Padre Island and other nearby areas. The walking trail and observation blinds of the Laguna Vista Nature Trail provide opportunities to see many species up close such as Green Jay, Olive Sparrow, Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrashers, as well as the possibility of migrants such as Painted Bunting. Next, we depart for South Padre Island to visit the South Padre Island Convention Center Boardwalk and the Valley Land Fund Migratory Bird Sanctuary lots which provide habitat for neotropical migrants and overwintering species. The coastal marshes and mudflats are brimming with birds including Wilson’s Plover, Snowy Plover, American Oystercatcher, Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Brown Pelican and more. Over the years, there have been a number of rarities sighted on the island including Great Black-Hawk, Yellow-billed Loon, Slate-throated Redstart and Flame-colored Tanager. We also spend time along the Gulf beach to look for any ducks, shorebirds or pelagic species. We end our day in Brownsville at Oliveira Park to witness the nightly flight of Amazon parrots coming into the park to roost. We can see Red-crowned, Red-lored, Yellow-headed and White-fronted Parrots in addition to Green Parakeet. Overnight: Hampton Inn and Suites, Harlingen.
Day 6: Resaca de la Palma State Park, Coastal Prairies, and Brownsville. We drive east toward Brownsvile and visit Resaca de la Palma State Park and some of the coastal prairie areas east of Brownsville. Resaca de la Palma is a great place tosee various Rio Grande Valley specialty birds and has hosted several rarities in past years including Roadside Hawk and Gray-collared Becard. We spend the morning exploring the park before departing for the coastal prairies located between Brownsville and Port Isabel. These coastal prairies are made up of various native grasses with mesquite, Spanish dagger, and prickly pear There are also bodies of water in these prairies providing habitat for various waterbirds. Our main target will be the Aplomado Falcon which has re-established a small population in this area after disappearing in the 1930s. Other birds we may see in the coastal prairies include Botteri’s and Cassin’s Sparrows, White-tailed Hawk, Chihuahuan Raven and a variety of shorebirds. The afternoon will be flexible to allow us to look for species we may have missed, rarities that may be in the area or revisit a favorite birding location. Overnight: Hampton Inn and Suites, Harlingen.
Day 7: Tour Conclusion & Departures. If time allows, we visit a few local birding spots in Harlingen including Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, to get in some final birding before your flight home. We will arrive at the airport by no later than 11 am. Participants may arrange departing flights from Harlingen Valley International Airport (VIA) after 1 pm.
