High Island
Texas · Southeast
Easy
April-May
$10 per person daily; $35 annual pass
Dawn to dusk daily
About This Location
High Island is a legendary spring migration hotspot on the upper Texas coast where exhausted trans-Gulf migrants make landfall. During fallout conditions following cold fronts, the oak mottes at Boy Scout Woods and Smith Oaks can drip with colorful warblers, tanagers, and buntings.
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
Lesser Nighthawk
Chordeiles acutipennis
Least Grebe
Tachybaptus dominicus
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Willet
Sanderling
Laughing Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Magnificent Frigatebird
Anhinga
Brown Pelican
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Black-necked Stilt
Neotropic Cormorant
Roseate Spoonbill
Tricolored Heron
Snowy Egret
Western Cattle-Egret
Black Vulture
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Birding Tips
- 1
Fallouts occur when north winds meet trans-Gulf migrants in April
- 2
Visit Smith Oaks rookery for nesting Roseate Spoonbills and herons
- 3
Visit during spring migration (April-May) for the greatest species diversity
- 4
Arrive at dawn for peak bird activity, especially during migration seasons
- 5
Check the tide schedule — shorebirds are most active during falling and low tides
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Anahuac NWR
- Bolivar Flats
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Texas Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Texas →