Places › Cities › Houston › Birds

Birds of Houston, Texas

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

128,613
recent observations
50
species listed
50
birds

Naturalists have logged 128,613 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species near Houston. The most frequently seen is the Northern Cardinal, with 6,782 recorded sightings.

Most-observed birds near Houston

Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
6,782 observations
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
6,639 observations
Great Egret
Ardea alba
6,113 observations
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
5,454 observations
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
4,113 observations
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
4,020 observations
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
3,922 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
3,917 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
3,913 observations
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
3,733 observations
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschata
3,722 observations
White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
3,571 observations
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
3,454 observations
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
3,095 observations
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
2,995 observations
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
2,883 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
2,820 observations
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
2,675 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
2,646 observations
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
2,590 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
2,577 observations
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens
2,554 observations
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
2,498 observations
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
2,439 observations
Neotropic Cormorant
Nannopterum brasilianum
2,328 observations
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
2,101 observations
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
2,087 observations
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii
1,905 observations · iNaturalist
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
1,842 observations
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
1,762 observations
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
1,667 observations
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
1,549 observations
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca
1,533 observations
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
1,516 observations
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
1,500 observations
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
1,464 observations
Western Cattle-Egret
Ardea ibis
1,426 observations · iNaturalist
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
1,416 observations
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
1,379 observations
Scaly-breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulata
1,378 observations
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
1,360 observations
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
1,354 observations
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
1,341 observations
Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
1,329 observations
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Corthylio calendula
1,298 observations
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
1,297 observations
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
1,238 observations
Limpkin
Aramus guarauna
1,143 observations
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
1,140 observations
American Coot
Fulica americana
1,135 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.

Birds in nearby places

Out spotting birds near Houston?

Take Huck with you. Identify any bird you find in seconds and build your collection.

Get Huck

Love birds? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.