South Texas in Style

Altamira Oriole © Brad McKinney

Experience the incredible winter birding season in South Texas while based in two luxury hotels, with excellent food throughout, and close proximity to world-class birding destinations. Great birding assured, with close views of South Texas specialties, with an abundance of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and many overwintering species; program includes visits to wonderful cultural and historical sites, and a boat trip along the bird-rich waters of the Laguna Madre.

The Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas has long been known as one of America's greatest birding and wildlife areas. Few other regions in the country offer such unequaled birding opportunities combined with easy accessibility to diverse locations. Our South Texas in Style tour will be based in two luxury hotels located near many of these prime birding areas. Participants can expect great birding, nice accommodations, and excellent cuisine with several catered meals on this easy-paced 11-day tour. We will visit many of the Valley’s famous birding spots, including Bentsen State Park, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Quinta Mazatlán, Estero Llano Grande State Park, Resaca de la Palma State Park, and the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. Here, we will search for all of the South Texas specialty birds, including White-tipped Dove, Plain Chachalaca, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Green Jay, Olive Sparrow, Altamira Oriole, and many others.

In contrast to much of the United States in January, the weather in South Texas is generally mild and comfortable (with temperatures often in the 60s and 70s). Birding at this time of year is excellent, and aside from the “Valley specialties,” the Lower Rio Grande Valley is also an outstanding destination for observing more widely occurring species of waterbirds and raptors. Waterfowl, hawks, shorebirds, and songbirds are well represented during the winter season. With its close proximity to Mexico, it is always possible for a rarity or two to show up during this season! We will also include several historical and cultural stops along the way, with visits to the fabulous Museum of South Texas History, the Palo Alto Battlefield (Mexican-American War), and the Port Isabel Historical Museum.

The first half of our tour will be based at the beautiful Casa De Palmas hotel in the city of McAllen. We will have four fun-filled days to explore the varied regions of the Lower Rio Grande Valley in search of a host of Neotropical species not found outside the area. Our tour will then head towards the coast where we’ll spend four days at the quaint Lighthouse Boutique Hotel in the historic town of Port Isabel. From Port Isabel we will visit nearby birding hotspots, including the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center and Resaca de la Palma State Park in Brownsville. We will also spend some time on the water, including both an amazing morning on a bayside boat trip along the Brazos Santiago Pass to view an abundance of waterbirds and a delightful sunset cruise that will dock at one of the Valley’s finest restaurants.

With luxury accommodations, excellent food, incredible birding, and generally pleasant weather conditions, this South Texas in Style winter tour is a must.

For those who would like to search for a new suite of birds found in the arid South Texas chaparral, including Scaled Quail, Black-throated Sparrow, and Pyrrhuloxia, as well as specialties of the riparian zone along this limited stretch of the Rio Grande, like Red-billed Pigeon, Brown Jay, Audubon’s Oriole, and Morelet’s Seedeater, we encourage you to join our Upper Valley Extension northwest of McAllen to the city of Zapata.

Luxury accommodations and excellent food; great birding in flat terrain; mostly short hikes combined with roadside birding; one 2.5-hour boat trip in bay; generally warm to mild winter conditions; rain possible with the passage of cold fronts but generally dry weather expected.

Buff-bellied Hummingbird © Brad McKinney