Explore rare sightings and birding hotspots across the RGV — one of North America's top birding destinations
The Rio Grande Valley of South Texas — Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties — is one of the top destinations in the United States for finding rare and unusual birds. Its position at the convergence of major flyways and its proximity to Mexico mean that vagrant tropical species, western strays, and out-of-range migrants turn up here more often than almost anywhere else in the country. Rarities regularly reported in the RGV include Hook-billed Kite, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Rose-throated Becard, Golden-crowned Warbler, Blue Bunting, and Tamaulipas Crow, alongside seasonal vagrants during spring and fall migration at hotspots like South Padre Island, Santa Ana NWR, and Salineño. Select a county above for live, up-to-the-minute rare bird reports pulled directly from eBird.