Belted Kingfisher

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Brown Pelican

Crested Caracara

European Starling

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Great-tailed Grackle

Killdeer

Laughing Gull

Loggerhead Shrike

Northern Cardinal

Neotropic Cormorant

Northern Harrier

Northern Mockingbird

Osprey

Reddish Egret

Red-tailed Hawk

Roseate Spoonbill

Sanderling

Sandhill Crane

Snowy Egret

White Pelican

White-winged Dove

Willet

Other

For more detailed information on Galveston birding visit

galvestonnaturetourism.org visitgalveston.com

409.797.5144 or 888.425.4753 (GAL-ISLE)

BIRD SPECIES OBSERVATIONS/NOTES

V I S I T O R S G U I D E

O F G A L V E S T O N

Mor

ten

Lam

oey

Edward and Helen Oppenheimer

Bird Observatory

Dos Vacas Muertas Bird

Sanctuary

Moody Gardens

East End Lagoon Nature Preserve/

East Beach

Stewart Beach

Kempner Park

Ferry Landing

San Luis Pass

San Luis Point

Indian Beach

JamaicaBeach

Pirates Cove

Galveston Island State Park

Pirates Beach

SweetwaterLake

Sportman

Schattel

North Deer Island

StrandMarket

Post O�ce

Coast Guard Base

SeawolfPark

Stewart Beach ParkEast Beach Ap�el Park

Tiki Island Galveston Causeway

Texas City

Bayou Vista

Syndor Bayou

Scholes Intl

Airport

O�attsBayou

Pelican Island Causeway

PELICAN ISLAND

LakeMadeline

Beach Pocket Park #1

La­te’s Cove

PalmBeach

WEST BAY

WEST BAY

GALVESTON BAY GALVESTON BAYWEST BAY

GULF OF MEXICO

GULF OF MEXICO

Corps Woods

Brown Pelican

Laughing Gull

Reddish Egret

Sanderling

WilletGreat Blue Heron

Great Egret

Neotropic Cormorant

Roseate Spoonbill

Snowy Egret

Great-tailed Grackle

Northern Cardinal

Northern Mockingbird

White-winged Dove

European Starling

Crested Caracara

Red-tailed HawkNorthern Harrier

Loggerhead Shrike

Killdeer

Belted KingfisherBlack-bellied Whistling-Duck

Osprey

White Pelican

Sandhill Crane

Galveston Island is among the top

Texas birding locations for year-

round birding. It sits along a major

migratory pathway which makes it a prime

location for birds that visit during spring and

fall migrations or live here year-round. In this

guide you will find common Galveston Birds.

To get started all it takes is an interest in

learning more about the natural world. If

available, binoculars will help you focus in

on birds from afar. All bird viewing should be

done from a distance so as not to disturb the

birds. If you do not have access to binoculars

you can still enjoy birdwatching with a few

helpful tips:

1

2

3Location, habitat, and time of year can help you determine what type of bird you are observing.

Size and shape can help you determine what bird you are looking at.

A bird’s feathers can change color depending on the season.

BEACHES

Brown Pelican

Laughing Gull

Reddish Egret

Sanderling

Willet

Lisa

Vel

asqu

ez

Julie

Che

ngD

avid

Ras

sin

Mor

ten

Lam

oey

Stan

Bra

vene

c

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Neotropic Cormorant

MARSHES & PONDS

Snowy Egret

Roseate Spoonbill

Dus

ty D

urbi

nM

ark

Doi

ng

Lea

Safle

yEo

wyn

Joh

nson

Lynn

e H

ughe

s

Great-tailed Grackle

Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird

White-winged Dove

BIRDS ABOUT TOWN

European Starling

Northern Cardinal

Dav

id R

assin

Kath

y Ca

rlson

Mar

y H

allig

anKa

thy

Carls

on

Mar

k D

oing

OPEN FIELDS

Crested Caracara

Northern Harrier

Killdeer

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Loggerhead Shrike

Lynn

e H

ughe

s

Stan

Bra

vene

c

Jack

ie F

arre

ll

Ken

Bren

nan

Scot

t Mey

er

Red-tailed Hawk

COMMON MIGRANTS

Belted Kingfisher

Sandhill Crane

Osprey

White Pelican

Lynn

e H

ughe

s

Barb

ara

Rabe

k

Loyd

Dal

ton

Paul

a Jo

hnso

n

Joe

Smith

FUN FACTS• Brown Pelican can hold up to 3 gallons of

water in their gular pouch.

• Neotropic Cormorants are a diving bird that can often be found sunning to dry out their feathers.

• The Reddish Egret is the official City bird of Galveston.

• Sanderlings can be found chasing the waves along Galveston’s beaches. They forage for food in the wet sand as waves recede

• Great Blue Heron though generally known to eat aquatic animals, are known to forage on small mammals and snakes.

• Roseate Spoonbill get their distinctive pink color from their food such as crustaceans.

• Snowy Egrets have vibrant yellow feet which helps to distinguish them from the larger Great Egret.

• Northern Mockingbird is the state bird of Texas.

• Though it looks like a hawk, Crested Caracara are part of the Falcon family.

• Killdeer are known for their “broken-wing” display to lure people away from nests.

• The Northern Harrier, also known as the Marsh Hawk, can often be spotted flying low over open marshes and prairies.

• Loggerhead Shrike are also known as the butcherbird because they impale their food on branches or barbed wire.