Birding In Rockport

Grab your birding gear and head down to Rockport!

Rockport, Texas is a renowned destination for passionate birders of all experience levels. From the Bahia Loop and Aransas Loop of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and the beautiful Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, the Rockport area is brimming with world-class birding sites. Some of the other great species you might see include the snowy egret, mottled duck, blue heron, and more. It's especially popular for seeing the rare whooping crane, which is a bucket-list bird to see for many people.

Whooping Cranes In Rockport

The Whooping Crane is the largest bird in America. These elegant birds can be as tall as five feet with a wingspan of eight feet, and fly in from northwest Canada in October/November and leave again in the spring. Their elongated legs and throat give them a stark silhouette, which goes perfectly with black and white plumage, black eyeliner, and a pop of red on their head. Sadly, due to hunting and loss of habitat, these elegant birds almost went extinct. In 1941, only 15 birds survived, and they all lived on the central Texas coast. Thanks to a concerted effort by biologists and conservationists over many years, the cranes began to make a slow comeback. The Aransas flock is still the largest and only natural population of "whoopers" in the world. Recently, their numbers hit an all-time high of 224.

Best Time for Birding in Rockport-Fulton

Hundreds of species call the area home year-round, but migratory birds can be seen in the Rockport-Fulton area from October through March. If you visit in September, you can witness the hummingbird migration, as the ruby-throated hummingbirds make their way through here on the way to South America.

Where to Bird Watch In Rockport?

There are several locations in Rockport that are ideal for bird-watching, as the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail runs right through the area. It is possible to see hundreds of different bird species in a day. Some of the best locations for birding in Rockport are the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Rockport Beach, Goose Island State Park, and Aransas Woods. Browse birding tours below.