Texas Porch

Birding / Migration

The big show, twice a year.

Spring and fall migration can make the same patch of trees feel new from week to week. The windows below are broad planning seasons, not exact dates; weather and species move on their own schedule.

The year at a glance

Season When The show Where
Peak season: Spring Apr-May The showstopper - warblers, tanagers, orioles, and buntings pour north, and after the long flight across the Gulf they can drop onto the coast in a 'fallout' that fills the trees. High Island (upper coast)
Peak season: Fall Sep-Oct Songbirds move south, and raptors gather over Hazel Bazemore Park. Live HawkWatch counts show how much the season can vary. Hazel Bazemore Park (Corpus Christi)
Winter Nov-Mar Whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, and huge flocks of ducks and geese settle in across the coast and plains. Aransas (coast), Panhandle plains
Summer breeding season The specialties nest - golden-cheeked warblers in the Hill Country, Colima warblers at Big Bend, and the Valley's tropical birds. Hill Country, Big Bend, the Valley

The two peak seasons - spring and fall - are when birders plan their trips.

The two big seasons, up close

Spring

Spring: the fallout

A 'fallout' is a weather-driven concentration of migrants after a Gulf crossing. At High Island in spring, the trees can suddenly hold warblers, tanagers, orioles, and buntings. It is memorable precisely because it is not scheduled: check the weather, sanctuary page, and recent reports, then enjoy whatever arrives.

Houston Audubon - High Island ->

Fall

Fall: the hawk river

Each fall, trained counters at Hazel Bazemore County Park record migrating raptors. Broad-winged hawks often produce the great circling 'kettles' people come to see, but dates and totals vary with weather. Use the live HawkWatch page for the current count and visitor information.

HawkWatch - Corpus Christi ->

Keep going

Where to go

The fallout and hawk-watch spots.

Find the spots ->

How to start

Gear up before the big show.

Get started ->

Wildlife spectacles

Winter cranes and the rest.

Beyond birds ->

Birding hub

Back to the main guide.

Open the hub ->

Official sources

Seasonal viewing comes from TPWD and the wildlife trails; live migration activity from eBird; the High Island sanctuaries from Houston Audubon; the Corpus Christi hawk counts from HawkWatch International.

Data vintage:
Migration timing as reviewed July 2026
Last reviewed:
July 10, 2026

Before you act: Peak days shift with the weather year to year. eBird's live maps are the best way to catch a wave while it's happening. How to use Texas Porch carefully.

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