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Birds of Houston, Texas

The birds most often spotted near Houston, ranked by recent research-grade observations.

129,316
recent observations
50
species listed
50
birds

Naturalists have logged 129,316 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species near Houston. The most frequently seen is the Northern Cardinal, with 6,796 recorded sightings.

Most-observed birds near Houston

Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
6,796 observations
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
6,682 observations
Great Egret
Ardea alba
6,147 observations
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
5,473 observations
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
4,125 observations
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
4,038 observations
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
3,949 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
3,946 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
3,940 observations
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
3,764 observations
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschata
3,743 observations
White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
3,586 observations
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
3,467 observations
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
3,125 observations
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
3,015 observations
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
2,902 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
2,827 observations
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
2,686 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
2,661 observations
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
2,604 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
2,584 observations
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
2,561 observations
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
2,513 observations
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
2,446 observations
Neotropic Cormorant
Nannopterum brasilianum
2,347 observations
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
2,112 observations
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
2,093 observations
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii
1,919 observations · iNaturalist
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
1,846 observations
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
1,768 observations
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
1,670 observations
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
1,570 observations
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca
1,541 observations
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
1,521 observations
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
1,519 observations
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
1,467 observations
Western Cattle-Egret
Ardea ibis
1,428 observations · iNaturalist
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
1,421 observations
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
1,393 observations
Scaly-breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulata
1,388 observations
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
1,379 observations
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
1,365 observations
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
1,349 observations
Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
1,343 observations
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
1,307 observations
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Corthylio calendula
1,303 observations
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
1,238 observations
Limpkin
Aramus guarauna
1,152 observations
American Coot
Fulica americana
1,149 observations
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
1,148 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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