Balmorhea Lake (fee access)
Texas · Southeast
Moderate
October-April
$5 per person
Open daily, dawn to dusk
About This Location
Balmorhea Lake (fee access) is a productive birding destination in Texas, with 325 species recorded on eBird. This lake habitat attracts Snow Goose, Mallard, and Common Goldeneye among many others. Mild winters attract waterfowl and sparrows, while spring and fall migration bring neotropical songbirds.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
Green-winged Teal (American)
Anas crecca
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus
Crested Caracara
Caracara plancus
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Blue-winged Teal
Gadwall
Mallard
Mexican Duck
Green-winged Teal
Ruddy Duck
Scaled Quail
Eurasian Collared-Dove
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Greater Roadrunner
American Coot
Black-necked Stilt
Killdeer
Snowy Plover
Long-billed Curlew
Western Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Neotropic Cormorant
Great Egret
Birding Tips
- 1
Scan the water surface methodically for diving ducks, loons, and grebes.
- 2
Check the shoreline and mudflats for shorebirds and wading birds.
- 3
Check for wintering sparrows in brushy edges from November through February.
- 4
A spotting scope is essential here — many waterbirds stay far from shore and are difficult to identify with binoculars alone.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Balmorhea State Park
- Davis Mountains State Park
- Fort Davis National Historic Site
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Texas Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Texas →