Every state has a variety of birds. Some of them are unique to that particular area while others can be found all across the country. Here's what you need to know about Texas birds.
Texas birds
Because Texas is such a large state and covers so many different climactic and geographical planes, it has a wide variety of birds that other states don’t necessarily have. Texas birds are found in the desert, on the coasts, in the mountains, in residential areas and near bodies of water. They are sun birds, water birds and urban birds so let's take a look at just a few of them.
The northern flicker
The northern flicker is a gray brown bird that is part of the large group that makes up Texas birds. The northern flicker is actually a type of woodpecker and has a white underbottom that flashes when it flies, giving it the illusion that it is flickering. This is how the bird got its name.
True to many Texas birds, the northern flicker feeds off all kinds of insects, nuts, seeds and fruit. Interestingly, the northern flicker feeds on the ground, which is a feeding style that is only found in this type of woodpecker. Other woodpeckers feed from the air and grab berries and insects on the fly. The northern flicker will stand on the ground and pick these things up, rather than swooping down to get them.
Reddish egrets
Reddish egrets are Texas birds that are water birds. They're very different than the northern flicker. For starters, they're much bigger and they eat fish rather than fruits and berries. Reddish egrets are an endangered species and they have blue legs and pink bills. The bird's body is gray with red tinted heads and necks.
These Texas birds live on the coast and use their sharp beaks to pierce fish. When they're hunting for fish, they put their wings up, casting shade over the water so they can get a better glimpse of their dinner.
A Texas predator
Texas birds also include birds of prey. Texas has eagles and hawks, but it also has owls, which are some of the neatest birds of prey. Texas has what is called the Mexican spotted owl. This predator lives in the mountains near the New Mexico boarder and chooses to nest in trees that overhang cliffs in canyons.
The Mexican spotted owl has very dark eyes and is rusty brown with brown spots and white markings on its tail. The Mexican spotted owl is just one of the many Texas birds that lives in the mountains.
